Drinking kombucha is one way to begin getting the benefits of fermented foods but in a drink form. I make this 1 gallon kombucha recipe about every 1-2 weeks whenever my kombucha brew is done and we’re wanting more!
Benefits of Homemade Kombucha
Making your own kombucha is much cheaper than buying it at the store. I drink 8-16 oz per day. If I was buying this from the store it would cost around $4 for a 16 oz bottle or $9.99 for 48 oz.
Making your own food and drinks is also empowering! It gives you confidence by making mistakes, learning along the way, and then having kombucha on hand.
You also get to see the process and determine what’s in your kombucha. You don’t have to second ferment with a juice or fruit if you like the tart flavor or normal kombucha. But if you want it sweeter or a certain flavor, you can do that too!
FAQs about home brewed kombucha
How Much Kombucha Can I Drink A Day?
If you’re completely new to fermented foods, then start slow. Eating and drinking too much too fast can cause a headache or give you bowel problems while your body is getting in balance. If this does happen to you, drink a little extra water. This will help flush things out.
Is There Alcohol in Homemade Kombucha?
According to Fermentaholics, typically homemade kombucha has 0.25%-1%. I have drank 16-32oz at one time and haven’t felt the effects (and I’m a small human).
What’s this weird white stuff? Do I have mold on my kombucha?
Stay calm, it’s probably not mold as long as you’ve been keeping your kombucha at temperatures between 70-85*f. This is why that sticker thermometer is important to monitor your kombucha’s temperature.
The picture above shows you what a SCOBY looks like in its ‘infancy’. It doesn’t start as the big, thick circle you usually see people giving to one another. It starts as this little colony then it begins to thicken. It’s also a white, tan, brown color.
Mold will be fuzzy, grey, or black.
My SCOBY sank!
That’s okay. It may stay at the bottom while a new one forms at the top. Or, it may float back up to the top.
How to second ferment your kombucha & is a second ferment necessary?
No, you don’t have to second ferment your kombucha. But if the tart taste isn’t something you’re enjoying, you can second ferment your kombucha to make it more palatable.
To second ferment, you can add juice or fresh/frozen fruit. I’ve done frozen berries, sliced ginger, and ΒΌ cup juices (in different bottles). Allow to sit for 3-5 days, burping every day…you can chose to not do this if you enjoy cleaning. Ask me how I know.
If you use fresh or frozen fruit, strain your kombucha before putting in a bottle in the fridge.
What type of tea can I use?
I try to always use organic teas and organic sugar. But some common teas used for kombucha include:
- black tea – bold flavored kombucha
- green tea – light and soft flavored
- rooibos tea – flowery and delicate flavor
- oolong tea – grass flavored
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1 Gallon Kombucha Recipe
Making homemade kombucha is delicious and you can make it to your liking! If you want more tart, sweet, fruit, gingery, you can do that. This is the basic kombucha recipe we use to make ours.
Materials
- 16 cups (1 gallon) of filtered, unchlorinated water
- 4-6 tea bags (see above tea options)
- 1 cup organic tea
- kombucha starter (aka SCOBY)
Tools
- 1 gallon glass jar
- rubber band
- coffee filter, cheese cloth, or paper towel
Instructions
- Boil 8 cups of water. Add tea bags and allow to seep.
- While still hot, add sugar so that it dissolves into your tea.
- Allow your tea to cool to 70-80*f. This is important or you could kill your SCOBY.
- Add your tea to your SCOBY in a very clean jar.
- Add another 8 cups of warm, filtered water to your tea.
- Label, cover with a cover filter & rubberband, and allow to sit for 7-21 days.**
- Once 7 days has passed, begin taste testing for fermentation. You'll probably see some bubbles and your SCOBY growing too.
- Transfer your tea to flip top bottles. Allow to sit on counter for an additional 3+ days as you "second ferment". Make sure to burp your jars daily. This will help your kombucha get some more bubbles and you can add flavoring here if you'd like.
Notes
Use HOT soapy water to clean your jar that your tea will be fermenting in. You want this to be as clean as you can. If you have a dishwasher, feel free to wash in there on your hottest setting.
Similar to sourdough, if your SCOBY gets too cold, it will go dormant. Also, the cooler your home, the long it will take your kombucha to ferment. I've had it take close to 21 days before!
Keep your kombucha between 70-85*f. If you allow it to get cold, you risk mold.
We drink our kombucha without flavor most days. Yes, even our kiddos!
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