Guide to Making Homemade Kombucha!

What is Kombucha? This is a question I find myself being asked more frequently than expected as many don’t know that Kombucha is simply a fermented sweet tea and to make it you simply have to go through two stages of fermentation.

First stage of fermentation is where the Kombucha turns newly added sweet tea into fermented tea being Kombucha this usually takes between 7-12 days depending on what time of the year you are brewing your own Kombucha.

The second stage of fermentation is when you create fizz and flavour your Kombucha and this stage is optional as many prefer original tasting Kombucha without fizz. The second stage of fermentation usually takes around 4 - 7 days at room temperature depending on the time of year you are brewing your Kombucha.

The best thing about homemade Kombucha is that you have full control over the taste and what goes in.

How easy is Kombucha to Make?

When I talk to customers I find they are mostly fearful of messing up the process of making Kombucha or not being able to make it successfully.

The process of making homemade Kombucha process couldn’t be easier, if you can make a cup of tea, then you can make Kombucha as it’s the same process just on a bigger scale. Plus with our help and advice, you will make your very own homemade kombucha effortlessly.

This guide covers how to make your own 4 litre batch of homemade kombucha using the first stage of fermentation. If you are wanting to Bottle and Brew your Second Batch of Kombucha or flavour your Kombucha! Click the links provided.

INGREDIENTS

• 3.2L filtered water

• Tea (black or green is best, you can also mix it): you can use 2-3

  conventional tea bags OR 4-6g of loose leaf tea (2-3tsp) per one
  litre of new tea, steeping it for 10-15 minutes. Eg. want to make
  3L of new tea use 3 x 6g=18g of tea. Here at Crazy Culture we
  recommend you use only teas that are made of the Camellia tea
  plant, which are; Black, Green, White, Oolong tea and few others.

• Sugar use 40-50g (1⁄4 cup) per litre of new tea. Eg. 4L of new tea 4 x 40g=160g of sugar.

• SCOBY Starter Liquid included in your pouch (1 1⁄2 cups OR 400ml). For future brews make sure to use minimum 10-15% Starter Liquid. Eg. If you want to make another 4L brew use 400-600ml of starter liquid from your previous batch. Tip: the more starter liquid you use the faster it will ferment. Using 20% (600-800ml) will always keep you on the safe side

METHOD

• Clean the area where you would like to make your Kombucha.

• Wash the jar (if you use detergent make sure you rinse it very well as detergent can kill the SCOBY). We recommend washing it with warm water and sterilizing it with white vinegar.

• Stick the temperature strip (if you have one) on the outside of the jar.

  Ensure the surface is dry before you do so.

• Fill your Kombucha jar with 2.6L of filtered water and place in fridge (recommended if the filtered water is above 25°C). This will be used to cool down your hot sweet tea.

• Bring 0.6L filtered water to boil and take of the stove.

• Add the tea, close the lid and steep for 10-15 minutes, then remove the tea.

• Add the sugar and stir till dissolved.

• Pour the tea into your jar with the chilled water. Ensure the brew is not warmer than 30°C. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AS HEAT CAN KILL YOUR SCOBY. Rule of thumb- if the jar feels warm then it’s probably too warm.

• Finally, open the bag (BPA free) with the SCOBY and Starter liquid and pour all content into the jar, cover with the provided piece of cloth or a kitchen towel and secure it with a rubber band.

• If your 4L jar is not full you can just top it up with some filtered water, ensure you have 2-3cm of free/empty space to the top of the jar.

• Have a little try of your new brew just for your reference. Then start testing it regularly after 5-7 days of brewing. Depending on your brewing temperature your brew can be ready in 1-2 Weeks. We highly recommend using a Heat Mat if your brew temperature is below 22°C!
  Enjoy your home-brewed Kombucha once it is to your liking.

• Place your kombucha jar out of direct sunlight and write the date on the jar with a whiteboard maker or using pen and a sticky note.

• The optimal temperature is 22-27°C. Using a Temperature strip and a Heat mat will help you keep your Kombucha brew in the optimal temperature range.

• Don’t forget to always leave enough starter liquid (10-20%) for the next brew.
  Pro Tip: if you use only 10% starter liquid, let it ferment for a few more days before you start your next brew, that way you ensure that it is always acidic enough for the next batch.