My homemade Kombucha recipe is so simple to make at home once you’ve learned the steps. I’ve been making it for a while now and can’t wait to share my foolproof method and customized flavors. The store-bought version can be quite expensive, but my DIY recipe from scratch makes it affordable to drink every day.
I have been on a HUGE kombucha kick for the past 3 years. Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s awesome for gut health, detox, and immune boosting, and so much more! After buying store-bought kombucha weekly, I decided to start making my own to save on costs. And guess what? It’s so much cheaper and still so delicious!
Making kombucha is kinda like doing a science experiment! It feeds my inner nerd and science geek in me – the SCOBY is so cool and so gross all at the same time! I love that it is low in calories, sugar (the gooey mushroom-like SCOBY actually eats up and processes the sugars), but more on that later.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Customizable flavors. Add your favorite fruit, spices, or herbs in the second fermentation for a brew that’s uniquely yours.
- Economical when compared to store-bought. Brew a gallon at home at a fraction of the store cost.
- Minimal prep time for great health benefits. The process of making diy kombucha really involves no active prep time. You are waiting and making sure the fermentation process is carried out smoothly at the correct temperatures.
What is Kombucha?
It’s a fermented tea (black or green tea) that originated in China. Once the drink has finished fermenting, it’s both tangy and fizzy in taste and contains natural probiotics that are great for gut health.
The key to a great kombucha at home is your SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, pellicle or mother) for the drink. We teach you how to make a SCOBY easily at home. We love this hassle-free method so much that we try to make it weekly!
Ingredients
For the First Fermentation:
- Water (filtered or dechlorinated): Use filtered or dechlorinated water; avoid chlorinated water, which contains chemicals that can harm the SCOBY.
- Granulated white sugar: Feeds the yeast and bacteria. Sugar is critical for active fermentation. You can also use cane sugar if desired. Avoid honey, agave, or artificial sweeteners in the first fermentation.
- Tea (black or half-black & half-green): Provides tannins, caffeine, and polyphenols that nourish the SCOBY. Avoid using herbal teas in the first fermentation.
- Starter kombucha (from previous batch or raw store-bought) & SCOBY: These ingredients help to start the fermentation and maintain an acidic pH to prevent unwanted microbes.
For the Second Fermentation (Optional)
Here are some of my favorite flavors that I’ve made. Feel free to also customize your own! I like to crush the fruit for a stronger, fruitier flavor, but this is totally optional, depending on what you like.
- Flavoring examples:
- 16 oz bottle: Blueberries + diced ginger
- 24 oz bottle: Strawberries + diced ginger
- 16 oz bottle: Apples + cinnamon stick
- 24 oz jar: strawberries + blueberries + raspberries + lemon
Equipment
- 1-gallon wide-mouth glass jar: Sterilized to ensure the perfect growth environment for the live cultures. I like this one with a spigot.
- Large non-reactive pot: A short stint with non-reactive metal (e.g. stainless steel) is just fine! Use stainless steel funnels, strainers, pans, and you’ll be fine! Avoid reactive metals like aluminum, copper, and cast iron.
- Wooden or silicone spoon: Once again, avoid a metal spoon.
- Breathable cover (coffee filter, paper towel, multiple layers of cheesecloth, tight-weave cloth or flour sack tea towel) + rubber band: Helps live cultures breathe and prevents dust, bugs and fruit flies from gathering.
- Kitchen thermometer: Helps you check that the SCOBY and kombucha are at the proper temperatures for the best quality.
- Funnel and fine-mesh strainer (optional): I love having these tools around for easy bottle filling and straining out unwanted materials. Try this plastic strainer funnel combo.
- Swing-top bottles (or other airtight bottles) for second fermentation: The seal on these bottles helps create the light carbonation we love in this drink.
- Optional: pH strips (for safety check): These help to know that your kombucha was made safely during it’s fermentation, so you can feel good about the final product.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Kombucha at Home
Step 1 – Brew the Tea Base
Bring 4 cups of cold water (filtered) to a boil in a large pot. Stir in 1 cup of sugar until it’s fully dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat, then add the tea bags or loose tea. Steep the tea for 10–15 minutes, then remove the tea bags (or strain the loose leaves).
Step 2 – Dilute and Cool the Tea
Pour the brewed tea into your clean 1-gallon glass jar. Add 12 cups of cold filtered water to bring the total volume to 1 gallon. Stir to combine. Let the tea cool completely to room temperature (70–85°F / 21–29°C).
Pro Tip: Adding the SCOBY to hot liquid can kill it. Wait until the tea is room temperature or just slightly warm to the touch.
Step 3 – Add Starter Tea and SCOBY
Add 2 cups of starter kombucha to the jar and gently lay the SCOBY on top. It may float or sink. Cover the jar with a breathable cloth and secure it tightly with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm (72–80°F / 22–27°C), dark spot away from direct sunlight and drafts. I pop it in our laundry room nook on a counter there.
Step 4 – First Fermentation
Ferment the kombucha for 7–14 days, tasting daily after day 7.
To taste: Slide a clean straw under the SCOBY and sip a little.
If it’s too sweet, ferment it longer.
If it’s too tart or tastes like vinegar, shorten the fermentation time in your next batch.
Pro Tip: The brew is ready when you see bubbles and a new layer forming on top of the SCOBY.
Step 5 – Prepare for Second Fermentation
Gently lift out the SCOBY along with 2 cups of the brewed kombucha and transfer them to a clean jar. This will serve as your starter for the next batch. Pour the remaining kombucha into a spouted pitcher (avoid using metal funnels) and, if you want, strain to remove any yeast strands; use a stainless-steel fine-mesh strainer for this.
Pro Tip: Kombucha isn’t as fragile as it sounds. A quick pour through a stainless steel funnel or strainer is just fine—promise. Just steer clear of aluminum, copper, and cast iron, and you’re good to go.
Step 6 – Flavor & Carbonate (Second Fermentation)
Add your chosen flavor ingredients to each bottle (see options above), then pour kombucha into the bottles, leaving about 1 inch of headspace. Seal the bottles tightly and let them sit at room temperature for 2–5 days.
Kathleen’s Tip: “Burp” bottles once daily to release pressure. Once they’re carbonated to your liking, refrigerate them immediately to slow down fermentation.
Expert Tips
- Dechlorinating your water is a great idea—I do it for my sourdough starter and breads. We used to rely on straight RO water (which strips out too much), but we recently upgraded to an RO system with remineralization, so now I use that for my SCOBY, kombucha, and all my fermented projects.
- If your tap water is treated with chloramine (like ours is here in Denver) instead of plain chlorine, the usual tricks, letting water sit out or boiling it, won’t remove it. Chloramine is stubborn, and removing it at home gets complicated fast. In that case, the simplest solution is to buy a few gallons of purified water with minerals added back in.
- But if your water uses plain chlorine, dechlorinating is much easier. Just pour tap water into an open jar and let it sit for 24–48 hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate, or bring it to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes, then let it cool completely. Either way, it’s a small step that can make your SCOBY and your bread much happier.
- To create the carbonation in kombucha, use the correct bottles. I like to use swing-top bottles or used (clean) kombucha bottles for carbonation.
- Temperature and patience are key for making homemade kombucha, especially during the winter months, as it grows more slowly because my house is cool. In the summer, I have to keep a close eye on it as things can move quickly. I usually keep it on the counter in my laundry room, where it’s not exposed to sunlight.
- If you want a stronger, fruity flavor in your kombucha, crush the fruit in the second fermentation.
- The SCOBY Hotel is a lifesaver. This is a way to easily maintain a SCOBY for long periods of time, and in case of emergency (say, if you may have killed your original SCOBY).
Storage
Refrigerate the bottled kombucha immediately after the second fermentation. It stores best for 1–2 weeks. Serve it chilled (40–50°F). Check the carbonation by opening the bottle slowly over a sink.
Variations
There are so many different flavor combinations you can use in this homemade kombucha recipe. Here are some of my tried-and-true flavors, but have fun customizing your own! If you want an even stronger fruity taste, mash the fruit with a wooden spoon to release more of its natural juices.
- 16 oz bottle: Blueberries + diced ginger
- 24 oz jar: Strawberries + diced ginger
- 16 oz bottle: Apples + cinnamon stick
- 24 oz jar: Strawberries + Blueberries + Raspberries + Lemon
FAQs
It’s totally normal if your SCOBY sinks. It may float later as a new layer forms on top. What matters most is that the brew is active (bubbles rising, new film forming).
This is likely because you fermented it for too long or at too warm a temperature. In the future, shorten the time or ferment at a slightly cooler temperature (70–72°F).
Not for the first (primary) fermentation. Herbal teas generally don’t have the tannins and caffeine that support the SCOBY’s microbial needs.
If you see fuzzy, colored mold (green, blue, black) on the surface of the SCOBY, discard the SCOBY and brew an entirely new batch (do not salvage it).
Yes, with proper care, you can reuse a SCOBY many times. Each batch typically creates a new “child” layer.
More Easy Drink Recipes
- Golden Milk (Turmeric Latte) Recipe
- Bullet Proof Coffee
- Starbucks Medicine Ball Drink
- Chai Tea Latte
- Fruit and Veggie Smoothie
Equipment
- Wooden or silicone spoon (avoid metal)
- Breathable cover (coffee filter, paper towel, or clean cloth) + rubber band
Ingredients
For the First Fermentation
- 4 cups water filtered or dechlorinated
- 1 cup granulated white sugar or all-natural cane sugar
- 6 – 8 tea bags black tea, or half black + half green; about 12–14 g total loose tea
- 12 cups cold filtered water to top up to 1 gallon total
- 2 cups starter kombucha from a previous batch or store-bought unpasteurized
- 1 SCOBY
For the Second Fermentation Flavor Combinations (Optional)
Blueberry Ginger
- ⅓-½ cup fresh blueberries Placed in a 16 ounce bottle
- 1 – 1 ½ tablespoons ginger peeled, diced and placed in jar
Strawberry Ginger
- ⅓ – ½ cup strawberries diced, placed in a 24 ounce bottle or jar.
- 1 ½ tablespoons ginger peeled, diced and placed in jar
Apple Cinnamon
- ⅓- ½ cup diced apples placed in 16 ounce jar
- 1 stick cinnamon placed in 16 ounce jar
Berry Lemon
- ¼ cup strawberries Place ingredients in 24-ounce jar or bottle.
- ¼ cup blueberries
- ¼ cup raspberries
- 1 inch lemon chopped, rind and all
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in 1 cup of sugar until it’s fully dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat, then add the tea bags or loose tea. Steep the tea for 10–15 minutes, then remove the tea bags (or strain the loose leaves).
- Pour the brewed tea into your clean 1-gallon glass jar. Add 12 cups of cold filtered water to bring the total volume to 1 gallon. Stir to combine. Let the tea cool completely to room temperature (70–85°F / 21–29°C).12 cups cold filtered water
- Tip: Adding the SCOBY to hot liquid can kill it. Wait until the tea is room temperature or just slightly warm to the touch.
- Add 2 cups of starter kombucha to the jar and gently lay the SCOBY on top. It may float or sink. Cover the jar with a breathable cloth and secure it with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm (72–80°F / 22–27°C), dark spot away from direct sunlight and drafts.2 cups starter kombucha, 1 SCOBY
- First Fermentation: Ferment the kombucha for 7–14 days, tasting daily after day 7.To taste: Slide a clean straw under the SCOBY and sip a little. If it's too sweet, ferment it longer. If it's too tart or vinegary, shorten the fermentation time in your next batch.
- Tip: The brew is ready when you see bubbles and a new layer forming on top of the SCOBY.
Second Fermentation
- Gently lift out the SCOBY along with 2 cups of the brewed kombucha and transfer them to a clean jar. This will serve as your starter for the next batch. Pour the remaining kombucha into a spouted pitcher and, if you want, strain through a stainless fine mesh strainer remove any yeast strands.Tip: Yeast strands are totally normal. Not dirty. Not mold. Not a mistake. Just part of a healthy brew doing its thing. So if a few sneak through don't worry!
- Add your chosen flavor ingredients to each bottle (see options above), then pour kombucha into the bottles, leaving about 1 inch of headspace. Seal the bottles tightly and let them sit at room temperature for 2–5 days.
- Tip: "Burp" bottles once daily to release pressure. Once they're carbonated to your liking, refrigerate them immediately to slow down fermentation.
Notes
- Dechlorinating your water is a great idea.
- If your tap water is treated with chloramine, the simplest solution is to buy a few gallons of purified water with minerals added back in.
- But if your water uses plain chlorine, dechlorinating is much easier. Just pour tap water into an open jar and let it sit for 24–48 hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate, or bring it to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes, then let it cool completely.
- To create the carbonation in kombucha, use the correct bottles. I like to use swing-top bottles or used (clean) kombucha bottles for carbonation.
- Temperature and patience are key for making homemade kombucha, especially during the winter months, it grows slower because my house is cool. In the summer, I have to keep a close eye on it as things can move quickly. I usually keep it on the counter in my laundry room, where it’s not exposed to sunlight.
- 16 oz bottle: Blueberries + diced ginger
- 24 oz bottle: Strawberries + diced ginger
- 16 oz bottle: Apples + cinnamon stick
- 24 oz jar: Strawberries + Blueberries + Raspberries + Lemon
Nutrition
Anthony Lauro
I was surprised to see this recipe. Back in the 60s my friends and I always made kombucha only we called it hippy tea. The scoby referred to as the mushroom. I am looking forward to trying your recipe. I am sure it is much safer than the one we made.
lol!! Hopefully it’s all safe and you survived the last one, and I hope you like this one. I’ve got to get another batch you going too!!