My kombucha journey: homemade recipe & tips

In this article, we'll start by exploring what kombucha is, delving into its basic components and why it's become such a popular beverage. Then, we'll uncork the health benefits of kombucha, looking at its live microorganisms and their potential effects on gut health, along with some essential considerations.

Next, I'll share how to start brewing kombucha. This section will guide you through the initial, crucial step of making SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast), explaining how straightforward it can be to cultivate your own. From there, we'll dive into the detailed instructions for brewing your own batch, covering everything from ingredients and tools to the step-by-step process.

You'll also learn how to know it's ready for the second fermentation and get tips on navigating common concerns like mould. The second fermentation is genuinely fascinating. We will show you how to add incredible flavours and achieve that perfect fizz. We'll then cover how to keep the SCOBY until the next production, ensuring your brewing journey can continue seamlessly. Finally, we'll discover what you can do with leftover fruit bits after the infusion, offering creative ways to minimise waste and add extra flair to any recipe.

What is kombucha

Most of you might have seen kombucha sold in supermarkets and local markets in the UK, or even have made kombucha at home.

Kombucha is a fermented drink made with tea, sugar and bacteria called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast), and is famous for its rich source of nutrients.

Health Benefits of Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented drink, so it contains live microorganisms. I often see that kombucha cleans the gut thanks to the probiotic microbes that the fermentation process has produced. And I could feel this too when drinking kombucha, especially after I had a big meal and struggled to digest.

Some people might feel uncomfortable when drinking kombucha for the first time.

I also often see that consuming kombucha daily isn’t suitable for someone who is pregnant or is nursing because of the caffeine content, acidity and contamination. So, stay away from Kombucha while you are pregnant or feeding your baby.

If you want to know more in detail, Healthline explains the health benefits of kombucha quite well.

How I started my kombucha brewing

Last September, I had an opportunity to visit my mother’s friend’s in London. He offered us his home-brewed kombucha, and it was refreshing and delicious! I was interested in making homemade kombucha, so he told me how to make it and gave me some of his kombucha to make a SCOBY at home.

Making SCOBY

Making SCOBY was relatively straightforward.

1. Pour some fresh kombucha (roughly 200ml or less) into a sterilised glass jar (I use a Bonne Maman jam jar) and cover with a clean cloth (cheesecloth or tenugui cloth) and close with a rubber band.
2. Store it at room temperature (above 21℃), away from direct sunlight.
3. In a few weeks, depending on the temperature, your first small SCOBY will form. Mine took about three weeks in cooler autumn, but summer's warmth (like at the time of writing this article) can significantly shorten this time.

You have a few options to make SCOBY:

• If you have a friend brewing kombucha, you can get kombucha (or even SCOBY, if they have a lot) from them. 
• Buy unpasteurised kombucha from a store. 
• Alternatively, you can buy SCOBY directly from a store if you prefer to skip this step.

It is worth noting that you can make kombucha without SCOBY, but I’ve never tried that method.

Now you are ready to brew!

First, let me tell you what I use for my kombucha brewing.

Ingredients for a small SCOBY (makes about a litre of kombucha)

• 1 small SCOBY
• 100ml of kombucha (a little more is always welcome)
• 1 litre of dechlorinated water (250ml to brew tea)
• 80g of sugar 
• 1 or 2 tea bags or one tablespoon of tea (I use English breakfast tea)

As the SCOBY grows larger, I simply double the amount of each ingredient to prepare 2 litres of kombucha.

For the second fermentation

Your fruits and herbs of your choice, or 100% fruit juice.

Tools

• 2 to 3 litre capacity sterilised glass jar 
• Saucepan
• Clean cloth (cheesecloth or tenugui cloth)
• A rubber band

For the second fermentation

• 1 litre glass bottle, preferably with a clip top
• Jug to pour into the bottle
• Funnel if you need

Instructions

1. Clean your hands with soap and make sure to use a clean towel to dry them. This step is crucial to the success of your kombucha production.
2. Pour dechlorinated water into a jar, or boil 750ml of water to dechlorinate. Then pour it into the jar. (It will take time to cool down. Preparing the night before helps you make kombucha more quickly. )
3. At the same time, boil 250ml of water in a saucepan. Once it’s boiled, turn off the heat, add tea bags and brew for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the tea bag and add the sugar to dissolve.
5. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, add it to the jar with dechlorinated water.
6. Wait for the tea and water to cool down to 39°C or less to add starter kombucha and SCOBY. Otherwise, it’ll be too hot for the microorganisms to live healthily. If you don’t have a thermometer, wait for it to cool down to room temperature.
7. Once the liquid has cooled down, add the SCOBY and starter kombucha.
8. Cover the mouth of the jar with a clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band to prevent insects or dust from entering.
9. Store it at room temperature (above 21℃) without direct sunlight and wait for 5 to 10 days, depending on the room temperature. I generally keep it on the kitchen counter.

You should check how the kombucha is during the process. However, if you remove the cloth too often, you might put some dust or unwanted bacteria in the jar. Just check from the side to see if it's doing well or if it's mouldy.