Homemade Gut-Healthy Kombucha Recipe

+ ½ cup (100 g) raw cane sugar
+ 4 bags of black or green tea (or 4 teaspoons of loose tea)
+ 6-7 cups (1.5 liters) filtered water — enough to fill the jar
+ 1 cup (240 ml) store-bought unflavored kombucha (or 1 cup of previously brewed homemade kombucha for future batches)
+ 1 SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast)
+ Optional: Flavorings (such as fruit, herbs, or spices) for the secondary fermentation

Prepare the Sweet Tea: In a small pot, bring 3-4 cups of filtered water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove it from the heat and stir in the sugar until fully dissolved. Add the tea bags (or loose tea) to the hot water and allow it to steep for about 10-15 minutes. After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain out the loose tea, and let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature.

Combine Ingredients: Once the sweetened tea has cooled to room temperature, pour it into the glass jar. Add 1 cup of store-bought unflavored kombucha (or 1 cup of previously brewed homemade kombucha) to the jar to introduce the necessary bacteria and yeast for fermentation. Gently place the SCOBY into the jar.

Primary Fermentation: Cover the jar with a clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm, dark area (ideally between 70-85°F or 21-29°C) for about 7-14 days.

Taste and Monitor: After about 5 days, start tasting the kombucha daily using a straw to avoid disturbing the SCOBY. The longer you let it ferment, the less sugar will remain, resulting in a healthier beverage. When it reaches your desired balance of sweetness and tartness, it’s ready for the next step.

Second Fermentation (Optional): Carefully remove the SCOBYs and set them aside on a clean plate (you should notice that a new SCOBY has formed on the surface of the kombucha; you can keep this for future batches). Reserve 1 cup of kombucha for your next batch. If you prefer not to do a second fermentation, simply pour the remaining kombucha into clean bottles, leaving about an inch of headspace, and seal the bottles tightly. If you choose to add optional flavorings, do so before sealing. For those opting for second fermentation, let the bottles sit at room temperature for an additional 3-7 days to carbonate.

Refrigerate and Enjoy: After the fermentation period, transfer the bottles to the refrigerator. When ready to drink, pour the kombucha into a glass, strain out any fruit pieces if added, and enjoy your homemade gut-healthy kombucha!

Future Batches: After completing your kombucha brewing, reserve 1 cup of kombucha from your current batch to use in your next batch, along with 1 SCOBY to ensure the necessary bacteria and yeast for fermentation.

SCOBY Hotel: If you wish to store extra SCOBYs, you can create a SCOBY hotel. To do this, place the extra SCOBYs in a clean glass jar and cover them with freshly brewed sweetened tea to keep them healthy between batches. Feed the hotel by topping it up with sweetened tea every month to provide nutrients. When you’re ready to brew again, simply take a SCOBY from the hotel and use it in your next batch!