Kombucha Recipe

Why buy kombucha when you can have your own endless supply at home? In this recipe, you’ll learn how to prepare and grow a healthy SCOBY in your kitchen. SCOBY stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It is sometimes referred to as a tea fungus or kombucha mushroom, however these terms are incorrect since kombucha is neither a fungus or mushroom.

The SCOBY is responsible for transforming black tea with sugar into a batch of carbonated tart kombucha. The SCOBY eats the sugar and the yeast converts it into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The alcohol is then converted into acetic acid by bacteria. The production of acetic acid is what gives kombucha it’s characteristic sourness.

When preparing kombucha, there is a primary fermentation (F1) and a secondary fermentation (F2). The kombucha can be kept in the F1 stage indefinitely, as long as you continue to feed the SCOBY with fresh tea and sugar. Kombucha from the F1 stage can be transferred into swing-top bottles for the F2 stage. In the F2 stage, fruits, spices, juices and other flavourings can be added to the bottle along with a little more sugar. The kombucha will continue to ferment and produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas will be reabsorbed into the kombucha, allowing it to self-carbonate.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp of a loose-leaf black tea or 4 teabags (must be a true tea from the camellia sinensis plant)
• ½ cup (110g) of white sugar
• 8 cups (2L) of filtered water
•1/2 cup (125mL) of kombucha from a previous batch (a.k.a. starter tea)
• 1 piece of SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast)

Method

Primary Fermentation (F1)

1. Bring 2 cups (500ml) of water to a boil. Add tea and allow to steep for 5-10 minutes.
2. Strain out the tea leaves, or remove the tea bags, and add the sugar into the tea. Stir well to make sure the sugar has dissolved completely.
3. In a 2L wide mouthed glass jar, pour in the tea and the remaining cold 6 cups (1.5L) of water into the jar. Check that the temperature of the liquid is room temperature (21°C- 28°C is acceptable).
4. Add the SCOBY into the jar, along with the kombucha tea from a previous batch (or store bought raw unflavoured kombucha).
5. Secure a tightly woven cloth (such as cotton fabric, paper towel, or coffee filter) over the mouth of the jar with a rubber band or some string. Avoid using cheesecloth as it needs a tight weave to keep away any fruit flies.
6. Leave the jar at room temperature (21°C- 30°C is acceptable), away from direct sunlight, undisturbed, for 7-12 days. Generally, the kombucha will ferment faster at higher temperature and slower at lower temperatures. Kombucha should be semi-sweet with a cidery aroma (pH 2.5-3.5). A longer fermentation results in a more vinegary taste.
7. When you are happy with the taste of your kombucha, remove the SCOBY along with 125ml of the kombucha (a.k.a. starter tea) for your next batch of kombucha.
8. Now that the primary fermentation is complete. You can flavour your kombucha.

Secondary Fermentation (F2)

Ginger Kombucha – ½ inch piece of fresh ginger with skin (grated finely)

Frequently asked Questions

1) I heard that my kombucha bottle can explode, how can I prevent that?

Leaving headspace is essential to allow for CO2 build up. Without this space, the build up of CO2 pressure can cause the top of the bottle to explode off. Moving the bottle into the fridge helps slow down the fermentation. After at least 8 hours in the fridge, open a bottle of your kombucha to get a sense of how carbonated it is. You can drink your first batches of kombucha earlier to get acquainted with the level of carbonation build up in each bottle.

2) Can I substitute other sugars for the white sugar?

The SCOBY is used to feeding on white sugar as its food source. You can train your SCOBY to get used to feeding on honey. To get your SCOBY accustomed to feeding on honey, I suggest doing a primary fermentation with a mix of pasteurized honey and white sugar before gradually moving on to use honey as the sole food source. Stevia and xylitol cannot be used and can harm your SCOBY.

3) Does the size of the SCOBY impact the fermentation time?

Generally, a bigger SCOBY results in a faster fermentation. However, the size of the SCOBY is not as important as the strength and volume of the starter tea. Even if you get a small SCOBY, as long as the starter tea is strong, it will ferment.

4) Is my SCOBY working?

If you see a new SCOBY forming on the surface, or the initial SCOBY is getting bigger, these are signs that the fermentation is fine. If you see small bubbles forming, and your sweet tea is becoming sour, it also means your fermentation is working.

5) How long will the SCOBY last in the fridge when I am not using it?

Place the SCOBY in the fridge covered with sweet tea to keep it moist. It can last 6 months or more in dormancy. SCOBYs are resilient!