How To Make A Kombucha SCOBY From Store Bought Kombucha
It's time to grow your own SCOBY from store bought kombucha and brew your own creative and delicious kombucha at home! It's easy, it's fun, and it saves you money!
Ingredients
- 3 cups filtered water
- 2 black tea bags
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 bottle of raw kombucha I use GTs Raw
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash everything! Make sure everything, including your hands, is clean and free of any contaminants. The best way to do this is to wash with hot, soapy water, then rinse.
- Bring 3 cups of water to a slight boil, then measure off 2 cups. Add 2 tea black tea bags to the 2 cups of hot water. Allow the tea to steep in the hot water for between 10 and 60 minutes.
- When the tea is finished steeping, remove the tea bags and stir in 1/2 cup of sugar with a clean utensil.
- Allow the water to cool completely, until room temperature, then pour raw kombucha into a large, clean glass jar. Top it off with sweet tea.
- Cover the jar with a vinegar dampened coffee filter secured by a canning ring or rubber band and set it aside in a warm, dark place that it can be left for 7-14 days without disturbing. If no pellicle is present after 21 days, you'll have to toss the brew and start over.
- Over the next two weeks, you'll see the pellicle start to form. The mixture will start to bubble once fermentation kicks off, and eventually, a thin, clear pellicle will form, and it will thicken to cover the entire surface of the jar. Once it's about 1/4 inch thick and covers the entire surface of the kombucha, your SCOBY is ready to use.
- You can now remove the SCOBY + pellicle from the jar, and use it to begin brewing kombucha!
Notes
best temperatures to brew booch
Most booch is fermented between 75-80f. Generally, a warmer ferment leads to a faster brew with a more vinegary flavor profile. While a cooler ferment has a slower fermenting time with a sweeter end result. I actually love the Brod + Taylor proofing box that I use extensively with my SOURDOUGH BAKING for brewing kombucha. I'm able to use the proofing box to maintain a perfect brew temperature. I usually brew my booch around 77f. If you don't have a proofing box, and I know most don't, you can use a seedling mat, it will maintain a warm temperature for your brew the same way it will keep seedlings warm! You can also place your brew somewhere it can be undisturbed for a while, out of direct sunlight, and warm. The cupboard above your fridge is likely a great place.