This ancient fermented tea drink has been consumed for thousands of years across Asia and Eastern Europe. Effervescent, slightly tangy, and packed with beneficial acids and probiotics — it’s the original probiotic soda.
What You’ll Need
- 🍄 Kombucha SCOBY starter kit
- 🍾 Swing-top glass bottles — for fizzy second ferment
Ingredients
- 1 SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast)
- 1 cup starter kombucha (from previous batch)
- 8 cups filtered water
- 4 black tea bags
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
Instructions
- Boil water, steep tea bags for 10 minutes. Remove bags.
- Stir in sugar until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
- Pour tea into a clean gallon jar. Add starter kombucha.
- Gently place SCOBY on top.
- Cover with cloth and ferment at room temperature 7-14 days.
- Taste daily after day 7 — bottle when pleasantly tart.
Grandma’s Tip
Keep your kombucha at a consistent temperature between 70-78°F. Too cold and it ferments slowly; too warm and it becomes vinegary quickly.
Gut Health Benefits
Kombucha provides organic acids, B vitamins, and beneficial bacteria and yeasts that support detoxification and gut health.