Comprehensive Care Guide
Best Materials (for a 1 gallon batch)
1 - 1.5 gallon glass container (preferably with a lip)
1 gallon of pH balanced water, filtered water or spring water (avoid unfiltered tap water)
3 - 6 green tea bags
3/4 - 1 cup sugar, or 1 cup organic agave nectar
Non-antibacterial hand or dish soap (preferably all natural and plant-based)
Thin material, paper towel or cheesecloth
Rubber band, stretchy tie or shoe string
Ladle
Potholders
Strainer
Large bowl
Funnel
Lidded glass jars for storage or transport (sterilized mason jars or glass juice bottles)
1 gallon of pH balanced water, filtered water or spring water (avoid unfiltered tap water)
3 - 6 green tea bags
3/4 - 1 cup sugar, or 1 cup organic agave nectar
Non-antibacterial hand or dish soap (preferably all natural and plant-based)
Thin material, paper towel or cheesecloth
Rubber band, stretchy tie or shoe string
Ladle
Potholders
Strainer
Large bowl
Funnel
Lidded glass jars for storage or transport (sterilized mason jars or glass juice bottles)
Basic Instructions (for a 1 gallon batch)
- Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil
- Sterilize all containers and utensils in the boiling water. Use potholders to carefully swirl around water in containers, then pour back into pot and let boil for another few minutes.
- Turn off heat and add tea bags.
- Let tea bags steep for about 15 minutes, then remove.
- Add and dissolve sugar. OR let cool, and add and dissolve agave nectar.
- Let tea cool for several hours, to room temp.
- Poor into sterilized glass jar. Leave a few inches of room at the top if possible.
- Rinse or wash your hands before handling the SCOBY.
- DO NOT USE ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP! Your SCOBY is bacteria and antibacterial soap can possibly harm the SCOBY. You may want to invest in an all natural, plant-based hand or dish soap.
- Once cooled, add the SCOBY and all the liquid it came in.
- For future batches, add 8 oz of liquid from the previous Kombucha batch. Also add the new mother to the 8 oz of liquid from the previous batch to make an all-new batch.
- Cover with the thin material, paper towel or cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band or tie.
- Place the jar in a warm place (60 – 85 degrees is ideal) in low light.
- Wait about 2 - 4 weeks and that’s it! (the longer you let the batch brew, the stronger the taste)
- You now have ready-to-drink Kombucha, and a a second SCOBY!
Harvesting Your Kombucha
- It is best to begin the Basic Instructions for making Kombucha at least 8 hours ahead of time, so the tea is fully cooled by the time you harvest.
- Again, sterilize everything with the boiling water. You can leave it out while the tea cools.
- Rinse or wash your hands with non-antibacterial soap before handling your SCOBY.
- Remove the rubber band or ties from the glass jar and remove the material, paper towel or cheesecloth.
- Remove the new SCOBY (if there is one) and the older SCOBY and place them in the large bowl.
- Use the same pH balanced, spring or filtered water to gently wash and cleanse, removing slimy particles and whatnot.
- Inspect the SCOBY for mold or other irregularities. MOLD is addressed in Tips and Tricks.
- Use the ladle (and possibly the funnel) to transfer your Kombucha to another container. Mason jars and old glass juice jars are great to use for Kombucha storage.
- Strain the Kombucha with a sterilized strainer, if desired.
- Refrigerate the harvested Kombucha if desired, to slow fermentation. Drink every day.
- Use the same glass container (sterilizing every other batch, or if MOLD is found) for the next batch.
- Discard wash water.
- If keeping the harvested Kombucha in sealed containers, release the gaseous pressure that will build up in the container a few times a week.