The Complete Guide to Kombucha | Grow your own SCOBY

We teach people how to make kombucha weekly and are so thrilled to have finally made this reference video. May this traditional refresco (Bombucha as they like to call it in our community) enhance your life like it has ours!
The SCOBY Recipe:
Ingredients and supplies
- 1 liter of drinking water
- 1/3 cup (50 g) white sugar
- 3 bags black tea (or 1 tbsp looseleaf tea)
- A glass jar or ceramic container
- Tightly woven cloth (stocking, coffee filters, paper towels, napkins, cheese cloth)
- Rubberband
Instructions
1. Bring water to a boil then remove from heat and dissolve in the sugar.
2. Add the tea and allow to steep while water cools to room temperature.
3. Pour the sweetened tea into the jar once it has completely cooled. Option: to speed up the scoby growing process, you may add unpasteurized unflavored kombucha to the tea. You may add 1/4 of a store bought kombucha and be sure to include any of the floating, slimy pieces that may be at the bottom of the kombucha.
4. Cover with a couple of layers of a breathable woven cloth and secure with a rubber band.
5. Place the jar in a cupboard undisturbed (dark and cool) around 70 degrees F or 21 degrees C) until a 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) SCOBY has formed.
Keep the SCOBY in its original tea until you’re ready to brew your first batch. Treat the SCOBY well. We make a fresh one about once a year. Share any extra scobies with your friends or chickens!
Simple Bombucha Recipe:
Ingredients and supplies
- 6 liters (25 cups) of drinking water
- 2 cups (400 g) white sugar
- 1.44 grams of black tea leaves
- 1 SCOBY
- A large bottle or container. Alternatively, use a glass jug with a built in spigot to make pouring the kombucha out easier.
- Tightly woven cloth (stocking, coffee filters, paper towels, napkins, cheese cloth)
- Rubberbands
Instructions
1. Bring water to a boil then remove from heat and dissolve in the sugar.
2. Add the tea and allow to steep while water cools to room temperature. Very important not to add hot water to the SCOBY.
3. Pour the sweetened tea into the container and gently add the SCOBY (with very clean hands!).
4. Add a tightly woven cloth (better with a stocking or layers) to the top of the container and secure with a rubber band.
5. Place the jar in a cupboard undisturbed (dark and cool) around 70 degrees F or 21 degrees C) for 6 to 10 days. Begin tasting the tea at about 6 days by pouring out a good amount of the tea to get a fair taste. It should be mildly sweet and slightly vinegary. The warmer the air temperature, the faster the kombucha will ferment. The longer the tea ferments, the more sugar molecules will be eaten up, the less sweet it will be.
7. Save 2 cups from this batch to use as "starter kombucha" for your next batch (just leave it in the jar with the SCOBY(s)). The rest can move into the second and final fermentation.
2nd Fermentation (making flavored Kombucha)
Ingredients and supplies
- an airtight sealed bottle
- fruit of choice
- a blender
Instructions
1. Puree the ripened fruit in the blender with just enough kombucha to cover the fruit.
2. Fill the airtight bottle(s) with 20-25% puree and top it off by straining and funneling the unflavored kombucha.
3. Allow to ferment in a dark place for 2 to 3 days. We recommend burping your kombucha (releasing air from the bottle) and tasting daily.
4. Place in the refrigerator to slow the carbonation process and store. Your preference to strain out the fruit before serving.
ENJOY!
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#kombucha #scoby #diy

[@surfviewgardens2396]

Great video. Thanks for the inspiration to us who thought Scoby was just a kid's cartoon and movie. Very industrious to make so much. Kudos!

[@olddudegrowsorganically6400]

Hello, really appreciate your "Scoby Doo" video as well as all your other content. From all the way around the globe here in Thailand. Keep up the great videos.
🌴🙏✌🙏🌴

[@Kaiwaipermaculturebolivia]

Che mate

[@angiemylius8538]

Beautiful kombucha makers🤩👏👏 thanks for sharing you guys are amazing.

[@TheWaldHaven]

I'd luv to see how you make your ginger beer.

[@mb19842002]

Easiest (imperial measure) recipe to remember:
1 gallon water
1 cup sugar
8 tea bags

[@anandyallappa3704]

Quite informative tks! In mauritius the summer turns around 32°C and the rea is ready quite quickly.
Was just wondering how you pull out the thick scorby mat out from the small mouth of the container.
Tks

[@Kaiwaipermaculturebolivia]

We were doing continuous flow so only needed to cut it up to extract once every 6 months. Ideally wide mouth containers are better. The good thing about these is that they are HDPE plastic so don't contaminate the drink.

[@mvvliet2]

Great video guys! I was just about to ask if I can use Herba Mate, and you already answered it. Do you think it will be with the same measurements as you mentioned? I brought a few bags from Argentina, so would be a great trial. Did you try it before? Muchisimas gracias!

[@Kaiwaipermaculturebolivia]

The general rule is make it as you like it! I haven't committed a scoby to it personally but am interested to hear how it goes for you as I like my herba mate in the morning too!