You must make the SCOBY (starter) first. Directions are at the bottom of the page. After you have the SCOBY start below:

 

Day 1:

  1. Boil 4c of filtered water.
  2. Add 4 green tea bags and let steep, covered, for 20 minutes.
  3. Stir in ¾ cup sugar and cool. You can use any sugar you want. Do not use honey.
  4. Pour cooled tea into a half-gallon glass jar and add another 4c cool filtered water.
  5. Add the SCOBY and ½ cup of kombucha from the last batch as a starter.
  6. Cover the jar with a muslin cloth or paper towel and secure it with a rubber band.
  7. Let the jar sit undisturbed in a dark place (or cover with a dark towel) for 10 days.

 

Day 10:

  1. Remove SCOBY from the jar, and place it in a container. Refrigerate.
  2. Pour out ½ cup of kombucha into a container to start the next batch. Refrigerate.
  3. Pour the kombucha into bottles or jars with tight-fitting lids.
  4. Let the bottles sit at room temperature for 5 days. This improves the flavor and adds carbonation. Make sure that the lids are tight-fitting lids to hold the carbonation. After 5 days transfer the bottles to the refrigerator. They are ready to drink.
  5. When you want to make a new batch use the SCOBY and the ½ cup of kombucha stored in the refrigerator.

 

 

To Make the SCOBY

  1. Start with a new 16-oz bottle of plain green tea store-bought kombucha. GT’s brand is best.
  2. Pour the kombucha into a wide-mouth glass jar and cover the jar with muslin cloth or paper towel. Cover the jar with a dark towel.
  3. After about 4 days a SCOBY will start to form. Add some sweet green tea to help the SCOBY grow. Make the sweet tea with a cup of boiled water, one tea bag, and ¼ cup sugar.
  4. After about 10 more days the SCOBY will be ready. Save ½ cup of the kombucha in the jar for your first batch of kombucha. Don’t drink the remaining kombucha in the jar (funny taste).

 

 

Notes: If your SCOBY has brown tendrils on it, just remove them. If you think your SCOBY has mold on it, throw it out and start over. You can Google SCOBY to compare.