How to Make Kombucha at Home: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Brewing and Growing Your Own SCOBY

Updated 05/06/2025

Kombucha isn’t just a trendy health drink—it’s a traditional fermented tea with a long history and some potential nutritional perks, like probiotics, antioxidants, and polyphenols. Store-bought kombucha can be pricey and often contains added sugars. The good news? It’s surprisingly easy (and cost-effective) to brew your own at home!

Before we dive into the step-by-step instructions, let’s cover a few important safety tips:

Kombucha Brewing Safety Tips

• Keep everything clean: Use sterile jars, utensils, and clean hands to prevent contamination. If you’ve done home canning before, those skills will come in handy.

• Use your senses: Kombucha should smell fresh and vinegary. If it smells cheesy, rotten, or off in any way—don’t drink it.

• Check your SCOBY: It should be whitish and opaque. If you see mold (green, black, or fuzzy patches), throw it out and start again.

• Be aware of trace alcohol: Homemade kombucha can contain small amounts of alcohol (usually around 0.5–2%).

Part 1: How to Grow Your Own SCOBY

The SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is the heart of your kombucha brew. Think of it as your friendly neighborhood fermentation team! You can buy a SCOBY or grow one yourself using store-bought kombucha.

Ingredients & Equipment

• 7 cups filtered water

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 4 black or green tea bags (no flavorings or additives)

• 1 cup plain, unflavored kombucha (like GT’s Original)

• 1 stockpot

• 1 gallon glass jar

• Coffee filter and rubber band

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in your stockpot.

2. Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved.

3. Add the tea bags (with strings and paper tags removed) and steep until the water cools to room temperature.

4. Remove tea bags and pour the cooled sweet tea into a clean glass jar.

5. Stir in the store-bought kombucha.

6. Cover the jar with a coffee filter and secure with a rubber band.

7. Set the jar on your counter away from direct sunlight. Let it ferment for 1–4 weeks.

You’ll first see a thin film form on the surface—this is your SCOBY! Over time, it will thicken. Once it’s ¼–½ inch thick, it’s ready to use.

Note: The liquid from this batch will be too acidic to drink. Save 2 cups to start your next batch and discard the rest.

Part 2: How to Brew Kombucha with Your SCOBY

Once you’ve got your SCOBY, you’re ready to brew!

Ingredients & Equipment

• 3½ quarts filtered water

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 6–8 bags of black or green tea

• 2 cups kombucha from your previous batch

• 1 fully-formed SCOBY

• 1 stockpot

• 1 gallon glass jar

• Coffee filter and rubber band

Instructions

1. Boil the water in your stockpot.

2. Turn off the heat and stir in sugar until fully dissolved.

3. Add the tea bags and steep while the liquid cools to room temperature.

4. Remove the tea bags. Pour the cooled sweet tea into your clean glass jar.

5. Add the reserved 2 cups of kombucha and stir gently.

6. Gently place the SCOBY into the jar.

7. Cover with a coffee filter secured with a rubber band.

8. Let it ferment at room temperature, out of sunlight, for 8–12 days.

You can start tasting the brew around day 8. The longer it ferments, the tangier it will get. Once it reaches your preferred taste, it’s ready to drink!

Tips for a Smooth Brew

• Your SCOBY will grow over time and can eventually be split. Share with a friend or start a second batch!

• If you’re going on vacation, let your brew sit. It might get vinegary, but the SCOBY can often survive up to 6 weeks without fresh tea. Add a bit of extra sugar before you go.

• Mix finished kombucha with iced tea or juice to stretch your batch and try fun flavors.

• I store my kombucha in half-gallon jars with plastic lids (metal lids tend to rust).

Want to try a refreshing twist? Mix your finished kombucha into this Ginger Hibiscus Lemonade for a tart, probiotic-rich summer drink!

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or lifestyle. Some content may have been created or refined with the help of AI and is reviewed by a qualified nutrition professional.