Kombucha is a delicious sweetened tea that is gaining popularity very quickly. It can be double fermented with fruit to make a fizzy drink and has a sweet flavor. It's everywhere nowadays. However, kombucha often costs about $3-$5 in stores so making it at home on your own can be much more cost-effective. It's easy, fun and more affordable. Here are the best techniques for brewing kombucha tea.

Ingredients and Equipment

Brewing kombucha tea at home is very easy and you don't need more than just a couple of ingredients. Here is what you need:

Equipment

Medium glass jar Stirring utensil (wooden or plastic) Paper coffee filter (or tight-weave cloth) Something to cover the jar

Ingredients

Unchlorinated water Loose tea leaves or tea bags White sugar White vinegar Active kombucha scoby

Making Kombucha Scoby

Scoby is actually Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast and is the home for yeast and bacteria. They help transform sweet tea into fizzy kombucha. Truthfully, kombucha scoby might not look so attractive, but it's an unavoidable ingredient for kombucha tea. You can borrow it from a friend or buy one online, but the charm is making it yourself. So, here is how to do it. The first thing you need to do is buy a bottle of raw kombucha. Then, you need to pour the kombucha and the cooled tea into a jar. Make sure to cover the jar with a paper coffee filter and a rubber band. The next step is fermenting the tea in a warm spot (68-85ºF) for about one week. After about 7 days, you'll notice a tiny Scoby accross the surface. The scoby will eventually become more white and thicker as time passes. Now, you have your own Scoby and you are ready for making kombucha tea. In the meantime, check out "How to Brew Loose Leaf Tea – Step by Step" and make it yourself in the comfort of your own home.

Brewing Kombucha Tea - Instructions

Firstly, combine sugar and hot water (hot enough to steep the tea, but not boiling) in a jar. Next, place loose tea leaves or tea bags in the water to steep. Then, cool it to 68-85ºF. It is important to state that the longer the tea is in the liquid, the stronger the tea will taste. After following previous steps, remove loose tea leaves or tea bags from the liquid. Add white vinegar and an active kombucha scoby. Afterwards, cover the jar with a paper coffee filter and secure with a rubber band. Let the mixture sit at 68-85°F for about 7-30 days. True, it's a long period of time, but it will taste delicious once you taste it. Tip: The longer the kombucha sits, the more vinegary and less sweet it will eventually taste. Lastly, after letting it sit for the time specified above, pour kombucha into the cup for consuming. However, make sure to retain both the scoby and the liquid from the bottom of the jar. You can use these for your next batch of kombucha. So, this is it. Brewing kombucha tea might take some time and effort. But, once you've been brewing kombucha for a while, you may find it fun and enjoyable. Until you decide to brew your next batch of kombucha tea, make sure to visit Teabloom for more tea brewing techniques and delicious recipes.