With the recent bogus government crackdown on that fizzy, faux-soda favorite of all the hot yoga milfs out there (aka Kombucha) and subsequent clearing from shelves across the nation, we figured it was time to show how to brew your own Kombucha. Now you don’t have to wait until it comes back to Whole Foods to enjoy this highly expensive and beneficial fermented tea! You will not only save a ton of $$ but you might gain a little popularity with cute yoginis who are trying to mooch some bottles from you…
If you would like more help or have any questions, feel free to contact Neil. He’s been doing this for a while and has it down to a science… neil.kombucha@gmail.com
Recipe:
2 gallons of filtered water
2 1/2 cups sugar (1 1/4 c. per gallon)
2 #4 loose leaf tea bags (or 10 normal tea bags) of black, white or green tea
1 kombucha mushroom (SCOBY)
2 cups starter tea (1c. per gallon)
2 cups 100% juice or puree (for flavoring)
If you are looking for a SCOBY, start looking on CraigsList for someone near you who might be selling one. There are also other resources online. Once you have your own, it will grow in layers. You can split it in half and double your brew, give part to a friend, or sell it yourself online.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Your brew is ready when it becomes slightly acidic. If you don’t have an electric pH tester, you can use pH test strips (found online or at your local beer brewing shop).
If you don’t use a heating pad, fermentation process can take up to 2+ weeks.
Make sure you use the proper amount of sugar when preparing your sweet tea. The sugar feeds the SCOBY which converts it into all the beneficial properties that Kombucha has.
Don’t use flavored teas. The oils in the tea are bad. Only add flavoring after tea has fermented. And use only 100% juice or puree. It’s the good stuff!
ALWAYS save the proper amount of starter tea for your next batch!
Sanitize everything. Wash your hands, bottles, and all materials. Make sure to clean out your fermentation vessel after every brew. Continuous brewing can cause mold and other problems.
Avoid using metal around the SCOBY. Stick with wooden spoons and glass containers.
HAPPY BREWING!
music:
Intro Song by
tasteislife.com
“What More Can I Say (Top Chillin’)”
Shawn Lee & Clutchy Hopkins
ubiquityrecords.com
camera/edit: Reis Paluso
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July 23rd, 2010
awesome video. i love kombucha and can’t wait to brew my own. on the look out for a SCOBY. heard you can find them on the internet pretty easy!
July 23rd, 2010
You mention that everything needs to be sanitized. Can you offer a good way to sanitize everything. What is your technique? I have a bunch of old kombucha bottles that I would like to use but am worried about brewing funk if I don’t sanitize properly.
July 23rd, 2010
Great video, still not getting the fiz on mine though.
Haven’t used a heating pad, might give that a shot next time.
Were those bottles plastic or were they glass?
Cheers
July 23rd, 2010
Hello Simpletonian,
Hot water and soap, with a good hot water rinse for the utensils for making your sweet tea. For the bottles, a soaking solution of water with a little bleach does a great job. I do that and rinse them real well and then put them in my dishwasher for a final sani rinse which the water temp is 180 degrees and that kills all bacteria. You can put the bottles in your oven and reach that temp to kill off undesired micro organisms too.
I also have some bottle brushes that take off any particulates before I do the soaking solution.
Happy Brewing
July 24th, 2010
Joel,
Those were glass bottles.
July 24th, 2010
Great video Neil, I love your recipe and insights
and all of the benefits of drinking kombucha.
July 24th, 2010
can’t wait to start!
July 25th, 2010
I was fortunate to discover Neil before starting my first Kombucha brew. The initial investment couldn’t have paid off more. He set me up with supplies, instruction and continues to be a resource. This high quality video production is an excellent example of the precise direction and attention Neil gives to all who are interested in Kombucha. I’ll look for video updates as new brewing techniques emerge. I’m delighted to also see Neil’s offering group lessons.
A recommendation to Simpletonian in the comment thread; as an avid canner another proven disinfecting technique is to boil your bottles in a canning pot on top of the stove That’s if you don’t have the fancy, high tech dishwasher like Neil’s.
July 25th, 2010
Great video Neil! Just started my first batch thanks to you and your advice! Keep up the good work.
July 30th, 2010
what are you using for a “heating pad?” Is it just a plain heating pad? oh and great info and even better video! Thanks for sharing!
July 31st, 2010
Hello Susan,
Go to ebay and type in “reptile heating pad” and you will see the heating pad I use. The one for $36 will hold two 2 gallon fermentation vessels. Let me know if this helps.
Blessings,
Neil
August 2nd, 2010
I have followed this recipe but my kombucha never tastes fizzy like the Synergy or GT’s in a bottle. I always taste tea and sugar, too. These instructions are missing the last bit that you have to bottle the liquid and you can’t just leave it in the big container.
Any help would be appreciated.
August 2nd, 2010
Also important is to only use organic tea when making the booch. Regular tea has fluoride in it.
August 2nd, 2010
@Suz, for me, the longer I leave it in my bottles, the more fizz I get. Make sure you are tightening your bottles and that your Kombucha reaches that ideal pH of somewhere between 2.8 and 3.2. Hopefully that helps get some effervescence.
August 2nd, 2010
I will try this the next time I make it. Thanks.
August 6th, 2010
Nicely done – thanks so much. Have been missing kombucha so much – going to give it a try.
August 7th, 2010
Neil, thanks for the snake blanket tip! I will get one!
Next question for you and any one else who may know: Some batches are more “vinegar-y” than others, How do I reduce the vinegar taste and gravitate more to the fruity taste? Is it linked to time, temp, pH? All responses appreciated!
August 7th, 2010
Hello!
Where did you get the containers that you made the kombucha in, and also, the small bottles with lids?
Thanks- Love this video and hope mine works out.
~Morgan
August 8th, 2010
Hello Susan and Morgan
Susan, the reason you have a more vinergar-y taste than others all has to do with the PH. I like to bottle around a PH of 3.0 When the PH drops below 2.7 (way to sour for my taste) I throw out my batch and start over. Always keep some starter tea for your next new batch. Try bottling at a PH of 3.2 and you will have the more fruity taste you desire.
Time and Temp always brings you to a PH level. The temp will bring you to the desired PH in a certain amount of time depending on the temp. I like my temp around 78 to 80 degrees.
Morgan, try Wal Mart for the 2 gallon vessel. The bottles in the video are GT Synergy bottles stripped of the labels. I buy new lids to replace the old ones and continue to recycle the bottles over and over with a real good cleaning between each bottling of new fresh Kombucha.
August 8th, 2010
Hey Neil– You certainly are a master at this…you rock!! Off to get some pH strips and a heating pad!! Thanks!
Morgan, I bought my vessel at Target, ~$13…and bought a spigot from Midwest Brewing (in Mpls, MN) for $3.50…drilled a hole with my dremil and wallah-a jar with a spigot for under $18.00!! A friend of mine uses the 8 oz and quart size bottles with it’s own “pressurized” cap (it is metal and clamps down) that she got at Midwest Brewing. MB is online.(I was fortunate enough to have saved a ton of GT bottles before it was pulled off the market!)
Happy brewing everyone!!
August 8th, 2010
Too funny….just watched the video for the third time and noticed the heating pad, pH meter and the points about bottling at a pH of 3….was that in there the first time? O:)
August 10th, 2010
Where do you buy the lids?
August 10th, 2010
Sorry another question. Is there any danger that the bottle will blow up during the 5 days if I am using plastic lids?
August 11th, 2010
Jocelyn,
There are a few places to purchase the caps for the old GT Synergy bottles I use. The caps are 38MM continuous thread. Try fillmorecontainer.com or gambercontainer.com
I do not use plastic lids so I do not know if it will blow up on you.
I have had a few glass containers blow up on me in the past but I believe the glass may have had an imperfection and could not handle the pressure of the natural carbonation.
Blessings.
August 17th, 2010
Hi!
I was wondering if a scoby can be stored between brews? I’d love to start brewing my own kombucha but with me being the only one drinking it there might be times when my poor scoby has to hang out for a minute between batches.
How long would you store it before starting over and would it be better to pop it in the fridge during said down time?
Thanks a ton!!
August 20th, 2010
Jacquie,
The way I store my scoby is I put it in sweet tea and just let it sit say about 2 to 4 weeks max at room temp. Then, I make fresh sweet tea and pour out the old fermented tea (I keep a couple of cups of starter tea) and add the scoby to the new sweet tea.
The PH of the old fermented tea is usually 2.5 or lower which makes it real nasty to drink.
I once went 2 months without feeding my scoby’s and they died
September 1st, 2010
Neil you have a talent which is rare these days; the gift of communication.Great video and tunes! Thanks for helping thousands of komucha drinkers thumb their noses at government regulation. I’m gonna be diggin my black market kombucha. I was definitely starting to jones.Looks like a Kombucah backlash is brewing.
October 8th, 2010
Hi I notices that your brewing does not always producde a new baby scoby after every time your brew is done … is that ok/ or do you alwysnhave to have a new baby scoby in oreer for your kambucha to be the best> Thanks for your reply. Lorena
October 12th, 2010
Hello Lorena,
I will always have a new scoby (baby) when I brew. If you do not think you do, you may notice it got thicker.
That is the baby forming with the mother and eventually you can divide them but it may be a few rounds of brewing before you do that.
Blessings
December 31st, 2010
Hi Neil,
I’m about to make the first batch of kombucha with one of your scoby’s. Yay! My son came by before Christmas and purchased it from you for a present to me. He really enjoyed chatting with you and I have enjoyed the video. I have a question about the heater pad. I purchased a reptile heater pad and it has a sticky side that is supposed to be pressed onto the vessel but it is not made to be removed.
Do you have this issue with the reptile heater you use? I am concerned that I will damage it if i try to remove it when I need to wash the jar.
The instructions also stresses not to let it overheat by leaving it between the vessel and a solid surface. I’m thinking that the little rubber stick-on spacers it came with should take care of that.
Do you have any thoughts or suggestions that I may be overlooking on this?
Thanks so much!
January 6th, 2011
Hello Amber,
I did not remove the sticker protector on the bottom of the reptile heating pad. I left it so I could move the pad around. It does not need to be removed, I just set my fermentation vessels on top of it and it works great to keep my Kombucha warm. Sticky side protector down and then set your vessel on top. It can set on a solid surface like a shelf and you can set your fermentation vessel on top, no worries. I have been doing it that way for years. Happy Brewing
January 24th, 2011
Hi Neil,
Where did you get your ph tester? And how much does one cost?
Thanks!
January 25th, 2011
Hello Dean,
Go to E-Bay and in the search window type in Milwaukee ph56 and you will see the tester I use in the video along with the cost.
Happy Brewing
February 1st, 2011
I am sorry if I missed this, but you talk about starter tea. If this is my very first batch, how do I make starter tea?
thanks
Lorenzo
February 1st, 2011
Hello Lorenzo,
Check your local craigslist for a scoby and some starter tea. If you propagate from a bottle of GT’s Original then no worries because everything is included in the full 16 oz. drink. Once you start brewing, always save a cup or two for the next batch.
Blessings,
Neil
August 24th, 2011
Do i need to replace the GT or Synergy KT lids? Can i just bleach them. What kind do you use metal or plastic i know they are 38mm continuous thread. thank you, lori
September 6th, 2011
Hello Lori,
You can reuse the Synergy caps if you want.
I replace mine when I bottle with new metal 38mm CT caps with a plastisol lining. There are a few websites that sell them.
Happy Brewing,
Neil
January 25th, 2012
Hi Neil,
Thanks for the great video. Professional, concise and informative.
I am looking for the “reptile heating pad” you recommend. Can you post the brand, size, wattage and model# please. I can’t seem to find it online, since so much time has passed since your posting pertaining to it. Do you monitor the temperature of your fermenting tea and and make any adjustments to the heating pad temp.?
Continuous brewing seems to be quite the rage, with many benefits sited, according to several online articles. What are the mold and other problems you encountered?
My house is about 60 degrees. Do I need to keep the bottled kombucha on the mat for the second ferment as well?
Do you refrigerate the bottled tea after the 5 days and for how long?
Is it OK to reuse the plastic lids that come on the GT bottles now? I see you mentioned that you use the metal ones, but I thought we were not supposed to have metal come into contact with the brew? Perhaps the coating is food safe for acid? Also I see some sites recommend using only white vinegar and not soap or bleach for the disinfectant. Have you had any problems with the soap and bleach? Thanks so much!
January 25th, 2012
Hello LeD,
I will try my best to answer all your questions.
The reptile heating pad is made by Catalina Aquarium. It is 8″x18″ and is 22 watts. It has an adjustable thermostat. There is a guy on e-bay who sells the one I am describing for $33.98. His seller name is mango277. Just type in “reptile heating pad” in the search window on e-bay and look for one that has the thermostat, click on it and see if it is mango277, if it is go to his store and check out the different sizes he sells and go for the 8″x18″ one.
I keep my thermostat temperature on high in the winter and medium in the summer.
What do you mean by “continuous brew”? If you mean you always have some fermenting or that you take the kombucha out of the fermentation vessel as you drink it? I need more information from you to answer that one.
I do not encounter mold or any negative issues since I have been brewing for many years and do not make the mistakes I did when I first started.
After I bottle I let the kombucha sit at room temperature for 5 days then I only refrigerate what I am consuming and the rest sits at room temperature until I need more cold kombucha.
After you bottle there is no need to keep your bottled brew on a heating pad. You just need the 5 days for the natural carbonation to build up for that bubbly brew you love to drink.
You can reuse the GT plastic caps if you want.
My metal caps are the same one that GT used from the very beginning. The cap has a plastisol lining so the brew truly never touches metal. He changed to the plastic cap which by the way is his own patent and sole proprietorship because of the high natural carbonation which was breaking the seal of the metal caps during transportation and stocking of shelves at the markets. My bottles do not receive such rough treatment so I can use the metal ones with no worries.
I only use my caps the one time and then I trash them and use new ones when I bottle fresh kombucha.
When I clean my utensils I use warm water and dish soap just like when you do your dishes. I have not had any issues cleaning with that method. Remember, Kombucha is an acidic drink and it is real hard for things to grow in it unless you do something majorly wrong.
I hope this helps and let me know how you do with your home brewed Kombucha.
Blessings,
Neil
February 2nd, 2012
Hi Neil,
Thank you for your help and taking the time to reply so expediently! I have the reptile heating pad you recommended on order and I have been growing a SCOBY for 6 days from a bottle of GT’s over a 25w bulb, with the temperature between 75-79 F It is 1/8th inch thick and there are bubbles underneath it.
How thick should I let the SCOBY grow before I begin the actual brew?
Will I need to feed the SCOBY more sweet tea before the final thickness is reached? Should I worry about the PH during this phase?
The Continuous Brew method is where you brew the kombucha in a vessel like the one you pour your finished kombucha in with the spout before you bottle it. You just grow it in there, taking a certain amount out every 2-3 days and immediately replenishing with the sweet tea. You can clean it all out 2-3 times a year. Near the end of your written instructions you mention, “Continuous brewing can cause mold and other problems.” So this is what I was wondering about. If you had tried it and what kind of results you achieved?
After you bottle the finished kombucha and let it set on the counter for 5 days, is there a time limit on the counter? It’s only about 60-63 F on my counter, is this warm enough to do the job? Do you have to worry about too much carbonation building up?
I noticed on the video you mentioned white tea, is this a taste, or result preference?
I also noticed you said 2cups sugar on the video and 2.5 cups in the written instructions, so I was wondering which one to go with? Thanks again!
LeD