I really want to try making this on my own, but it’s a little scary! It’s like canning, making yogurt, and sourdough all at the same time LOL

Thanks for the detailed instructions!

@ Amy – Haha, yes that’s exactly what it’s like! Don’t be scared by all the warnings, as long as you take the proper precautions (just like canning), you’ll be totally fine. There’s only been a few reported cases of actual illness/death by kombucha, and all were careless and easily avoidable mistakes.

In other words, you should do it! =D

Sayward, you rock! Came across your site off of Lifehacker and I’ve been reading post after post. I love your take on things and the info is just what I’ve been looking for. Sounds like you are in Portland, any advice on where to go to get a SCOBY or some cheap veggies like your $1 bags in PDX?

@ Matt – Thanks man! Welcome to the site!

I got my SCOBY from an awesome couple who run a small operation called Lion Heart Kombucha. They sell starter kits and all the accouterments – you can email them at LionHeartKombucha@gmail.com

As for cheap veggies, check out Limbos on SE 39th, or People’s Co Op, or really any of the neighborhood Co Ops (I hear there’s a great one on Alberta). Luck!

[...] How To Brew Your Own Homemade Kombucha [...]

After attempting my first batch, I think I did something wrong. I realize I could’ve waited longer than 7 days, as my batch was less carbonated/vinegary. My scoby seems fine, but didn’t produce a baby (although there were some spots of transparency on her).
I have a few questions:
#1. Does white tea take twice as long as green/black?
#2. Is it still okay to consume a batch where no baby scoby was produced?
#3. If the white tea I used had a hint of pomegranate, will the pomegranate have the same negative effect on the scoby as say, earl grey?
#4. How does one know (other than mold) that a scoby is unhealthy or dead?

@ gypsyrose – That’s a bummer your first batch didn’t quite take off. But I can definitely see some reasons why it may have stalled. To answer your questions,

1. White tea is almost decaffeinated. It technically has caffeine, but it’s so little it’s practically negligible. I don’t think it’s the best candidate for kombucha, because the culture really does require caffeine in order to thrive. This would be my first guess as to why your batch didn’t work out. I’d definitely go with green or black next time.

2. If the batch still fermented, I’d say it’s okay. That means it smells like kombucha (a very distinct odor), it bubbled, etc. From what you’ve said here, I don’t think your batch actually brewed, in which case you’d just be drinking tea that sat out for 7+ days. I wouldn’t risk that, personally.

3. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘negative affect’. It will change the final flavor, but I don’t think it’s bad. My kombucha teacher makes an amazing brew using blueberry green tea – it’s delicious. I’ve used earl grey in my batches and I like it. It won’t ‘hurt’ anything using a flavored tea, it will just change the final taste. Flavored tea is fine, but other juice or added flavors is what causes a problem.

4. I go by looks and smell and feel. If there’s no mold I’d say it’s most likely healthy. The scoby should always have that ‘kombucha odor’ – if it smells rancid, or if it’s odorless, I’d say it’s a goner. It should also feel firm to the touch. It should not fall apart easily.

It sounds like your batch didn’t go because of the caffeine and the time. I’d say try again, using a green or black tea and letting it go for at least 10 days.

Good Luck!!! Let me know how it works out!

I have been brewing my Kombucha for 5 days now. There is no baby on the starter. Is this a problem? If I try to start over can I use the same starter?

@ Janis – 5 days is really short. I’d wait at least 10 days – 2 weeks before checking. Remember that each time you check on it, you risk introducing mold and other pests. I am a firm believer of sticking it in the back of the cupboard and forgetting about it for a few weeks.

As long as the starter is clean and healthy, you should always be able to re-use it.

thank You
Blessed Love

@ WillofZion – You’re welcome!

Has anyone considered using Tyvek as a barrier between the open mouth of the jar and the tea? I have experience growing mushrooms, which are considerably more prone to contamination, and I used to use Tyvek as a barrier that would still allow airflow when growing substrate. It keeps the even the smallest mold spores out but still allows for air flow. Just a thought…

PS. You can get free Tyvek envelopes from your local post office or off of the USPS website.

@ diablovt1125 – I’ve never even heard of Tyvek, but now my interest is totally piqued. I’ll have to look into those – they sound perfect! Thanks for the heads up. =)

I accidentally used all my starter when I brewed my first batch of Kombucha. Can I take some of the just brewed Kombucha and use it to sustain the SCOBY?

@ Joshua – Yep, that’s exactly how I do it. I use a little of the new brew to store the SCOBY, and start the next batch, each time. You should always be pouring your starter into the batch you’re brewing, when you add the SCOBY.

Thanks. Also, can I store my made kombucha in a stainless steel container? What happens if I do store it in stainless steel?

Do you use the same 1 1/4 cup cane juice or is the amount different? Also, a lot of don’ts what happens if you do it wrong and comsume?
(didn’t know it was so serious)

@ Joshua – I think the steel can react poorly with the brew. I wouldn’t store it in steel, but you’re welcome to try it. Let me know how it works!

@ caryn – Yes, I use the same ratio of cane juice (evaporated cane juice is just regular sugar, but unrefined).

The ‘don’t’ list is to prevent contamination. Since you are working with microbes and leaving your brew out to ferment, exposed to air, there is always the chance of bacterial or fungal contamination. You wouldn’t want to drink a compromised brew, so you need to be very careful. Kombucha making is perfectly safe if you follow the directions – I don’t mean to scare people. But it’s not entirely without risk and I always play it ‘better safe than sorry’, you know?

Great site young lady!! Good for you putting out all your positive vibes!!!
Love it!! One ( of about a thousand) questions I have about brewing my own Kombucha. Do you have to worry about bugs, moths, flys, getting in the tea while it is steeping or do you cover it. Also I have read that the Kom might explode in the glass jars after it is done brewing, any precautions to prevent this!!!!!

@ Leslie – Aw thanks, and yay for putting the positivity out there!

I don’t worry about bugs etc, but I guess technically that would be a concern. You can totally cover the tea while it steeps, if that makes you more comfortable.

As for explosions, I’ve never heard of that. Perhaps because of the carbonation? But I don’t imagine that it would be any more likely than in any other carbonated beverage. Just don’t let it get crazy hot, and I’ sure it will be just fine. =)

Many mahalos!!! I will let you know how I do. The only reason I asked about the bugs is because I am a virgo!!! I love and respect all creatures on this planet and try to harm not a one……..

@ Leslie – I understand completely! Let me know how it goes. =)

I am so loving your blog, I read all of your posts in 2 sloooow nights at work. I tried making kombucha once but it went slightly science project on me and had to be carefully discarded!! On the exploding kombucha I read that the longer you store it at room temp after putting it in individual bottles the fizzier it will be. If it goes straight into the fridge it will be more flat, hope that helps!!

@ Marisa – Iiiinteresting, maybe I’ll try playing around with that. Glad you like the blog! Welcome! =D

I’ve been brewing Kombucha at home for the past three months, and for the first time I’ve got a batch that I’m worried about ~ it smells like sulphur! Do you know why that could happen, or if it would be bad to drink it? It still tastes the same, but the odor is really weird…. Thanks!!

As I understand it, what I like to refer to as “the jellyfish pancake” isn’t actually the scoby. It does carry some of the scoby from being submerged in the liquid, but it’s just a cellulose by-product. I have used the fermented tea itself as a starter for friends and it works just fine! :)

I’ve also made kombucha in a less than sterile environment (on a homestead), and it’s very forgiving as long as it’s well established. I was even told by Sandor Katz, the author of Wild Fermentation, that he just scrapes mold off the top and keeps going because if you re-feed the kombucha, the good scoby will defeat any other bad bacteria. It sounds ookie, but since he has aids, it seems he’d be in a lot more danger than the rest of us if it was a problem and he’s been using/growing kombucha for at least ten years.

*shrugs* I’m not an expert, just throwing in my two cents.

@ purple.earthgirl – Sulphur huh? Personally I would toss it, but that’s just my paranoid self (see post below yours for example) I figure better safe than sorry, it’s cheap and easy to just make more and it’s certainly not worth getting truly ill over!

@ Scrapophilia – I definitely realize that I take the super cautious approach, and that Katz is much more lenient (though I’d only heard that for the veggie ferments, not the kombucha) I guess it’s just not worth it to me, and since I’m putting it out there on the internet I feel obligated to be as cautionary as possible. I don’t want anyone getting sick! I’m sure you understand. =)

@Sayward: That’s probably the best way to go. I didn’t mean to say that being cautious isn’t a good idea, just that fermenting is very forgiving as long as you use common sense. That’s what I get for commenting while I’m still asleep :P

@ Scrapophilia – Oh no worries! I wasn’t offended or anything. I tend to agree with you, I was just explaining why I take the safe route in my instructions. I’d trust Katz over me any day =D He’s a fermenting master!

ok so i can’t find a glass jar with a plastic lid TO SAVE MY LIFE! where’d you get yours? i’ve been to grocery stores, art supplies, nothing!

can you over-brew? because of the jar search i’ve had mine going (smelling and looking fine) for almost 3 or 4 weeks..

@ sj smith – I got mine from a local kombucha brewer here in Portland, but I know they’re available online. That doesn’t help you at the moment but it might make sense to get one ordered as soon as possible. In the meantime you can use a metal lid. Try to keep the fluid volume low so it doesn’t touch the metal, but it won’t be the end of the world.

You *can* overbrew, so I’d go ahead and pull this batch. You generally shouldn’t go more than 4 weeks or so max.

I’m sorry you’re having some snags, but so cool that you’re brewing and it worked! Good luck with everything!

Your scoby looks so much bigger than mine! This is also weird: my mother produced a new baby on top of the liquid! Does that normally happen? I thought the mother reproduced one right beneath itself that you just peeled off?

@ Heidi – Mine did that too! But only with the one I made myself from storebought kombucha. Where did you get your SCOBY? Is it ‘homemade’?

My SCOBY is probably bigger because I was using a wider mouthed jar. It usually molds to the shape of the container. =)

First, love your blog! Have been working on the kombucha and made the scoby from the storebought kombucha. My final scoby is HUGE…like 4 inches thick. Is that normal? Honestly, this may have sat longer than 4 weeks. Smells normal and no mold…any ideas?

@ Amanda – Hmm, if it looks and smells alright I’d think it’s probably fine, but of course I’m not there so I don’t know! But as for size, it probably just sat for extra long and grew bog and strong. =) Was it particularly warm? Heat definitely speeds up the process.

Hello Sayward.
I have been brewing my own Kombucha now for about half a year. I’t s been great! ^_^ except for one thing.
I now have four Humongous Mothers and I don’t know what to do with them. I don’t want to throw them away and I don’t know anyone else who brews. Any suggestions?

@ Joshua – Share the love! Put them up on Craigslist!

Been brewing my own Buch for about 2 months now. Love the homemade brew but seems to be losing some punch. The scobys have gotten really big and I keep brewing the moms with the babies. I am thinking maybe too many scobys in one jar…. would it be a good idea to start a new batch with only the young fresh scobys???

@ Leslie – Yes! That’s what I do. I separate the mother and baby after each brew and then start a new batch with only one of them. This way you can get multiple batches going at once (staggered, so you’ll never run out!), and you can also give away the extras and get all your friends brewing to! =)

hello, i’ve been offered some wonderful looking kombucha and scooby, but i found out that my friend had used a metal spoon at some point past the tea brewing process. how big of a deal is this? i can’t find a clear explanation of how bad the results could be…thanks so much for your wonderful site~!

@ sarah – As long as the SCOBY looks healthy, I wouldn’t even think twice about it. =)

Seriously, the ‘no metal’ thing is just me being the most paranoid of paranoid. I wouldn’t worry. Luck!

Not sure of how many tea bags u r using Thank u God Bless

@ Nina – I recommend using 4-6 teabags. Luck!

Why is the store brought stuff that can not be bought any more,…not as dark as to my experience with “home brews”?

@ Nina – A lot depends on the tea that you use. When I home brew with green tea, my kombucha comes out very light as well!

Just started brewing my first batch 4 days ago. I didn’t have a scoby to start with but read that you can grow your own from scratch using the same recipe.. tea, sugar, kombucha starter. I started two different batches and one is already growing. :) yay! Anyways…about finding a glass bottle with a plastic lid~ I read elsewhere that old wine bottles with corks work great. That’s what I plan to do, will let you know if I have any problems with it :)

PS: Thanks for all the help!!

I’m both incredibly intrigued and terrified by this, lol. I keep reading about Kombucha but as usual you have the most in-depth info! Now what to do with that info… guess I’ll start with the store bought stuff and see if I can even stomach it first!

Oh, do you know if it’s considered safe for pregnant women?

@ kory – It is not advised that pregnant women begin drinking kombucha, for 2 reasons. First because of the risk of contaminants (same reason you’re not supposed to eat deli meats or sushi, etc), which I don’t think is really too much to worry about, but the risk does exist. The second reason is because kombucha is a very powerful detoxifier, and you don’t want to detox while pregnant! If you’ve been drinking it regularly since before you became pregnant, then you should be fine. But they say not to start while pregnant.

Hope that helps!

this sounds awesome! but i have never had (nor seen or smelled) kombucha. so how would i be able to tell if i did something wrong? i am not sure i’d know if it smelled funny or not…….

i am so into health/nutrition and am a die hard do-it-yourselfer! i would love to attempt this. i am pretty sure that i would have a lot of trouble finding a mother locally, though. most people around here don’t even know what hummus is =( can you order online the same way you can for kefir grains?

@ sarah thomas – Well, you would smell the mother when you got it started, so you’s at least have something to compare it to. It smells kind of boozy-vinegary. I’ve never smelled kombucha that’s gone off, but I feel like you would know. Also there would be mold!

You can definitely get mothers online. I don’t know where you are but this is where I got my very first scoby, and they do ship their starter kits!

okay, i can hardly tell you how excited i am. i just finished my first batch of lovely delicious kombucha, following your guide to get a mother SCOBY from store bought brew and then brewing from that. it’s so WONDERFUL!!!
thank you so much for sharing this tutorial.
i’m over the moon excited about it.
cheers!

@ Joya Roy – YAY! So happy to hear that!

Hi Say, 3 weeks later I have a nice bach of Komucha complete with a new ScoBy (named Fred)
I seperated the 2 and now have 2nice clean Starts. Will start my next batch tommorow. Thanks again. Love to Damian & Waits

Lee

Hi Sayward,
Thank you very much for sharing the information. Do you have any idea of the sugar content of the final product. Is it about the same as the store bought version? GT’s Organic Raw Kombucha is 2g per 8 oz serving. We have to be very careful with our sugar intake. Thanks again.

@ Jack – It would be really hard to say, because it would depend on the strength of your SCOBY and how fast it’s eating the sugar. I would think it would be less than GT’s, as those usually have some juice added. If you want to reduce the sugar you can always brew it on the longer side. Luck!

What do you think about using glass jars with plastic spigots? I’ve read that plastic is a no-no, but I cannot find plain glass 1 gallon jars anywhere!
this is the kind I’m talking about :
http://www.amazon.com/JARDEN-71132-120-Watermelon-Beverage/dp/B002R9KWTG/ref=pd_sbs_k_4

Victoria, (I hope it’s okay to answer) you can try Azure Standard http://www.azurestandard.com or Specialty Bottle http://www.specialtybottle.com . They have a great assortment of all kinds of bottles. I like their squared body flip-top 1L bottles for kombucha drinking.

And for everyone, did you know you could leave your bottled kombucha out for a few days before refrigerating and you get a fizzier drink?? That was pretty exciting for me. :)

BUT! if it’s been in the fridge and then warms up on the shelf again (or anywhere, if it’s taking you too long to drink it) it makes alcohol. That was news to me, too. Not wanting that effect.

So glad for this blog post, btw. Have recommended a good number of friends here to get them started on their own. YAY!

@ Victoria – I have heard of people using those with success. It may not be the ideal, but it’s almost certainly better than nothing! ;-)

@ Joya Roy – Aw, thank you! And thanks for the great tips. I like my kombucha extra fizzy. =)

I purchased a mother from a health food store about 6 months ago. For various reasons I did not get around to brewing until about a month ago, so the mother has been sitting in a jar in the fridge submerged in some old kombucha for about 5 months.

I started brewing finally about 3 weeks ago, but there has yet to be growth of a new scoby. Is my original mother likely dead, or just dormant? Advice?

It may just be slow to grow, depending on a lot of things like amount of sugar, amount of caffeine, temperature, etc. I don’t always get a new SCOBY from every batch. As long as the tea is fermenting (you’ll be able to taste and smell the difference, and it will carbonate) and there’s no mold, I wouldn’t worry about it. Just re-use the same SCOBY and after a few rounds getting it going, it’ll probably start making babies. Luck!

Just found this blog with very helpful brewing info! I just finished brewing and bottling my first batch. I let it brew for about 9 days (it’s been in the 60s in the evenings here, but in the70-80s during the day). My kombucha, however, is pretty sweet and has a slight yeasty smell to it. Is this normal? I know that yeast is obviously part of the brew, but didn’t expect the finished product to smell that way. … Any insight appreciated! Thanks!

Slightly yeast is totally normal. Just as long as it doesn’t smell “off”. But yeah, I’d definitely describe a strong brew as smelling yeasty. If you’re very worried just drink a super small amount, see how you feel, and if all goes fine (which it most likely will), drink a larger amount the next day.

Luck!

Thanks for the clear instructions! I’m just starting my first batch from a store bought bottle and it seems to be progessing nicely. I have a couple of questions. The store bought Kombucha does not list caffeine as an ingredient, is this just an omission? Why do you only recommend sugar and not other sweeteners? I used maple syrup. Thanks!

The caffeine is “eaten” by the colony, so if all goes well the finished product will have none – or very little, functionally insignificant – caffeine left in it.

I’ve heard mixed reviews from using other sweeteners. The group that I learned from was very set on sugar only, they said they had ruined many batches trying other sweeteners. But I’ve heard from others that various sweeteners have worked just fine. I guess it depends – let me know how the maple syrup works out for you!

The caffeine is “eaten” by the colony, so if all goes well the finished product will have none – or very little, functionally insignificant – caffeine left in it.

I’ve heard mixed reviews from using other sweeteners. The group that I learned from was very set on sugar only, they said they had ruined many batches trying other sweeteners. But I’ve heard from others that various sweeteners have worked just fine. I guess it depends – let me know how the maple syrup works out for you!

Hey, Sayward! I just finished brewing my first batch of kombucha for three weeks after growing my own scoby from your “how to grow a scoby using storebought kombucha” post. I’m fairly certain that everything went well. The yeasty aroma and flavor is definitely there–very strongly, I might add! I’m used to drinking a 16 oz bottle of kombucha daily, but I may have to take it slowly at first with this homemade brew.

The only thing I’m worried about is that I found about 4 tiny, white, squiggly bugs (maggots?) crawling along the top of my scoby. They didn’t touch the actual kombucha, though. Should I be worried about this?

Thanks a bunch!
-Ali.

Eek, I’m super late getting to this – so I’ll just ask, what did you do?

Namaste Sayward! I’ve been brewing Kombucha for a couple of my months now with a scoby that I got from a friend. The original mother is starting to look pretty gnarly (completely brown with a hole in it) How do I know when it’s dead? Does it just disintegrate or stop having babies? Many thanks!
-Lisa

I drank it! Slowly at first, like you recommend. I carefully removed the little buggers off of the Scoby before drinking the Kombucha (as I mentioned, they didn’t touch the actual drink), and haven’t noticed any adverse effects from it except for perhaps a couple mild upset stomachs which I attributed to simply the increased strength of home-brewed Kombucha from storebought.

However, thanks to the very strong taste and smell (certainly not rancid, just a bit intense), I’m still not completely sure that I perfectly executed the entire brewing process the first time around, so I think I’m going to re-grow a new Scoby after my second batch of Kombucha is finished this Sunday.

Great tutorial! I just finished my scoby (very very yeasty aroma) and began my first batch of kombucha yesterday!

Does anybody know how long to leave a bottle of my homemade kombucha on the counter for to gain fizziness similar to GT’s?

Hi sayward! My kombucha has been brewing for a week and a half and it’s starting to smell kind of vinegary, is this normal?

Vinegary is pretty normal. Sort of yeasty/vinegary. If it’s been 1 1/2 weeks, you can drink it now. The longer you let it go, the more it will begin to taste like vinegar (but also the more powerful it will be)

(also, ya know, disclaimer disclaimer, you brew at your own risk and all that jazz)

Just 24-48 hours should be plenty!

The mother *should* be able to go on indefinitely, but if it’s seeming to fall apart, I’d say just use the babies and retire that old lady. ;-D

My scoby won’t float. It’s been fermenting in a batch of tea for 3 days now. Is that normal?

Yup! Sometimes they don’t float. =)

I’m doing it. I just started the process to make my own S.C.O.B.Y. so I can get moving onto this step. Anything for a few hours of lazy nakedness. :-)

I’ve been brewing for about 2 months now. When I was originally taught we were told to brew anywhere from 7-14 days. I’ve gotten my best non-vinegar taste from 6 days…here in Phoenix, AZ. What kind of flavor do you get from a 3 week brew….I would assume that the vinegar taste becomes even stronger…just curious before I set a sample one out for that long.

It gets very vinegar-y after 3 weeks. For me that’s okay, because I really don’t want the sugar. Plus I don’t mind the vinegar-y taste. These day I brew for between 2 and 3 weeks. It almost guarantees that the sugar is gone, but it doesn’t get TOO acidic. Hope that helps!

I’ve been making kombucha for 6 months now, and although I have been using caffeinated tea and 1 cup of sugar to every gallon of kombucha, my mothers are brown, holey, and do not seem to “producing” scobies (at least not very quickly), and haven’t for a month or so. The resulting tea is also less strong then usual, and only scarcely carbonated. I do see yeast activity going on (e.g., the tea is bubbly). Temp. is about 70 at my house, and I brew 6-8 days typically. Is there something I could be doing to liven my mothers up, or have I ruined them somehow?

Thank you for your time!

Hmm, I don’t know what to tell you, sorry! The only thing I can think is that I’d let them go longer. 6-8 days is very very short and they may not be getting enough time to mature. I’d try 14 day cycles with some rest in between brewings. But other than that I’m not sure. Sorry!

Thank you for your quick response. =) I appreciate it!

I think I’ll give the longer cycle a go . . . thank you for your consideration. Now that I think of it, I am sure the lack of moisture in this winter weather would lower the chances of anything growing very quickly! =P

Isn’t God so gracious to give us the blessing of foods that nourish, strengthen as well as taste wonderful? I am so humbled as I think of how much He loves us . . . to the smallest details of daily, mundane life.

Blessings to you!
Caitriona

drinking my first every batch! YAY! thank you it’s delish! btw my mama scobi floated to bottom of the jar and a new one grew on top of the jar…. nothing resembuling mold and its fizzy and taste like store bought hopefully this is okay as i am drinking it ;)

I’ve been brewing kombucha for several months, now and drink it every week with great success. Last week I purchased a 1 gallon glass jar with a plastic spigot, thinking this would be easier than the old method of pouring into a funnel and spilling all over the counter, but this week it tastes a little funny (almost soapy.) Do you think the plastic spigot hurt the kombucha or is it just not ready, yet?

I can’t speak from experience, but the person who taught me, warned about brewing in one of those containers . . .

I can’t speak from experience, but the person who taught me, warned about brewing in one of those containers . . .

Hey, Sayward–I just brewed my first batch using your lovely tutorial here, and I was wondering if your kombucha is usually really carbonated or not? Mine definitely has an acidic taste, but very, very little carbonation. I brewed mine for 2 weeks. Is kombucha still effective without the fizziness? How does one achieve more carbonation?

[...] was a little lacking, but I’m looking into that . . . oh, and again for anyone interested, here’s the tutorial. Gosh, Sayward is amazing, isn’t she? Don't you just love how pretty GT's bottles [...]

Regarding Step #3: I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it in the comment thread, but you should edit out the part about flavored teas being okay. The oils that are used to flavor teas are detrimental to the health of the SCOBY. Even if someone is using a tea with whole herb or flower flavorings, those can also be harmful. Your safest bet is to make your kombucha tea with only black and/or green tea. If you want floral or fruity flavors, wait until your plain kombucha is finished, brew a strong tea of whatever herbal/floral tisane you prefer, then blend the two when you’re bottling.