SCOBY Kombucha Starter Culture Instructions

If you don’t have the brewing supplies or ingredients mentioned in these instructions, don't worry! Read the BREWING HINT for some ideas on how to improvise.

1. Before you get started, clean your brew jar with hot water and a little white distilled vinegar or soap (avoid antibacterial soap).
2. In a medium-sized pot, bring 4 cups of filtered water to a boil, then turn off the heat and remove it from the burner.
3. Pour the entire contents of the organic tea blend pouch (3 tbsp) into the cotton tea bag and add to pot to steep. 

BREWING HINT: A blend of green & black tea, or oolong & black tea, make a particularly great combo, both in flavor and for growing a healthy culture and brew.

3. Steep the tea bag by submerging and agitating for 5-7 minutes, then remove the tea bag and discard the tea leaves. Rinse and air dry the tea bag for its next use.

BREWING HINT: Don’t have the reusable tea bag? Use some tripled-up cheesecloth to make a sachet bag or simply steep tea leaves straight in the water. Just be sure to fully strain out any leaf particles before moving on.

4. Add the entire contents of organic sugar pouch (1 cup) into the pot and stir.

BREWING HINT: We know it seems like a lot of sugar, but keep in mind it isn't for you, it's for the culture and it’s a necessary piece of the fermentation puzzle. By the time your kombucha is finished fermenting, the vast majority of the sugar will be digested, leaving you with a healthy, low-sugar beverage.

BREWING HINT: We always recommend using cane sugar (organic if possible) because that’s what the traditional kombucha cultures have evolved to feed on. Always avoid alternative sugars like honey, stevia, turbinado, sugar in the raw, brown sugar, etc. as the culture is not used to digesting these sugars and will struggle to thrive. 

5. Once the sugar has dissolved, pour your newly made sweet tea mixture into the 1-gallon brew jar. Be careful not to spill on yourself as the mixture is still very hot.
6. Fill the brew jar with 8 cups of cold, filtered water. (The jar should now be 3/4 of the way full).

BREWING HINT: The type of water you use matters. For great-tasting kombucha use filtered water, spring water, or purified water from reverse osmosis (RO). You can use water from the tap if you run it through a Brita or Pur filter, or if you have a built-in filter in your fridge that works great too!

7. Adhere the temperature gauge to the side of the jar and look to confirm your sweet tea solutions is between 68 and 86°F or 20-30°C before moving on to the next step. If it’s still too warm, add a 1/2 cup of cold, filtered water or a handful of ice cubes.

BREWING HINT: Feel free to also use a cooking thermometer to test the temp in this initial step. It’s vital that the temperature of the liquid is cooled, before moving to the next step because the healthy yeast and bacteria in the culture can be greatly damaged if added too soon. It's OK to wait until it cools.

8. Add the entire contents of the SCOBY & starter liquid pouch to the jar and give it a quick stir to combine. It’s ok if the SCOBY sinks or floats in the jar.

BREWING HINT: Kombucha cultures and the starter liquid can be FUNKY-looking! Sometimes with brown strands of healthy yeast and even a little gelatinous…don’t worry, this is totally normal. Simply pour all of it into your brew jar and give it a few stirs.

9. Cover the jar with the cotton cloth and seal with the rubber band. 
10. Place your brewing jar in a warm place (68ºF to 86ºF with 76ºF being ideal), out of direct sunlight, with plenty of airflow (no closed cupboards). Leave it there for 8-10 days and do not move it.

BREWING HINT: As your brew ferments you may notice it start to smell vinegary, that's normal, and means that fermentation is taking place!

If you’re brewing in a warm climate or have fresh fruit on the counter, you may notice some fruit flies hanging around. This is common with fermentations but should be mitigated because they can cause issues with your brew if they get inside.

11. By days 7-9, you will see that a new, cream-colored layer has grown in on the top of your brew. This is your new SCOBY! While trying not to disturb the culture on top, gently use a spoon to taste-test your brew. Taste awesome? You’re done! Still a little too sweet? Put the cloth back on and let it ferment for a few more days. 

BREWING HINT: It’s very important not to cause the newly formed culture to sink during this step because it will throw off the fermentation process.

12. Taste every few days until your ideal kombucha flavor is reached. Once your kombucha is done, high-five someone! You can choose to enjoy it plain or add additional flavoring and carbonation during bottling.