Obtaining a SCOBY & Making Your First Batch

The first step to making great Kombucha is getting a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast).  If you are really lucky, you have a friend already brewing.  If not, I suggest that you order from a reputable supplier.  Here is a link to a great starter SCOBY:

Kombucha Kamp Genuine KOMBUCHA CULTURE (1 Lrg SCOBY + 1 Cup Strong STARTER LIQUID - Makes 1 Gallon)

As soon as you receive your SCOBY, check it to make sure that it is sealed tight and the starter fluid is all around it.  If it looks like it made the trip safely, it is time to sterilize your equipment (which we will cover in another post) and to consider the liquid you will use for your brew.  We will cover several ideas, but today we will start with the most basic.
A Black Tea Brew



To get a good idea of the look and feel of a good SCOBY, read this post.

A Black Tea Brew

What you need:

• 1 gallon spring water - Do not use tap water, as the chlorine, fluoride, etc, could harm the bacteria and yeast.


• 7 - 9 black tea bags or the equivalent in loose tea
  You can switch a couple of the tea bags for green tea, if preferred.
• 1 cup unprocessed sugar, such as Sugar In The Raw Turbinado Sugar, 6-Pound
• 1 unbleached coffee filter, such as If You Care Coffee Filter Baskets ( 1x100 CT ), Fits 8-12 Cup Drip Coffee Makers
  
  
• 1 rubber band
• Containers for brewing the tea (I use a half gallon mason jar) and a 1 gallon glass container for the Kombucha to brew

NO METAL SHOULD BE USED NEAR YOUR SCOBY!
Also, do not wash any of the equipment, bottles, or your hands with soap right before caring for your SCOBY.  We are working with bacteria and yeast.  Soap could harm them.  Instead clean with very hot water and a scrub brush dedicated to cleaning fermented beverages/foods equipment, then rinse well with vinegar.  Rinse your hands with vinegar, as well, especially before handling the SCOBY.

Tea Brewing in hot spring water   www.fer-mental.com

Add the tea bags into spring water hot enough to brew tea.  I usually use a 1/2 gallon mason jar filled with spring water just at the boiling point.

Let the tea bags sit in the water for about 10 minutes.

Remove tea bags.

Add 1 cup of sugar while the water is still hot.

Place lid on mason jar and shake until most of the sugar is dissolved.

Allow to cool to room temperature, so make the tea several hours before you are ready to add the SCOBY.

Once cooled, pour all of the tea and sugar mixture into a one gallon container.

Refill the 1/2 gallon mason jar with spring water to within one cup of the top.

Pour into one gallon container.

Carefully place your SCOBY and starter fluid into the one gallon container.

Cover with a unbleached coffee filter and hold it in place with a rubber band.

Allow to sit anywhere from 7 to 14 days in a colder environment, less in a warmer one, depending on your taste preference.  This summer has been hot enough that my batch brew is ready to be replaced after 5 to 7 days! 

Yes, trust me, you will quickly learn how to read the signs that your tea is done with the first ferment.  You will be able to tell when the tea has reached the right color, smell, taste, and effervescence (and pH, if you are testing, which you should be doing every three or four batches, at least).

We will discuss more on safety, how to verify your SCOBY is healthy, and more about sterilizing equipment without harming the SCOBY in a coming post.