• Jar with cloth cover, rubber band
• Cooking pot
• Stainless steel spoon for mixing
• Measuring cups
• Thermometer 
• PH test strips (optional)

• Clean all utensils with soap and water. Do not use antibacterial soap. Ensure all soap is removed and all utensils are dry. 
• Any residual soap will harm the culture. 
• Any residual yeast/bacteria will alter your culture. 
• Be sure to keep your hands clean and avoid touching the cleaned surfaces or the SCOBY with your hands to avoid contamination.
  

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Rinsing with filtered or bottled water can further reduce the chances of cross contamination. Any antibacterial soap or chlorine residue can inhibit fermentation.

• 1 gallon chlorine free water 
• 1-2 tablespoons (4-6 tea bags) tea
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 SCOBY
• 1-2 cups starter (unflavored kombucha from a previous batch)

Tea
- Different teas will provide different flavors.
- Black tea provides many of the nutrients needed for fermentation, so some amount of black tea is recommended.
Sugar
- A variety of sugar sources can be used.
- Pure, organic cane sugar is a great choice. This is a readily available sucrose source that is easy for the culture to break down.
- Sugar with higher molasses content requires more energy from the culture. It might slow your fermentation.
- Honey is antimicrobial so it can harm your culture. Jun is a traditional kombucha that is made with honey. It is possible but we would suggest starting with cane sugar and experimenting with honey down the road.
Water
- Be sure to use de-chlorinated water. Filtered water at home may be fine and bottled water also works. Don’t use distilled water as its lacking in nutrients and electrolytes.
- The minerality of your water will affect the flavor of your booch. This is a good opportunity to experiment between batches

QUALITY NOTE
Just like food, you need to start with good ingredients. Unrefined sugar and un-processed tea will make a huge difference in flavor and health of your culture. Loose leaf tea tends to be less processed but high-quality bagged tea will work.

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Tea is necessary for fermentation, but you can add herbs like hibiscus or rose buds too. Cold and hot steeping your herbs will provide different flavors.

• Measure ¼ gallon of water into your pot and bring to the temperature recommended for the tea you are using.
• Steeping time may be extended but be careful. Steeping for too long can make the tea astringent by releasing excess tannins. Taste once brewed to ensure you like the flavor.
• Mix the sugar with the hot tea.
• Add cool water to bring temperature down and to bring the batch volume up. Leave room for the starter.
• Ensure the temperature is below 85°f before adding starter. Preferably the temperature of the tea when you add your starter will be slightly below your fermentation temperature. 68°-73°f.
• It is better to be too cool than too warm
• Let it sit if needed.
• Add starter and gently mix for a few minutes.
• Place SCOBY on top. The SCOBY may sink at first. Don’t worry this is normal.
• Using a PH strip ensure that the PH is below 4.5
• If not add a small amount of starter until 4.5 PH is met.
• Cover with a cloth and rubber band
• Fruit flies are very small and will do anything for your Booch. Ensure the cover is on tight with no gaps or folds.
  

TEMPERATURE NOTE
Kombucha is pretty forgiving. But the wrong temperature can hurt your culture. Be sure that your tea is close to your fermentation temperature (68°-73°F) before adding your starter.

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Feel free to experiment with new teas or sugar sources. Although big changes can cause your culture to evolve in undesirable ways. An easy way to prevent this is to isolate SCOBYs and starter that use different recipes.

• Keep the temperature consistent.
• Cooler temperatures will take longer to ferment but will usually provide a cleaner Booch.
• 68-74°F is a good range.
• Keep away from sunlight.
• Ferment for 8-15 days. This may be longer or shorter depending so tasting is important.
• The SCOBY will begin to float and grow.
• You should notice white growth on the SCOBY. This is a good sign that it is happy and growing. You may get multiple SCOBYs out of your fermentation
• The only way to know when your Booch is done or ready for fruit additions is by taste.
• Flavors can be added. 1-3 days before fermentation is completed.
• If you are unable to bottle when the batch is complete, remove the SCOBY (place in hotel) and put a lid on the jar then place it in your fridge.
• This will slow the fermentation and keep it from getting too sour.
• This may slow your carbonation or conditioning as some yeast will have gone dormant.
• A SCOBY hotel is a container with starter (old kombucha) and SCOBYs. It is used to store the SCOBYs and starter between brews.

TEMPERATURE NOTE
Consistency is key. If the temperature raises towards the end of fermentation, there is little to worry about. Try to avoid allowing the temperature to fall. This can cause off flavors and aromas, as some intermediary compounds will not be absorbed or off gassed.

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You may notice some strange aromas the first few days of fermentation. This is normal. Sulfur and other intermediate compounds are always produced and usually reabsorbed. If you notice any unpleasant aromas or flavor at the end of fermentation, then something might have gone wrong.

• Fruit and herbs.
• Juice or whole fruit can be added near the end of fermentation.
• This will also add sugar for bottling.
• The longer the fruit is fermented the more complex the flavor.
• A shorter ferment will provide a jammy and fresh flavor.
• Herbs can be steeped in the fermentation for any amount of time.
• Using a muslin brew bag or tea bag helps keep the herbs from getting in the bottle.
• Anything can work in kombucha. Experimentation is encouraged!
• It is important to regulate the amount of sugar you add via fruit.
• Too much fruit (sugar) can cause over carbonation while conditioning.
• It is best to keep the fruit under 1-2 tablespoons per 1 gallon batch.
  

CARBONATION NOTE
There is no wrong flavor to add. But it is helpful to understand that some fruits have enzymes that may affect your batch. Some may cause more carbonation to form while others can produce undesirable flavors down the road. But if your starter source and SCOBYs are kept separate from your fruit you can always start a fresh batch.


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Fruit and herbs work great. But feel free to experiment with ingredients like mushrooms or coffee. Just be careful to not add too much sugar via fruit. That can cause over carbonation.

• Save enough starter for the next batch. A SCOBY hotel is a good option.
• Clean bottles and lids with soap, thoroughly rinse and let dry.
• Contamination is still a concern so following the same cleanliness as brewing is important.
• Use a strainer or siphon to prevent any fruit, herbs, and SCOBY chunks from entering the bottle.
• Be sure to use bottles rated for pressure. Thin bottles with a flat bottom may not be able to handle the pressures of secondary fermentation.
• Fill the bottles to the start of the neck. Filling above the neck can weaken the bottle.
• Once the bottles are filled leave them in a warm location like the fermentation temperature.
• Carb might only take a day or two depending on the activity of the culture, temperature, and preference.

OVER-CARBONATION NOTE
This can happen if you have too much residual sugar, the temperature is too high, or the bottles were not put in the fridge soon enough. You can burp the bottles by releasing the pressure. Over time this will reduce the total carb.

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Some people like more bubbles than others. For a lighter carb try leaving the bottles at room temperature for 1-2 days. If you can’t get enough carb try adding a very small amount of fruit or sugar to the bottle and letting it sit a little longer.

• Bottle conditioning for days or weeks is optional.
• Your Booch is ready to drink but just like in cooking, giving the flavors some time to get to know each other can improve the flavor.
• There may be a slight amount of carbonation and sediment pickup as it ages.
• Keeping your kombucha in the fridge can slow or prevent excess carbonation.
• You may notice some sediment at the bottom of your bottle. This is normal. As the yeast go dormant, they will flocculate and settle.
  

LIFESPAN NOTE
Kombucha is alive. Always changing and always evolving. When kept in the right conditions your kombucha will be safe to drink indefinitely. It might not taste great tho. Just like everything else in kombucha experimentation is encouraged.

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Keep your bottles vertical. This will allow the sediment to cake the bottom of the bottle, so you don’t get them in your glass when you pour it.