How to Start Brewing Kombucha at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Brewing kombucha at home might sound intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, it’s one of the easiest (and most satisfying) DIY health habits out there. All you need is the right ingredients, a bit of patience, and a healthy SCOBY to get started.

Here’s your complete beginner-friendly guide to brewing your first batch of kombucha at home!

What You’ll Need

🧾 Ingredients:

• 1 SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast)

• 1 cup starter liquid (from a previous batch or store-bought raw kombucha)

• 1 cup sugar

• 4–6 bags of black or green tea (or 1 tablespoon loose leaf)

• 3.5 liters (1 gallon) of filtered water

🧂 Equipment:

• Large glass jar (at least 1-gallon capacity)

• Wooden or plastic stirring spoon

• Cloth cover (paper towel, cheesecloth, or clean kitchen towel)

• Rubber band

Step-by-Step: How to Brew Your First Kombucha

Step 1: Make Sweet Tea

Boil 1 liter of water. Add tea bags and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Let the tea steep for 10–15 minutes.

Step 2: Cool It Down

Remove the tea bags and add the remaining water to bring the temperature down to room temperature. Hot tea can damage your SCOBY!

Step 3: Add SCOBY & Starter Liquid

Once the tea is completely cool, pour it into your glass jar. Gently add your SCOBY and the starter liquid. This helps kickstart fermentation and protect the brew from harmful bacteria.

Step 4: Cover and Ferment

Cover the jar with a breathable cloth and secure it with a rubber band.
Place it somewhere warm (21–26°C / 70–78°F), out of direct sunlight.

Step 5: Wait and Watch (7–14 days)

Let it ferment for 7 to 14 days. Taste it starting around Day 7. The longer it ferments, the less sweet and more tangy it becomes.

Step 6: Bottle Your Brew (Optional Second Fermentation)

Once it tastes right, remove the SCOBY and 1 cup of starter liquid for your next batch. Bottle the kombucha, and if you’d like fizz, do a second fermentation with fruit or herbs for a few more days.

Pro Tips for Beginners

✅ Always cool your tea before adding the SCOBY
✅ Use clean, non-metal tools and containers
✅ Keep the brewing area free from strong smells or contaminants
✅ Don’t stress—your SCOBY is more resilient than it looks!

Final Thoughts

Once you get your first batch going, you’ll never look at store-bought kombucha the same way. Brewing at home is not only healthier and cheaper—it’s also a fun ritual that connects you to real, living food.

All you need is a strong, healthy SCOBY and a little guidance—and you’ve already got both right here.

👉 Ready to start brewing? Order your homebrew-ready SCOBY here