Make your own kombucha: The big beginner's guide to your fermented tea

Sparkling, slightly sweet and sour, and steeped in tradition: Kombucha is one of the most well-known fermented beverages in the world. Perhaps you've already discovered it in the supermarket or tried it at your favorite café and wondered: Can I actually make kombucha myself?

The answer is: Yes – and it's easier than many people think. With the right ingredients, a little patience, and a good starter set, you can brew your own kombucha at home and decide for yourself how sweet, sour, or fizzy it should be.

In this guide, you'll learn everything you need to know to get started: what kombucha actually is, how fermentation works, what a SCOBY does, what ingredients you need, and how to start your first kombucha step by step.

Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage made from tea, sugar, water, and a living culture of yeasts and bacteria.

During fermentation, the microorganisms convert some of the sugar into various organic acids and other metabolic products. This creates kombucha's typical flavor: slightly sweet, pleasantly tart, and, depending on how it's made, wonderfully fizzy.

What makes it special: Kombucha is a living ferment. Its flavor, acidity, and carbonation continue to develop over time and are influenced by factors such as temperature, fermentation time, and ingredients.

The exact origin of kombucha is not clearly documented. Historical sources suggest its origin many centuries ago in East Asia, from where the drink spread via various trade routes.

Today, kombucha is valued worldwide – not only for its special taste, but also for the traditional fermentation method, which makes it an exciting home fermentation project.

For sweetened tea to become kombucha, it needs a living culture of yeasts and bacteria. The yeasts begin to process the sugar in the tea. The bacteria then further utilize the resulting substances and, among other things, form the characteristic acids that give kombucha its typical flavor.

At the same time, a new layer often forms on the surface – the so-called SCOBY.

The longer the tea ferments, the less sweet and more sour the result will be.

As a rough guide:

• 7 days: rather mild and slightly sweet
• 8–10 days: balanced sweet and sour
• 10–14 days: significantly more sour and intense

Since every environment is slightly different, it is always worth tasting in between.

SCOBY stands for: Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria And Yeast. The SCOBY usually looks like a beige to light brown, slightly gelatinous disk that floats on the surface of your kombucha.

Many also call it "kombucha mushroom," even though biologically it's not a mushroom.

Together with the starter liquid, the SCOBY performs the fermentation and ensures that the microorganisms multiply and transform the tea into kombucha.

Important to know:

Not only the visible SCOBY is crucial. The starter liquid also contains many active microorganisms and plays an important role for a successful batch. With the right starter liquid, your SCOBY will develop on its own during fermentation.

Our Kombucha Starter Set is the easiest and safest way. You receive active starter liquid and all components for the first batch. The set contains heat-resistant jars and our special lid, which ensures the necessary air circulation while protecting against insects.

This way, you create optimal conditions for your first kombucha.

The ingredient list is surprisingly short:

• Water forms the base of your kombucha. It is especially important that the tea has cooled sufficiently before adding the starter culture. Temperatures that are too high can damage the microorganisms.
• Tea provides important nutrients for the culture. For beginners, we recommend black tea, as it works particularly reliably.

  • Suitable options include:

  • Black tea

  • Green tea

  • Mixtures of black and green tea

  • Heavily flavored teas or pure herbal teas are less suitable, as they can negatively affect the culture in the long run. You can find more information here.
• Sugar: One of the most common questions is: "Can I make kombucha without sugar?" The short answer: No.
  • Sugar serves as food for the yeasts and bacteria and is an important component of fermentation.
  • For beginners, classic household sugar is best.
  • Alternatives such as honey, coconut blossom sugar, or sugar substitutes can alter the result and are less recommended for initial batches.
• Starter liquid ensures that fermentation can start safely.
  • It introduces active microorganisms and creates a sufficiently acidic environment that suppresses unwanted germs.
  • That's why you should always keep a portion of your finished kombucha for each new batch.

Ingredients for the first batch

• 900 ml water
• 50 g sugar
• 2 tsp black tea
• 100 ml kombucha starter liquid

Instructions

1. Clean the jar and the lid thoroughly.
2. Dissolve 50 g sugar in 200 ml boiling water.
3. Add 2 teaspoons or 1-2 tea bags of black tea and let steep for about 5 minutes.
4. Then add 700 ml of cold water and let the tea cool to a lukewarm temperature.
5. Now stir in 100 ml of kombucha starter liquid.
6. Close the jar with the Grow Lid including cover.
7. Let the batch ferment for 7–12 days at room temperature and protected from direct sunlight.
8. Once a SCOBY has formed, keep about 150 ml of the liquid for the next batch. You can enjoy the rest of the kombucha.

Once your first kombucha is ready and a SCOBY has formed, you can use it again and again for new batches.

The great thing is: with each fermentation, your SCOBY becomes more experienced, and you can continuously produce new kombucha.

Ingredients for 1.5 liters of kombucha

• 400 ml water
• 80 g sugar
• 3–4 tsp or 2 tea bags of black tea
• 1100 ml cold water
• 150 ml kombucha liquid from the previous batch
• 1 SCOBY

Instructions

1. Dissolve 80 g sugar in 400 ml boiling water.
2. Add the black tea and let it steep for about 5 minutes.
3. Add 1100 ml of cold water and let the tea cool.
4. Then add the 150 ml of kombucha liquid and the SCOBY.
5. Seal the jar with the Grow Lid including cover.
6. Let the batch ferment for 7–10 days at room temperature.
7. Taste it periodically. Once you like the flavor, your kombucha is ready.

One of the most common questions is: “How do I know my kombucha is fully fermented?” The answer lies primarily in the taste.

Freshly brewed kombucha initially tastes very sweet. Over time, it becomes increasingly balanced and develops its typical slightly sour note.

The following signs indicate that your kombucha is ready:

• pleasant sweet-sour taste
• slightly fruity or vinegary aroma
• fine bubbles in the liquid
• visible culture activity
• a new SCOBY begins to form on the surface

As a guide:

• 7 days → rather mild
• 8–10 days → balanced
• 10–14 days → significantly more sour

The warmer the room, the faster the fermentation process.

No. Your kombucha is ready and drinkable after the first fermentation. However, many kombucha fans opt for a second fermentation because it:

• creates more carbonation
• allows for additional flavors to be introduced
• enables fruity taste variations
• often makes the kombucha taste fizzier

If you prefer your kombucha plain, you can drink it directly after the first fermentation or store it in the refrigerator.

What is a second fermentation?

For the second fermentation, the finished kombucha is poured into a sealable bottle without the SCOBY. Fruits, herbs, or spices are then added. The remaining yeasts process the additional sugars, producing carbonation that remains trapped in the sealed bottle. This creates the typical fizzy kombucha that many know from commercial products.

How to do a second fermentation

1. Pour the finished kombucha into suitable bottles.
2. Add fruits, juice, or herbs.
3. Seal the bottle.
4. Let it stand at room temperature for 1–2 days.
5. Carefully open the bottle at least once a day to release excess pressure.
6. Then store in the refrigerator.
   
   

Popular combinations

• Raspberry & Mint
• Lemon & Ginger
• Mango & Turmeric
• Peach & Rosemary
• Strawberry & Basil
• Apple & Cinnamon
  
  

When should kombucha go into the refrigerator?

As soon as the taste is right for you. Low temperatures significantly slow down fermentation and help preserve flavor and carbonation longer. Finished kombucha typically lasts several weeks in the refrigerator. Remember to save about 150 ml for your next batch before bottling.

If you don't want to make new kombucha right away, you can easily store your SCOBY. Place it in a clean jar and cover it completely with finished kombucha. Important:

• The SCOBY should never dry out.
• The liquid should completely cover it.
• The jar should be clean.
• Use a Grow lid so air can circulate

This way, your culture remains protected and ready for use.

What is a SCOBY hotel?

New SCOBYs often form with each fermentation. Those who regularly make kombucha quickly accumulate several cultures.

A SCOBY hotel is a simple way to store them. Several SCOBYs are stored together in a jar with kombucha liquid.

Advantages:

• Backup culture for emergencies
• Storage of excess SCOBYs
• Practical for fermentation breaks
• Ideal for gifting individual SCOBYs

A SCOBY can generally be stored in liquid for a very long time – theoretically even for many months. It is important that it is always completely covered with finished kombucha and never dries out. The liquid protects the culture and helps maintain the acidic environment that is important for the SCOBY.

If you only want to store the SCOBY for a short break, it's usually enough to simply leave it in its jar with kombucha. However, if you store it for a longer period, you should refresh the liquid from time to time or brew new sweet tea so that the culture continues to receive nutrients and remains active. Because even though a SCOBY is very robust, it thrives on microorganisms that can only survive well in a suitable environment in the long term.

Making kombucha yourself is easier than it seems at first glance. With the right ingredients, a little patience, and a reliable starter set, you can enjoy your first homemade fermented tea in just a few days.

And the best part: Once your first SCOBY has formed, you can always make new kombucha and experiment with different flavors. Find more inspiration here.