How to Make Kombucha

Fermenting:

1. Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat and add tea leaves and sugar. Allow tea to steep until sugar has dissolved and water has cooled to room temperature. Remove the tea bags (or strain out loose tea). Do not proceed to the next step until the tea has completely cooled, or you risk hurting the good bacteria in the kombucha.
2. Pour into the glass jar (or divide among multiple glass jars).   Add store-bought kombucha (or starter kombucha from a previous batch) and the SCOBY and stir. Cover the jar(s) with a napkin or paper towel, and secure with the rubber band.Tip: If using multiple jars, make sure to have 1 SCOBY per jar.
3. Set the jar(s) out of direct sunlight (sunlight can keep the tea from fermenting), at room temperature (around 70ºF), and avoid bumping or jostling the jar(s).
4. Allow tea to ferment for 7 - 10 days.  The longer tea ferments, the stronger the vinegar flavor will be, but fermentation is also affected by the temperature where you live.  Smell the tea after 7 days, and let it ferment longer if desired.
5. Next, pour 2 cups of the fermented tea into a container and set aside.  This is your starter for the next batch.  Place your SCOBY inside this starter kombucha until your next batch of tea is ready.

Make Flavored Kombucha (Optional):

1. Technique 1 (2nd Fermentation):Add whatever flavoring you want to the jars-- such as fruit, hot peppers, herbs-- and then recover the jars with napkins and rubber bands.  Store jars at room temperature for another 2-3 days.  Strain out all of the added flavorings from the tea. Proceed to the bottling or carbonation steps.Technique 2 (Flavor Added to Final Bottling):Add desired amount of juice to the kombucha.

Bottling Kombucha:

1. Use a funnel to pour the remaining kombucha into bottles.Refrigerate immediately, or move onto the carbonation steps.

Carbonating Kombucha: (Optional)

1. Seal the bottles, and let them sit at room temperature for 1 - 3 days, until fully carbonated.  If using plastic bottles, your kombucha is ready when the bottle feels rock-hard.  If using glass bottles, "burp" the bottles twice a day to release air. Tip: It is highly recommended to use at least one plastic bottle when you're learning how to make kombucha, because it's harder to tell when kombucha in glass bottles has finished carbonating.  The kombucha has finished carbonating when the plastic bottle is hard.  Store kombucha in the fridge to slow fermentation, and drink within a month.