How to Make Kombucha

I have not made Kombucha before, so as a complete novice I decided to play it safe and get help from the experts. So I am starting with A BOO CHI KOMBUCHA LETTERBOX STARTER KIT. This contains everything I need to get started and easy step by step introductions. So come along with me and let’s see how to make kombucha for the very first time.

The kit contains:

The Scoby - This is possibly one of the most important elements of kombucha making. It's a symbolic culture of bacteria and yeast. (Boo Chi suggest you name your Scoby, so naturally I did and called it “Scooby” possibly not the most original name)

5 organic black tea bags

130g Organic granulated cane sugar

Breathable cloth/and elastic

Stick on Thermometer

You will also need a jar large enough to hold at least 1.5 Litres of water ( kilner jars are usual and very strong)

A wooden spoon

1.5 Litres of filtered water

Method

Wash the jar well in hot soapy water, you do not need to sterilise it.

Boil 500ml of your water. Place the tea bags in a metal bowl ( NEVER POUR BOILING WATER INTO A GLASS JAR) and pour the boiling water over the tea bags stir with a wooden spoon. Leave this to steep for about 20 minutes. With a clean utensil remove the tea bags and add the sugar to the tea liquid. Stir in until dissolved and leave for a further 10 minutes.

While you are waiting for the mixture to cool, stick your thermometer onto the side of the glass jar. If you don’t buy a BOO CHI KOMBUCHA STARTER KIT, you can purchase a thermometer online. The type you would stick on the side of a fish tank.

Once your sweet tea mixer has cooled add the remainder of the filtered water, and add it carefully to the jar.

Check the temperature of the tea before adding the Scoby. This is very important. The tea must be cooler than 30 degrees because anything warmer will kill the scoby. The scoby will be floating in a liquid and this liquid is very important so do not discard it. It is the “starter liquid “.

Place the Scoby and starter liquids into the tea and give it a quick gentle stir and then cover with muslin fastened with an elastic band ( you can use a Jay cloth or another breather cloth.)

Store your kombucha in a warm place, airing cupboard or kitchen counter top. You are looking for a temperature between 23 and 27 degrees for fermentation. And then sit back and wait for around 10 to 14 days.

You can taste test after around 7 days, you are looking for a sweet / sour tang.

Once you have the taste you desire you can bottle your kombucha and keep it in the fridge. But remember to keep some of the liquid back as your next starter liquid and store your Scoby in this liquid. Your scoby will reproduce, so keep baby Scobys in a glass jar floating in some liquid with a cloth secured over the top until you need them ( this is known as a “Scoby hotel”)

Your original mother Scoby is good for around 5 brews then you need to use the new scobys. But don’t get rid of the original mother scoby, she just needs some rest and recuperation, a few days in a hotel does everyone the world of good 😉.

If you have too many Scobys you can always share them with friends!