Kombucha Brewing Starter

Instructions

1. Boil 4 cups of water in a saucepan.

2. Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the boiling water and stir until dissolved.

3. Remove from heat and add 8 bags of black tea (or 4 tablespoons of loose leaf tea). Steep for 15 minutes.

4. Remove tea bags and let the sweet tea cool to room temperature.

5. Pour the cooled sweet tea into a clean 1-gallon glass jar.

6. Add 1 cup of unflavored store-bought kombucha as a starter culture.

7. Gently place the SCOBY on top of the liquid in the jar.

8. Cover the jar with a clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band to keep out dust and insects.

9. Let the jar sit at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for 7-14 days, tasting every few days until it reaches your desired flavor.

10. Once fermented, remove the SCOBY and set it aside for your next batch.

11. Pour the kombucha into flip-top bottles, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top of each bottle.

12. For second fermentation, add flavorings like fruit or herbs to the bottles, then seal them tightly and let them sit at room temperature for 3-7 days.

13. Refrigerate the bottles to stop fermentation and enjoy your homemade kombucha.