How to Start Your Own SCOBY
Ingredients
- 2 cups store-bought unflavored kombucha make sure it is raw and contains live cultures
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 4 bags black tea or equivalent loose leaf tea
Instructions
- Make Sweet Tea: Boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. Add the tea bags and let them steep until the tea cools to room temperature. This can take a few hours. The tea should be strong and sweet, as it will serve as the initial food for your SCOBY.
- Combine with Kombucha: In a large, clean glass jar, combine the cooled sweet tea with the 2 cups of store-bought kombucha. The kombucha acts as a starter liquid, introducing the beneficial bacteria and yeast needed to form the SCOBY.
- Cover and Store: Cover the jar with a piece of tightly woven cloth (like a clean kitchen towel or coffee filter) secured with a rubber band. This setup allows the mixture to breathe while keeping out dust and insects.
- Wait and Watch: Place the jar in a warm, dark place (around 68-85°F is ideal) and let it sit undisturbed. After about a week, you should start to see a filmy layer forming on the surface. This is the beginning of your SCOBY. It can take up to 2-4 weeks to fully form. Sometimes, especially if it’s warm I can get a SCOBY within a week or two – I usually move up to a half-gallon jar and repeat the steps, this time using the whole quart of starter and another batch of sweet tea. This seems to jump-start things and usually results in drinkable Kombucha within another week or two. The SCOBY is ready for a gallon batch when it’s about 1/4 inch thick.
- First Batch of Kombucha: Once your SCOBY is formed, you can use it to make your first official batch of kombucha. The kombucha liquid from this initial process is often too strong to drink but perfect for starting the fermentation process for your next brew.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 100gFat: 0.3gSodium: 25mgPotassium: 3mgSugar: 100gCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.1mg
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