This homemade ginger kombucha recipe tastes better than store bought and is full of probiotics and flavor.
I got my first Scoby ("mother") from a friend (thanks Gilly!) and have used her method and scoby for a couple years and am ready to pass it on.
Kombucha can be intimidating at first but it's really very simple, just needs a little of your time, attention, and space.
I don't like fruit juice so don't deviate from the kombucha path much but you can add a variety of ingredients including honey, turmeric, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, chopped fruit, & fruit juice when bottling.
Scoby float down or on top or sideways in the gallon jar. It's still good whichever way it floats.
Scoby look strange, slimy, and "mottled". Kombucha is bubbly while fermenting - this is all normal. Once you see mold or bacteria you will know it is bad right away.
Going out of town? I bottle anything up to 17 days old. After that, I keep the scoby and toss the liquid or you can stop the fermentation process by sticking it in the refrigerator to buy some time.
Once kombucha is bottled, you don't want to let it sit out too long because it can get too carbonated and "blow up". In six years of brewing I have had it once when I let it sit too long. It's good to keep it in a dark cabinet just in case it does. Basically, it becomes acidic with age. I bottle kombucha at 14 days because it's easier to remember.
Some people use a strainer for the "legs" from the Scoby. I drink 'em down! That's where the probiotics and flavor are. If it creeps you out then strain it before bottling.
Scoby gets most of it's nutrients from Black Tea. You can experiment with other kinds but if you're Mother is weak then revert back to all black tea for a while.
Scoby are alive and grow! Every time you bottle, you will probably have two Scobys. Toss it or give it to a friend and share the kombucha love.
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Things In My Kitchen:
- 1-gallon glass jar - for first kombucha fermentation
- Measuring cup (I use an 8 cup)
- 6 (16 ounce) flip top glass bottles - for bottling kombucha
- Funnel - for gettin' it in the bottle
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Homemade Ginger Kombucha
EatSimpleFood.com
This homemade ginger kombucha recipe tastes better than store bought and is full of probiotics and flavor.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 1 Gallon
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 3.5 quarts water, boiled
- 1 + cup sugar. divided
- 8 black tea bags
- 2 big knobs ginger - optional
- 2 cups starter tea from the old batch
- 1 Scoby
Equipment for 1 batch (I always make two batches at a time so double this if you do that).
- stockpot
- 1-gallon glass jar
- Measuring cup
(I use an 8 cup)
- 6 (16 ounce) flip top glass bottles
- Funnel
- breathable towel, paper towels, or cheesecloth
- rubberband
(I use an 8 cup)
Instructions
- Bring 3 ½ quarts of water to a boil in a stockpot and add 1 cup of sugar. Stir a couple minutes until dissolved. Add 8 black teas (or 6 black & 2 green is what I generally do). Remove from heat, steep ~ 8 minutes and remove tea bags.
- Let cool ~ 1 hour and pour into gallon jar and cool to room temperature. Sometimes I make the tea the day before and finish it the next day.When room temperature (don't add Scoby to hot or warm tea) add the SCOBY (Mother) and 2 cups of the "starter" tea (you buy this or it generally comes with your first Scoby). Cover it with a towel, paper towel, or cheesecloth and secure with a rubberband. Wait ~ 7-10 days and get ready to bottle.
- Remove the mother with very clean hands (washed up to the elbow if you got to go fishin' for it!) for the fresh batch with 2 cups of the old tea to start the new batch. Set aside or place in the new batch of fresh brewed tea.
- Place ~ ½ teaspoon sugar in the 16 oz bottles (this is for the 2nd fermentation & makes it extra carbonated) and peeled ginger slices -doesn't really matter how many- start with 8 slices in each bottle.
- Pour the tea into the 16 ounce bottles. Let the jars sit out (preferably in a location out of the sun) and ferment ~ 5-7 days. Then place in fridge and they are ready to drink.
- Repeat....
Notes
- Scoby float down or on top or sideways. It's still good.
- Scoby look strange, slimy, and "mottled". Kombucha bubbles - this is all normal. Once you see mold or bacteria you will know it is bad.
- Going out of town? I bottle anything up to 17 days old. After that, I keep the scoby and toss the liquid or you can stop the fermentation process by sticking it in the refrigerator to buy some time. Once it is bottled, you don't want to let it sit out too long because it can get to carbonated and "blow up". Basically, it becomes acidic with age. I bottle at 14 days because it's easier to remember.
- Some people use a strainer for the "legs" from the Scoby. I drink 'em down! That's where the probiotics and flavor are. If it creeps you out then strain it before bottling.
- Scoby gets most of it's nutrients from Black Tea. You can experiment with other kinds but if you're Mother is weak then revert back to all black tea for a while.
- Avoid prolonged contact with metal unless you want a metallic taste.
- Scoby are alive and grow! Every time you bottle, you will probably have two Scobys. Toss it or give it to a friend and share the kombucha love.
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