How to Make Kombucha: First Fermentation Recipe
Learning how to make kombucha starts with the first fermentation: turning sweetened tea into a tangy drink with the help of a SCOBY and starter liquid. This is the base batch you’ll use before adding fruit juice or spices in a second ferment.
I enjoy kombucha for its sweet-tart flavor and all the ways you can flavor it at bottling. If you’re new to brewing, get comfortable with this stage first, then move on to my second-fermentation recipe.
What is first-fermentation kombucha?
The first fermentation is the main brewing stage. A culture of bacteria and yeasts works in sweetened tea, developing the acidity and flavor associated with kombucha. SCOBY stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts”; the visible, jelly-like layer is often called the SCOBY, but the starter liquid is also an essential part of the process.
First fermentation uses a breathable cover. Second fermentation happens later, in suitable bottles, and is where flavorings and trapped carbonation come into play. You can also refrigerate the finished base without doing a second ferment.
Ingredients for this homemade kombucha recipe
- 14 cups filtered water, divided: the card uses four cups for brewing the tea and ten cups for cooling and diluting it.
- 2 family-size organic black tea bags: use the tea amount and alternatives specified in the card. Family-size and regular tea bags aren’t the same size.
- 1 cup sugar: sugar feeds fermentation. Don’t replace it with a noncaloric sweetener or assume the finished drink is sugar-free.
- A kombucha SCOBY and 1 cup plain starter kombucha: use an established culture with its starter liquid, not just the visible layer or a flavored drink chosen at random.
Where to get a SCOBY and starter liquid
Ask an experienced brewing friend, inquire at your local food co-op, or look for a kombucha starter kit. Follow the starter supplier’s instructions, particularly for activating a new culture. This is an affiliate link; I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Don’t start with a culture or liquid that shows mold or other signs of spoilage. For research-based preparation and starter checks, consult the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s kombucha guidance. Its formula is separate from this recipe; don’t mix ingredient amounts and process steps from different formulas.
Equipment and setup
Use a clean, food-safe brewing vessel large enough for the batch, a pot for tea, a thermometer and a clean breathable cover secured against insects. Clean and sanitize equipment using an appropriate method before starting. Keep the brewing area out of direct sunlight and avoid a spot with large temperature swings.
How to make kombucha, step by step
- Steep the tea in the hot-water portion specified in the card.
- Remove the tea bags and dissolve the measured sugar.
- Add the remaining water and let the tea cool before adding the culture. Check the temperature rather than guessing.
- Add the SCOBY and starter liquid, then secure the breathable cover.
- Ferment in a suitable room-temperature location and monitor the batch. The original recipe usually takes about 10–14 days, but temperature and culture activity affect the timing.
- Reserve the SCOBY and starter for your next batch. Refrigerate the finished kombucha or proceed to the separate bottling method.
Ingredients
- 14 cups Water, filtered divided
- 2 family size organic black tea bags*
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 Kombucha Scoby
- 1 cup Plain kombucha (it will come with your scoby or reserved from a previous batch)
Instructions
- In a small pot, bring 4 cups (946 ml) of the water to a boil, remove from the heat, and steep the tea bags (or loose tea in a reusable cotton tea bag) for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Remove the tea bag(s) and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve.
- Add the remaining 10 cups (2.4 L) water to the glass jar, and then add the hot tea.
- Your tea should be roughly room temperature—no higher than 88°F (31°C), or you may kill your kombucha SCOBY; use a thermometer to be sure of the temperature.
- Gently add the kombucha SCOBY and kombucha, and stir. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band or string.
- Allow the kombucha to ferment undisturbed at room temperature (ideally 76°F, or 24°C) for 1 week.
- After 7 days, you should see a new, cream-colored layer growing on the surface of your kombucha, which is a new baby SCOBY. While trying not to disturb it too much, dip a straw a few inches into your kombucha, cover the top of the straw with your finger, and pull out a sip to taste.
- Monitor the batch as it ferments. If it shows mold or other signs of spoilage, discard it without tasting. For a sound batch, check the flavor with a clean utensil; my kombucha is often ready between 10 and 14 days, depending on room temperature. Flavor and timing alone do not verify safety; follow appropriate starter and pH checks.
- When the batch is finished, use clean hands and utensils to reserve the SCOBY with 1 cup of plain kombucha for the next batch. Keep the culture and starter liquid together in a clean vessel and follow your starter supplier’s directions if pausing between batches. Refrigerate the finished drinking kombucha. Do not use a suspect batch as starter or leave sealed containers unmonitored for long-term storage.
Notes
How do I know when the first ferment is ready?
The flavor moves from sweet tea toward tangy kombucha. Timing alone doesn’t verify safety, and neither does the appearance of a new surface layer. Use the checks in the brewing guidance you follow, including appropriate pH measurements; don’t use taste to assess a suspect batch.
For a fuller explanation of brewing precautions, see Colorado State University Extension’s kombucha guide. Research on health benefits is limited, and homemade kombucha can contain alcohol.
Common first-fermentation questions
Why is my kombucha still sweet?
A cool room or a less active culture can slow the process. Check the brewing temperature, starter instructions and ingredient measurements before changing the formula. Don’t keep extending a batch indefinitely or taste it if it shows spoilage.
Is a floating or sinking SCOBY normal?
The culture can sit at different levels. Brown yeast strands and a smooth new layer can occur during fermentation. Position alone doesn’t tell you whether the batch is good.
What if I see fuzzy mold?
Discard the whole batch and culture rather than scraping the surface or using the liquid as starter. Clean and sanitize the equipment before beginning again with a sound culture.
Should the first ferment be fizzy?
Some bubbles may appear, but a covered brewing jar releases gas. For bottled carbonation, follow the second-fermentation process. If a bottled batch stays flat, use my kombucha fizz troubleshooting guide.
Can I pause before flavoring?
Refrigerate the finished kombucha rather than leaving it sealed at room temperature. Refrigeration slows fermentation, but bottles still need pressure monitoring and cautious handling.
Flavor your next batch
Once your base is ready, try Apple Pie Kombucha or Pumpkin Pie Kombucha. You can also use a finished flavored batch to make kombucha gummy bears.
Keep exploring fermented foods
Bringing fermented foods into everyday cooking is why I wrote Fermented Foods at Every Meal. If you’d like more ideas beyond kombucha, my cookbook page has the details.
For a different culture and ingredient base, explore how to make kefir. Or bring fermentation to dinner with ginger orange fermented carrots. Follow each recipe’s own method; a vegetable ferment and kombucha aren’t interchangeable processes.
I didn’t think about diameter when I used a large (2 gallon) jar for first fermentation and now my baby scobe is like 8” in diameter. Can I fold in into a smaller jar with reserved liquid?
Yes!!
What does Kombucha taste like?
Does anyone use Kombucha for weight loss and a healthy gut?
Kombucha is fizzy with a sweet/tart flavor. It’s full of healthy probiotics so it is good for your gut as well as can aid in weight loss as a part of a healthy diet.
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Great post. Can I use only boiling water to clean the bottles, without regular soap?
Can I use green tea?
No green tea can’t be used.
I used green tea and it is absolutely delicious nice and fizzy!!
My second batch of Kumbucha produced a second scoby not attached to the first. ¿Which do I use for the next batch? The old one a friend gave me or the new one?
Either or both! The older is normally larger/stronger
I live near the ocean in Northern California and the temp in our house is anywhere from 63-68 F in the day w/o the heat on and even cooler at night. My deal is, I have my first fermentation jar in the closet and it’s now at 6 days. I looked at it today and there’s not the common white growth happening at the top and after troubleshooting, I’m thinking it’s likely b/c of the temp in the house. My SCOBY is healthy and I brewed it as directed. Wondering if you think it would be ok to wrap the jug in a towel to warm it as we rarely have the heat on all the time in the house, especially now that it’s getting a bit warmer. Im crossing fingers that it’s not a huge deal and that I simply have to make a couple of adjustments and have more patience to allow it to do its thing! Let me know what you think or if you have other thoughts or suggestions.. Thanks!
temps under 70 can retard the fermentation.
what did you just call me?
Molly, This is very confusing, I went through our conversation and at no point did I ‘call you’ anything.
Retard means to slow down. People have turned that word into a negative connotation, but it simply means to slow down.
My kombucha still tasted quite sweet after 10 days. So I let it ferment 6 more days and it still tastes pretty sweet but I went ahead and bottled it anyway for second “fizz” fermentation. I used the SCOBY and some of that left over liquid and rolled over into a new batch following your same directions. How long is too long for a first fermentation? How do I achieve a kombucha that is not sweet? Should I try a first fermentation with less sugar?
Please do not ever modify the recipe. It’s tried and true. What’s the temp where you are fermenting? That plays a huge role. Are you getting baby scobys on top of the mother?
Hi! Thanks for this resource! I just finished my first ferment, but need to travel for two weeks so I’d like to put my kombucha on hold until I return. Can I refrigerate my kombucha, and flavor with a second fermentation when I return? Should I separate the scoby mum and babe from this batch, or leave all together in the fridge while I’m away? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Yes! Remove the scoby(s) and put them in a separate container with 1-2 cups of 1st ferment kombucha to make a batch later and put both in the fridge. I do it all the time. Just proceed with 2nd ferment when you get back.
Hi there, I just started and would like to know what I can add to give different flavours. Now I used black tea but could I also use other teas to make it? And how do I know when it’s ready without PH test sticks? Thank you very much!
The flavoring comes in the 2nd ferment. I only suggest black tea and I’ve never used ph test strips to determine doneness. I explain the process in this post.
Hi. Just finished first batch ever. It looks great. My baby is pretty thin. I made it in a gallon jar. Do I use this for my second batch or the mom? What do I do with the mom if I’m using the baby next? Thank you 🙂
If your scoby is thin (baby or momma) I’d leave them together for a few batches to let them grow. I only divide mine when they are about an inch thick or someone is begging for me to share a starter with them.
I have left over starter tea from growing my scoby, can i use that for anything or do i just dump it? Thank you!
that’s what you’ll use.
Made scoby but don’t have starter kombucha for 1st ferment. Can I just use some of the tea that cultured my scoby? (I live 90 miles from nearest place to get .kombucha). I’ve read where Vinegar can be used so wonder why not just use the tea that made my scoby??
Appreciate feedback 🙂
Hey Diane, I’m a little confused by your question. The “stater” kombucha would be the same liquid that grew your scoby, ie kombucha. I’m not going to recommend vinegar since it is a different strain of bacteria.