Sterilize gallon glass jar - You can do this by washing with hot water & soap or running through a dishwasher.
Boil 4 cups of water - Make sure to use filtered water and bring it to a rolling boil.
4 cups water
Measure 2tbs of loose-leaf tea - You can place it in reusable tea bags, or a tea strainer, or just keep it loose Tea bags are also an option.
2 tbsp Loose-leaf tea
Brew tea for 10-15mins - Stirring occasionally
Remove tea & add sugar - Remove tea bags or use a strainer to remove tea leaves. Mix 1 cup of sugar until dissolved.
1 cup Sugar
Leave to cool to room temperature - Then mix sweet tea with cold water halfway up.
Add SCOBY + 1 cup of starter tea - Make sure the mixture is at room temp. Use clean hands/utensils or minimize contact with the starter culture altogether.
1 SCOBY
Fill all the way up with filtered water - cover with cloth & secure with a rubber band
Leave to stand for 4-12 days in a dark place - Out of direct sunlight, tasting daily until you reach the desired flavor. Fermentation times vary, depending on the temperature.
Second Fermentation
Sterilize small glass bottles/jars - You can do this by washing with hot water & soap or running through a dishwasher.
Cut up the fruit of your choice - Divide it between your smaller containers.
Take SCOBY out of the jar - Place it into a smaller bowl. You can use a sterilized utensil or wash hands. I prefer to minimize any contact at all costs to limit exposure to bacteria & prevent other possible problems with my brew
Measure 1 cup of kombucha - Add to the SCOBY bowl. This will be your starter tea for the next batch of kombucha.
Pour the rest of the brew - into your smaller containers using a funnel
Seal & let stand - Place out of direct sunlight & let stand for 3-5 days (depending on your room temperature)
Burb & Taste daily - taste daily, if a lot of carbanion starts building up, “burb” your bottles by releasing the build-up gas
Refrigerate & Enjoy! - When carbonation & taste is to your liking, refrigerate & enjoy your delicious kombucha!
Notes
When you're ready to make a new batch, always measure out 1 cup of starter liquid first. Use clean hands or a clean utensil to add your scoby to it and set aside. Fill your 16oz jars as much as you can, leaving very little space at the top. This will increase carbonation. If you're using tight-fitting lids/flip tops for secondary fermentation, make sure to burb your bottles to prevent explosions. Use filtered water for your brew when possibleIf you want to create more carbonation, do not refrigerate. Just pour over ice and enjoy all the bubbles.