Ready to start brewing your own kombucha tea? This is the perfect place to start. I’ve included tutorials for beginners, as well as answers to common questions and my favorite flavored recipes!
Top Kombucha Benefits
Before we jump into the how-to, don’t forget about the “why” of kombucha! Kombucha has a ton of health benefits, and there’s research to back it up:
- Kombucha’s Health Benefits from the Cleveland Clinic
- Is Kombucha Really Healthy?
Basic Kombucha Ingredients
The basic kombucha ingredients are very simple – it’s the fermentation process that turns kombucha into a nutrition powerhouse.
All you need to make kombucha is:
- black tea
- sugar
- water
- white vinegar or starter tea
- a kombucha SCOBY
(A good kombucha starter kit can help make your first brew much easier.)
SCOBY questions? Here is some great information:
- What is a kombucha SCOBY?
- How to Create a SCOBY Hotel (when you need to store your SCOBY between brews)
Can you make kombucha with green tea?
Yes! Green tea and black tea actually come from the same plant, just at different stages. You can use green tea to make your kombucha if you prefer.
How to Make Kombucha Tea – Tutorials for Beginners
If you’re a beginner, you might feel like you need a little more hand-holding the first time you make kombucha. It’s easier than you think, but I get it – fermenting can seem complicated and it’s normal to feel nervous about messing it up.
Here are my favorite tutorials that make brewing kombucha feel totally easy, even if you’re an absolute beginner:
Kombucha Recipe Flavors
The best thing about kombucha (aside from the health benefits!) is making your own custom recipe flavors. By mixing fruits and spices in during the second brew, you get a fizzy flavored drink that tastes amazing… and is also amazing for your health.
Here are some deliciously creative flavors you can try for your next batch of kombucha:
- Traditional Ginger Kombucha
- Ginger and Turmeric Kombucha
- Strawberry Lemonade Kombucha
- Cherry Vanilla Kombucha
- Cranberry Spice Kombucha
- Tropical Mango Kombucha
- Blueberry Ginger Kombucha
Super Fun Kombucha Recipes
Yes, you can drink your kombucha straight from the bottle – but you can also add it to other recipes! Here are some super creative ways to add kombucha to drinks, desserts, and snacks:
Kombucha Smoothies
Blueberry Kombucha Smoothie Recipe
This kombucha smoothie is a great way to start your morning with healthy probiotics and antioxidants!
Cherry Mango Kombucha Smoothie
This cherry mango kombucha smoothie recipe is has a tropical zing that will brighten up your morning routine.
Super Green Kombucha Smoothie
Yes, you can combine the power of green smoothies with kombucha for a double whammy of healthy goodness! Try this green kombucha smoothie recipe when you need that extra boost of nutrition.
How to Make Kombucha Gummies
Kombucha gummies are a cute way to incorporate kombucha into recipes your kids will adore (well, you probably will too!). Here are a couple of my favorites:
Mixed Berry Kombucha Fruit Snacks
These mixed berry kombucha gummies are almost too cute to eat… almost. 😉
Grapefruit + Ginger Kombucha Gummies
This grapefruit/ginger kombucha gummies recipe is the perfect combo of simple and refreshing. If you’ve never made kombucha gummies before, this is the perfect recipe to try!
Kombucha Frozen Treat Recipes
Last on our kombucha recipe list are ice-cold frozen treats that the whole family will love. And yes, these yummy desserts include kombucha as an ingredient!
Where to Find Kombucha Brewing Kits
Are you ready to start making your own kombucha? Order your kombucha starter kit today.
More Healthy Food Recipes:
- How to Make Cucumber Water
- How to Make Raw Milk Kefir
- 48+ Healthy Blackberry Recipes
- 36+ Easy, Healthy, and Beautiful Salad Recipes
Elizabeth is the founder of The Nourished Life and has been writing about natural living for 12 years. Her work has been featured at Shape, Bustle, and Mother Earth Living. Her mission is to help you lower your stress levels and find fun ways to become happier and healthier. Read more about Elizabeth here.
Great post! I was just thinking, I really need to start drinking kombucha! 🙂
we love kombucha!!! you would love our creamy kombucha cocktail 🙂 http://purelytwins.com/2013/05/24/how-we-make-creamy-kombucha-cocktail/ We have used it to make soft serve ice cream too!!
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
what can you do when you have to many SCOBYs and no one to give them to? Can you use them for something else? How do you store them when not making a new batch of kombucha?
You can compost them or feed them to pets (if you keep chickens, you can feed them the scoby, too!). I’ve seen people give them away on Craigslist before, too. If you need to store a scoby, just store it in a little kombucha and it will keep for a while.
I put the scoby (it measured about 3.5 ounces) 1/8 cup of finished kombucha and 1 tsp of jojoba oil into a blender and mixed it until it was creamy. I put it on my face. It’s very acidic and works just like a chemical peel so if your skin is very sensitive try it on a small part first. I left it on and let it dry for about 20 minutes and my skin was SO SOFT.
Thanks so much for putting together this collection of articles! I just shared it on my page: https://www.facebook.com/TheBackyardPickler/posts/688608434490240:0
Thanks for sharing!
I have made and used Kombucha, but it always caused so much acidity in my system, causing diarrhea and sore tongue. Is this normal?
I’ve heard of this happening, especially when you first start drinking kombucha or in sensitive individuals. I recommend starting very slow and just drinking a little (like maybe no more than 2 fluid ounces per day) at first.
Love it
I got into drinking Kombucha tea a month ago. I drink a bottle a day. It has so many great benefits and it taste so good. But I need to get the starter kit. It will be a lot cheaper.
I know what you mean–those bottles are expensive!
These look great! But there are so many choices for tutorials and getting started. Which site do you recommend for someone who is comfortable with fermentation but has not make kombucha before?
I would check around and see which one “jives” with you more. I included a few examples because I know that we all learn differently, and each one has a different style that might suit some more than others. 🙂
Thanks so much for this post- great resource for a beginner like myself. How long does it take to ferment to the point that it is carbonated? And how long will it last once you’ve bottled and refrigerated it? Can you make enough to stock up or do you make it as you intend to drink it? Thanks in advance!
Definitely check out some of the posts listed above — they have some of the answers to your questions. Some people do continuous brew kombucha so they always have some going, while others make bigger batches.
Kombucha will barely carbonate in the first ferment. You have to bottle it at a certain point (read the tutorials) to do a second ferment where you add some fruit . My favorites are raspberry, strawberry and ginger. Separately or in combination. I use Grolsch type bottles. The acid and sugar in the fruit, combined with being sealed tight will cause it to carbonate. Even though we have a heat pump and keep our home cozy, the process takes longer in the winter than the summer.You just have to make it and keep experimenting and eventually you’ll find what works best for you. Everyone has different expectations and makes it a bit differently.
Always keep some spare scobys in a “scoby hotel”. Do not refrigerate and feed it some sweet tea each time you make a new batch. Then you’ll be prepared if you ever have mold in your batch and have to dump it.
Have fun!
When I make my Kombucha, I do the first ferment by pkacing it on top my refrigerator. NOT INSIDE, BUT ON TOP the refrigerator. The frig naturally gives off heat from its use. It works great. This technique works great when starting seeds for your garden too, creates a natural green house.
Jill
Can a scoby die if it gets too warm.
Yes, it’s a living organism and will die when exposed to too much heat.
Good tips. Great recipes. I suggest starting out small with about 2 qts, and really focusing on quality control with great sanitary prep and clean bottling. My third batch came out slamming good. Now I will double the batch amounts and then work up to about 2 gallons a week, for now. The deli down the street is setting out their giant pickle jars for me, so I’ll have a great supply of jars on hand as my operation grows…
That cherry mango one looks so good! Thank you so much for sharing. Cannot wait to try some of these at home.