Do you already make a basic kombucha recipe, but wish you could easily make more than a gallon at a time? If so, this advanced kombucha recipe plus video series is for you!
The technique I’ve developed for brewing many gallons of kombucha at once involves making a sweetened tea concentrate that you can use to make as many gallons as you like in a single batch. To prevent mold because cold water is mixed with the concentrate, extra starter is used.
I’ve also included the written recipe for those of you who wish to jump right in!
If you wish to add additional fizz to your finished brew, know that you can bottle it. This recipe plus video shows you how to bottle fermented beverages to add that additional carbonation everyone loves.
Advanced Kombucha Recipe
How to make huge batches of kombucha by making this recipe for sweet tea concentrate.
Ingredients
- 3 2.5 gallon glass jugs
- 1 16+ quart stockpot
- 15 quarts filtered water
- 7 cups white cane sugar preferably organic
- 28 black teabags or 28 tsp black tea, preferably organic
- 3 floursack cloths
- 3 large rubber bands
Instructions
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Bring15 quarts of water in large stockpot to a boil.
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Add cane sugar, stir, and continue to boil for 5 minutes.
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Remove stockpot from heat and add tea.
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Steep for 10 minutes.
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After steeping, remove teabags or if using bulk tea, strain out tea.
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Divide sweet tea concentrate into large 2.5 gallon jars. This will be 5 quarts per jar.
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Add 2 quarts cold filtered water to each jar. This will total 7 quarts of liquid per jar. Stir.
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Let cool for 2-3 hours until tea water comes to body temperature.
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Add 2 cups of starter per jar, stir, and place SCOBY on top.
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Cover with clean floursack cloth and secure with a rubberband.
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Place jars carefully in a quiet part of the house away from the kitchen. The top of a cabinet or dresser in a guest room is a good place. Do not put in a closet.
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After 7-10 days or when a new SCOBY that is at least 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick has grown on top, the kombucha is ready to drink.
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Repeat process to make the next batch after refrigerating kombucha in glass jars and washing out the containers with mild soap and warm water.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Half green tea bags or bulk green tea may be substituted for half the black tea. Do not use all green tea as the brew will not take properly. If you wish to use all green tea, then brew Jun tea.ย
Kombucha FAQ
Want to know more about this age old fermented drink? ย These articles provide more detail for your research.
Fluoride in Kombucha: Should You Be Concerned?
Why You Are Addicted to Store Kombucha
Never Pack Commercial Kombucha in a Child’s Lunchbox
GTs Kombucha Now Labeled as Alcoholic!
7 Common Kombucha Myths
Can Candida Sufferers Drink Kombucha?
Kombucha: What it is and How to Make it
Does Kombucha Tea Prevent Grey Hair?
Batch vs Continuous Brew Kombucha
Have You Tried Kombucha?
Safe Traveling with Kombucha
Kombucha on Mars
Kombucha Tea: Drink It and Wear It?
I have been making booch for years, thanks to you, however I need to go to a larger batch mode now, so came back to your videos. Can you please explain what you do with these jugs after first fermentation? As in what do you place 21qts of kombucha in in order to start over again? thanks
Hi Sara,
I have a question for you about the measurements that you use. I am trying this out at home and I wanted to make sure I do it right. From what you said, you are making enough for 21 quarts. If so that is a little over 5 gallons. If I was to brew it based on the original recipe I would say it is a little over 5 cups of sugar and not 7 because it is 1 cup per gallon. Is your result sweet? I wouldn’t imagine it is but I am just wondering how it tastes or if you have to let it ferment longer or if my reasoning is faulty here.
I have really appreciated all the help you give me by posting videos. They really help to point my family in the right direction. My almost 2 yo has a lot of carries and we have started on a WP diet with lots of FCLO. Our fingers are crossed! You are a great source of inspiration and help!
Thanks,
Nadine
Hi! I was wondering, how wide should the hole be relative to the fermenting container? I have a 20 liter container that only has a three inch hole and I’m worries it isn’t wide enough to let air get in. Any idea? Thank you!
Could I use bulk organic english breakfast tea in my kombucha? Thanks! Love these videos!!
If the english breakfast tea is just black tea then yes. Some have other herbs in them .. don’t use those.
Hi! I grew my own SCOBY from a baby in a store-bought bottle of kombucha. It grew like mad during the feeding up stage, and I just bottled my brewed kombucha. I have now read some other instructions that make me think I did some things wrong. I used water from my tap, and now I read it should be filtered, distilled, or boiled for 10 mins. I put the SCOBY in a mason jar in a cabinet for feeding up, and although it seemed to do well, now I read that you shouldn’t put it in a cabinet because it won’t get enough air. For brewing, I put it in a glass suntea jar, but now I have read that it should not be put in a cylindrical jar, only in a wide bowl, also so it gets enough air. I also stored the SCOBY in kombucha in a glass vessel in the fridge for about 18 hours after I finished brewing one batch before I started brewing another. I now read that can destroy the balance of the bacteria and yeast. I am worried that these mistakes may have ruined my SCOBY, and I am wondering if I should throw it out and start over? It seems to have stopped growing (grew like crazy during feeding, but not during brewing) and is fairly brown, not very white. My kombucha smells, looks, and tastes good, although it does seem to burn a bit on the way down, which I have not experienced with store-bought kombucha. Any advice is much appreciated! Thanks for taking the time to make this video guide and answer questions!
I would like to brew 4 gallons of Kombucha. Could you please help me figure out the correct amount of ingredients to do this? I currently am using the Anchor 2 gallon jars from walmart but would like to invest in the jars you have in the feature.
Dear Sarah
Can I put lemon in my kombucha when it is ready to drink?
or am’I going to lose some of the good nutrients because of lemon?
Thanks
Iva
How can I get my kombucha to be fizzy?
Nice video on how to make kombucha. Never knew about the history and how the Russion’s used kombucha in Olympic training.
Hi Sarah,
I learned so much from watching your videos on Kombucha. I was told to use organic cane sugar. Is that necessary? I didn’t hear you mention that in any of your videos, so I wanted to make sure.
Thanks so much