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Kombucha Tea: Benefits & Healthy Recipe (+ VIDEOS)

Traditional Homemade Kombucha Recipe

Basic traditional recipe for homemade kombucha using black and green tea and cane sugar as used for centuries.

Course Drinks
Cuisine Russian
Keyword fermented tea, kombucha
Prep Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Fermentation 7 days
Total Time 7 days 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 21 kcal
Author Sarah Pope

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Boil 3 quarts of water.

  2. Add 1 cup white sugar to the boiling water and dissolve.

  3. Continue to boil sugar water for 5 minutes.

  4. Remove pot from heat and add 3 black tea bags and 2 green tea bags. Brew for 10 minutes.

  5. Remove tea bags and let tea/sugar mixture cool to room temperature. Do not cool too long!

  6. When the mixture is just room temperature (about 2 hours), add 6 oz of kombucha starter and 1 kombucha culture.

  7. Cover with a white, pre-laundered floursack cloth and attach with a large rubber band.

  8. Leave in a quiet semi-lit room (no direct sunlight) for 7-10 days. When a new "baby" culture forms on the top of the brew and it is at least 1/8 " thick, you may harvest the brew.

  9. Store in clear glass only in the refrigerator.

  10. Repeat the process to brew as much as your family desires.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

It is important to only use cane sugar for this recipe. If you use plain white sugar from the supermarket, be sure it says 100% cane sugar. In North America, plain white sugar not labeled as cane sugar is all or partially beet sugar made from GMO beets. 

In a pinch, you can use 4 ounces raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar in place of the 6 ounces of kombucha starter.

Nutrition Facts
Traditional Homemade Kombucha Recipe
Amount Per Serving (8 ounces)
Calories 21
% Daily Value*
Carbohydrates 5g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.