Gather ingredients and supplies: SCOBY, starter tea (unflavored), sweet tea (black or green), clean glass jar (1–2 gallons), breathable cover (cloth or coffee filter), rubber band, thermometer, measuring cups/spoons, non-reactive stirring utensil, bottles with tight caps, funnel (optional)
Sanitize all equipment with hot water; air-dry
Brew sweet tea: dissolve sugar in boiled water, cool to room temperature (about 68–85°F / 20–29°C), then add to clean jar
Add starter tea to the jar
Add the SCOBY to the jar
Cover jar with breathable cloth and secure with rubber band
Ferment first batch: keep at 68–85°F (20–29°C), away from direct sunlight, undisturbed 7–14 days
Check readiness: tea should taste tangy/sour, not sweet; SCOBY may form a new layer; bubbles/stringy bits are normal
Taste daily after day 7; stop when flavor is to your preference
Remove and store SCOBY: transfer SCOBY to a clean bowl/jar with some starter tea for future batches
Bottle the kombucha: pour into bottles, leaving about 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) headspace
Add optional flavoring: fruit juice, mashed fruit, ginger, herbs, or flavor concentrates (use small amounts)
Cap bottles tightly
Second ferment (optional carbonation): ferment 2–7 days at room temperature, tasting after day 2
Refrigerate when carbonation level is reached
Burp bottles carefully if they get too pressurized during second ferment
For next batch: use a portion of finished kombucha as starter tea and repeat the process with fresh sweet tea