Making your own Kombucha

I got a scoby (also known as the great kombucha mother shroom) from a Mama off my local attachment parenting list. I followed the instructions off this website, but the measurements did not quite fit into the 1 gallon pickle jar I bought so I hope it turns out okay since at the end I had to pour some liquid off to fit the scoby in the jar. The happy-herbalist also has some tech talk on making kombucha since they sell kits. If this works out I may buy some type of receptacle with a spigot so I can do a continuous brew of kombucha.

In my search for info about kombucha making I ran across this forum where someone posted how to make kombucha from a bottle bought from the store.

Here is the recipe adjusted based on the herbalist brewing guide and another kombucha making guide recipe. The mad scientist in me plans on trying this... Apparently it does not matter if the store bought bottle of kombucha is flavored or not based on another blog/thread I read.

Making kombucha is apparently best done at temps between 68 to 84 degrees F.  Optimum temp per my reading is 78 degrees F. We keep our house around 72 to 75 degrees F because that seems to be the optimum temp for keeping breast milk out on the table for 6 to 12 hours which gives our kiddo plenty of time to eat it all.

On to the recipe that I plan on trying based on three other recipes... I will post my results eventually stay tuned.

Needs
1 gallon clear class container. In a basic grocery store check out the pickle jars. I got a Best Maid Pickle jar for $4.78 and my husband actually likes their pickles so he plans on eating them, so I don't have to feel guilty about put the pickles in the compost pile.

Organic sugar

Organic green, white, or black tea (I've read black tea is best, but I used white)

1 bottle of kombucha with stuff floating in it or any bottle of kombucha that you leave out at room temp that develops stuff on the top. (I got a dormant mother scobie and had no kombucha in my first brew attempt so ended up using 4 tbsp of distilled vinegar)

Distilled white vinegar for cleaning of pickle jar, pots, and utensils (apparently other cleaners can potential 'cause brewing problems)

Bring to a Boil 1 quart of distilled/filtered water. Add in 1.5 cups white sugar and 5-6 tea bags (white, black, or green organic tea, organic apparently is important for scoby health). Do not boil the sugar more than 5 minutes 'cause it may cararmelize. I basically turn off the boil and add tea & sugar, then stir until sugar is dissolved.

Let the tea bags steep in the water for 15 minutes. (The Manperson is really into white tea and apparently there is an optimum temperature for steeping that is not boiling, I'm using the white tea that he feels he can no longer tolerate now that he has developed a more refined organic white tea palate.) 

Put 2 quarts of water into the pickle jar. Pour your tea into it. Take a temp reading with a food thermometer. It should be around 73 degrees F with this method.

Then add unflavored and raw kombucha with scoby to it (I added the mother scoby and put 4 tbsp of distilled vinegar on top for my first brew), gently stir with wooden spoon. Cover your glass container with clean cloth, cheesecloth, coffee filter, and rubber band it (used cheesecloth and one of the ubiquitous rubber bands I end up with from Whole Foods). If you have flavored kombucha, apparently you let it sit out until scoby forms across top. I would put it in a wide mouth glass and cover with cloth, paper towel etc until the scoby forms. Take out the scoby and add it to the pickle jar just don't add the flavored kombucha. You can then add 4 tbsp of distilled vinegar instead of regular kombucha or if you have plain kombucha sitting around add 1 1/2 cups.

Leave it somewhere it won't be disturbed until you notice a thin (though hopefully thick if you got a good one) SCOBY has formed on the surface of your tea. It should be kinda creamy tan with not too many 'holes", if it is a nice and healthy SCOBY. This can take anywhere form 7 to 20 days. Make sure it is not somewhere it will be hit by direct sunlight and it has fresh air occasionally circulating. (If you used a great mother shroom, then you can just taste it because it may not form a baby under certain circumstances.)

The first brew from your new scoby is drinkable, but not as tasty as it could be if you used a great mother shroom so you may just want to take the mother scoby you made and make another brew.