Our Kombucha Series
We are half way through our kombucha series! In a few days, you will be enjoying some delicious and healthy kombucha.
Here is a list of our full kombucha series:
- What is kombucha and why is it so healthy for you? {Part 1}
- Learn how to brew kombucha with this easy step by step tutorial. {Part 2}
- My kombucha is done, now what?…And how to bottle kombucha tea {Part 3}
- A collection of kombucha recipes {Part 4}
Where To Purchase A Kombucha Starter Kit
If you are just getting started, make sure that you buy your kombucha starter kit from a reliable source.
- I got one of my starter kits here.
So let’s dive into today’s lesson, my kombucha is done, now what…and how to bottle your kombucha tea.
Your Brew Is Finally Done Fermenting, Now What?
Yes, your brew has FINALLY finished fermenting and you have the desired taste that you are looking for…now what? There are several simple steps to follow and in a few short days, you will be enjoying your first homemade kombucha!
There are several things to note:
- Do not use anything metal from this point on. Use plastic utensils and a plastic funnel. Metal will react with the kombucha.
- Before you remove your SCOBY, sanitize your hands with white vinegar. Do NOT use soap, you could kill your SCOBY.
- Sanitize your bottle with hot water or white vinegar. I ran mine through the dishwasher with no soap, just hot water.
- Clear glass ONLY! You can buy clear bottles here. These bottles are the exact bottles that I use, and I love them!
Ok, now that we have the basics covered, let’s start bottling some kombucha!
Removing the SCOBY
The first thing you want to do is remove the SCOBY from your kombucha.
Note that I have the “mother” SCOBY and a “baby” SCOBY. The original SCOBY that you used has created a baby. You need to remove both of these. Simply reach in with your clean hands and remove the two SCOBY cultures.
Your mother and baby might still be attached, like this one. You can either leave them attached or pull them apart.
Here is what your SCOBY will look like after you have removed it from the kombucha tea.
Simply put it in a clean jar with 1/2-2/3 cups of tea from this batch cover with a lid and store in your pantry until you are ready to brew your next batch of tea. This is called a SCOBY hotel.
I just take my SCOBY and 2/3 cups starter (tea from this batch) and place it into a clean jar and start the process all over again and start brewing a new batch.
What’s That Stuff Floating In My Kombucha?
When you are adding starter tea to your SCOBIES, you might notice some sediment in your jar of tea or some stingy like substances hanging off your ladle…This is NORMAL and is harmless!
If this bothers you, simply run your kombucha through a sieve or sifter and this will remove all of your floating objects from you kombucha. I leave mine in the tea. You get used to it the more you drink the kombucha! 🙂
Bottling Your Kombucha
Now place a funnel into your clean bottle and pour your kombucha right into the bottle. Fill the bottle almost to the top, leaving a maximum headspace of 1″ or less. The less you have the more carbonation that you will have.
Please note, NEVER shake kombucha, as it can explode. The higher you fill the bottle, the more likely you are going to need to burp your kombucha to relieve the gas bubbles a bit.
Once you have filled your kombucha bottles, place the lid on your kombucha. You have three options from this point.
- You can drink the kombucha as is and put in the refrigerator. It will have less fizz with this method but still taste amazing.
- You can cap the kombucha and store in a warm, dark place and allow it to sit for 2-3 days. This will create a really fizzy kombucha.
- You can make kombucha soda (recipe coming in the final post in this series).
If you decide to ferment your kombucha to get it a bit fizzier, simply place the cap on the kombucha and store in a warm, dark place for 2-3 days. I stored mine in the pantry.
Where Do I Store My Kombucha?
After 2-3 days remove your kombucha from the pantry (or your dark warm place) and place in the refrigerator. If your kombucha developed a baby SCOBY in the bottle, remove and toss and then drink.
Do not leave your kombucha in the pantry past the 2-3 day period. It is very important to move it to the refrigerator. This will stop the fermentation process completely.
That is it! You now know how to make your own kombucha! Not hard at all, was it?!!
Later this week we will dive into making kombucha “soda” (so easy to make) and I will also have a great list of amazing kombucha recipes for you all to try.
Share Your Thoughts
As always, let me know if you should have any questions!
How about it, are you ready to tackle brewing your first kombucha?
Fun picture isn’t it (ha ha) Thought it might grab some attention 🙂
Hi Halle, after making my first batch do I use the mother and baby in my next batch?
You can, it probably will be too difficult to split apart. When you can easily split the two scobies is typically when I split them (usually after about 3 brews). Hope this helps!
What does it mean to burp your kombucha?
It means u open it to release the pressure and reseal.
What do i do if I damaged the scoby when splitting it
U don’t damage the scobys when u split it. U can cut it up into several slices if u want and it won’t damage.
Is it safe to use sweetened sun tea, or is it necessary to boil water to brew tea? I avoid boiling water in the summer and just make tea in the blazing sun. But with kombucha, it seems there are many opportunities for contamination.
Hi
So I have a trusted source of ingredients but due to space/ travel constraints can’t do a scoby hotel. But am finding that I have lots of starter liquid for kombutcha. I add the sugars at bottling . But was wondering would this make the ferment less successful or is it that i am using to little starter, as I did have my scoby bottle explode. ( not cool when your rural)
Getting ready to start my first batch!
Don’t forget to add a store bought bottle of 16oz of regular tea Kombucha “without additives to your first batch. This will give it the help it needs to get going.
The pic is disGUSTING! My friend was over this wknd and I showed her my Scoby…she was literally gagging! Just saw part 2. I’m gonna have to order gallon jars I’m sure.
LOL Dana! I know it isn’t the prettiest thing to brew but hey sure does taste great!
Hey there
I was given a scoby today in a plastic container w lid. Ive put it in a plastic bag and in a cupboard. Im wondering if it will be ok like this for a few days? There doesnt seem to be a lot of fluid in there.
Tia
It’s best to store your scoby in glass. Can you put in a glass container with a lid? You will need 1/2 cup of liquid to make your tea. Do you have at least a 1/2 cup of starter?
I don’t understand why we have to worry about the tea exploding in the pantry but we don’t have to worry about the Scobey exploding. I am storing my scobey in a mason jar is that OK in my pantry indefinitely ?
Symbiotic cultures or scobies are not prone to explode. When brewing your using an open container. The only seal you have is the scoby sealing the top of the jar. Some Carbon dioxide is created in this fermentation. It will lift your scoby right out of the kombucha. When the scoby eats the sugar in the booch that is when carbon dioxide is created. Most of that Carbon dioxide escapes with the open container. The secondary fermentation or bottling is done in closed containers. The carbon dioxide has no was of escaping. Your kombucha is loaded with beneficial bacteria that continues to eat the left over sugars in your brew. With the sealed bottles that carbon dioxide has no way of escaping. You will notice a tiny scoby will form at the top of your bottles in the secondary fermentation. Burping the bottles could release the necessary Carbon Dioxide to prevent a mess from happening or an injury. Another warning don’t open your kombucha bottle especially if you haven’t been burping them with your face over the top of the bottle. Enjoy and brew on!
Store it in the refrigerator until your tea is ready and cooled down. It will hibernate
Until ready to use. Treat your Scoby like
a pet. Needs cane sugar and tea to survive. ALLergic to sunlight dust or mold. Also anything anti bacteriallike some dish detergents or hand soaps.
I just got a mother/scoby from a friend at work. Can’t wait to make my first batch!
Aimee let me know if you need any help along the way 🙂
ok, i just finished brewing my first batch of K. i bought a bottle of synergy original that was a bit out of date and it had a tiny scoby in it. i used this and some of the tea it was in to start my gallon batch. i was not able to keep it particularly warm…stayed perhaps around 65+/- degrees (i have since bought a brew wrap, but not in time for this batch). it brewed for 14 days. it tastes and smells good, but not knowing what a scoby is suppose to look like at the end, i’m a little freaked that i could possibly have screwed it up and we could be drinking bad stuff. i have looked up so many pics of it on internet, but there are a lot of conflicting opinions. is there a way to tell beyond just looking at it? my top scoby is very thin and before i disturbed it to harvest tea, it was puffy in a couple of places, varied in color and there was a small, thicker one forming underneath it, an individual one, not connected/layered to the top one. i saw a pic on internet that looked like the small one i’m describing and the article said those were “bad” and to throw out the whole batch, including scoby. what? when i took it out to examine, it didn’t have any black or blue or fuzzy looking spots on it, but how can i tell if it’s good/bad? please help! i love this stuff and want to make it myself. thanks!
Hi,
Sounds like yours is totally fine. It will take awhile to build a scoby like the ones in the pictures. The only thing you have to worry about is mold. This whole throw out the whole batch (…and buy another scoby….) is nonsense.
If the kombucha tastes good…its good.
questions Angela…feel free to ask away!
I left my scoby in the fridge for about a year and have left it in the counter for about three weeks, is it good or bad? Hour do I tell?
I have been making Kombucha for few years now. I notice when I put in panty or cool place for few days after bottling , I have had a few bottles explode. WOW WHAT A NOISE !!!! I was wondering if it has something to do with very hot summer. Also I wondered if I could use plastic bottle, with different bottle for new batch. Can you please help as I don’t want to stop taking it as it has been very beneficial to me. Thankyou Kay NZ
Usually smaller and square edge bottles explode, use round bottles, I use the 2L IKEA bottles, never an explosion, use clear glass only. Very hot weather also affects it
how much should you drink a day? Can you drink to much? I think I could drink it all day long it tastes so good!
kayleeh It is recommended to only drink a few ounces a day and work your way up to more. I do just fine drinking about 8-12 oz a day 🙂
If you all are interested in the first and second posts in this series here they are.https://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/drinks/what-is-kombucha-why-is-it-so-healthy-for-you/https://wholelifestylenutrition.com/recipes/drinks/learn-how-to-brew-kombucha-with-this-easy-tutorial/
The fourth post is coming out next week and it will be a series of kombucha recipes
Is there a reason why we can’t use amber or cobalt blue jars?
@Renee the color in the glass can leach into your kombucha….it is best not to use colored glass.
hallecottis ewww…. thanks! We stay away from artificial colors, but I never thought of it leaking from glass.
of course, it is a complete rubbish, about colour leaking.
Dark glass it more suitable for kombucha
people who have time to create all these “healthy” websites usually do not have a proper education
Ha, yeah.
The color from the glass will NOT leech into your booch. Beer is also fermented and is ONLY bottled in amber glass. If you know anything about glass, the color is PART of the glass, not merely painted on the inside.
If the glass is colored with a metal, as is often the case, it is possible for the metal to be dissolved by the acid in the kombucha.
Kim, I know this is an old post but thanks for your reply. I have watched several videos on making kombucha on YouTube and no-one ever mentioned using only clear bottles. The ones I have at home are amber & I was afraid to use them until reading your post. They are going to have to do until I can invest in some clear ones.
Pauline! I have been searching and searching for info on Clear vs Amber glass, and there isn’t much verbiage on it. Additionally, there isn’t much danger to health, my only concern is light affecting the batch, or the newly bottled Kombucha. 7/10 people use clear, but there is no really explanation as to why. HELP!
Actually, if you look around, a lot of Kombucha companies actually brew – and sell – in amber bottles. This is so that the light doesn’t get in. This protects the Kombucha and helps to stop any further fermentation. That is why numerous liquid medicines are sold in dark amber bottles (or even plastic – not that you would ever put Kombucha in plastic! lol). Peeps – your Kombucha is safe is colored glass bottles – but not painted glass bottles. How long is it gonna sit there for anyways?! You’ll be drinking it within a week! 😉
I use green ones that I got from second hand store which used to be beer bottles and have no problems with them
They sell kombucha in brown bottles. Color from glass does NOT leach into your beverage!
What if I use it to save the average not to brew it?… Also what of I used less water to brew? And after brew can I use plastic container?
questions, how can the color leach from the glass? people use amber bottles for beer and green for wine and ive never herd of the color bleeding into the drink?
how long will my kombucha stay good for in the fridge?
kombu It will keep for some time in refrigerator. Don’t have exact time, but mine is gone in 2 weeks or less 🙂
Can I use Ball or Mason glass jars to bottle my brew and just change the metal cap to a plastic one?
Amie Simpson Sure can. Might not be as fizzy but mason jars will work just fine.
Have you ever had a glass jar explode, or will those jars pop their capper off before they’d explode?
@Meghan I have not had one explode. Just make sure that you don’t shake them and to refrigerate after a few days in pantry (if making kombucha soda)
Aren’t you supposed to burp them everyday until you refrigerate?
I didn’t find the need to burp them, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt the process to burp them either.
@Meghan I had 2 bottles explode on me, i left them out a couple days too long, i allow 3 days for the second fermentation and then transfer them to the fridge, be carefull, we had glass all over the kitchen, this does not stop me from continuing with a great healthy drink that has helped me so much.
I just finished my first time batch and when removed the scobys the “mother” scoby has a couple of small holes in it. Is this normal or OK?
HI i recently got a gift a nice big healthy scoby. when i got home (i live very remote and the nearest store is an hour away by boat) i had nothing to properly keep it in, and put it in a sterilized tub that is about 1.6 litres big. that was 3 days ago. I have found a nice 2 litre jar now and am wondering if i should move it now or wait till the week is up to move it? the tub its in is food grade plastic and i am not super worried about the plastic leaching, i am more worried about the scoby being unhappy. any advice is greatly appreciated and needed asap. btw the scoby is doing fine in there and looks to be doing its job so i am reluctant to move it but i also want it to be in the best environment for long term brewing! thank you in advance!
can I use a store bought bottle of kombucha to grow a scoby..It is organic raw kombucha that I have had for 2 weeks
l if I put it into the pantry or warm area will it start to grow a scoby!
That’s what I did, it just a takes longer to grow from scratch but it works
QueenSacheen you can easily move it, it doesn’t mind; it’s quite adaptable! Just wash you hands off, soak them in white vinegar, then grab it, put it in the new 2 liter jar, and pour the liquid in. I’m pretty sure glass is better than plastic, btw
just bottled my first batch. it tastes so good. I’m so excited. Gonna let it sit so it gets the fizz. I like a fizzy beverage. Now I’m working on my next two batches.
Tripp
I’ve been brewing and researching kombucha for about 5 years. This is the first I’ve heard of colored glass leaching and I’m very curious to learn more. I’ve always believed colored glass to be better, as the bacteria is sensitive to light. Any more information you can share about colored glass leaching would be much appreciated. Thank you!
Nick F.
[email protected]
Nick you are correct re: bacteria & light. No issues at all with colored glass. Beer is also a fermented product and is never bottled in clear glass, always colored due to light.
Hi I need advice from the experts;
I just bottled my first batch of Kambucha using my empty store-bought bottles that I’ve collected with time. (Buying them daily gets expensive!)
I will leave out the brand name of the kambucha product I used for specific reasons, since I don’t feel qualified to promote myself.
Your recipe is very straight forward and self explained. Now that I’m in the bottling step of the process I need your advice since I feel I could have let the kambucha sit a bit longer to gain that extra oomph of flavor to my batch. I think it is still a bit too sweet for my taste and ‘weak’ for lack of a better word. Two weeks into the process and already took out the scoby and made a fresh batch which is now brewing. The baby scoby looked great and that is part of the reason I went ahead and bottled the fist batch (with out sampling first…grrr!) Will the extra 2-3 days bottled in a warm, dark place give it some extra taste I’m looking for?
I think I’m better off waiting for my second batch to brew to get the flavor I’m expecting. Any advice, please?
Yes, the second brew (the soda kombucha) will add in a tremendous amount of flavor. Try adding some berries too! Also if it is to sweet, allow it to brew a bit longer.
I have a question regarding the second fermentation process.. I have one recipe I want to try called chai spice. But.. after the 3 days are up, do I again strain it..? I would imagine the spices would not dissolve and would be rather distasteful..? Any thoughts..?
I just made my first batch. I fermented it for 11 days. It tasted fine so I decided to bottle it. Doesn’t appear to have developed much of a baby scoby…is that normal? It looks like I could pull one off of it but I don’t want to tear it. I added about 25oz pure blueberry juice to it. I put some in the fridge right away and some in a second ferment.
I put the mother in a canning jar in a cupboard with some of the regular kombucha. How long can I store the mother before I have to do another batch? Thanks for all your help!
Great article… just a thought…how do you sanitise the jars and equipment?
I’m wondering where the best place to purchase bottles is?
I found my bottles on Craigslist. Green, Grolsch beer bottles. Sanitized and soaked in a vinegar water solution rinsed then put in the dish strainer. This article explains why, during the second fermentation, my bottles barely fizzed when I burped them. I didn’t fill them to the top! It was my first batch, so I’m okay with that. I’ll be transferring them to the fridge tonight. Thanks for the insight!
Hi there! Love your site first off! Second, I just bottled my Kombucha, but do not have any plastic lids. Should I NOT use metal. (I am using mason Jars) If not can I just store them on a shelf or fridge uncovered for a bit, or should I cover with cloth?
Yay, I wouldn’t use metal at all! It is best to cover them with the lids. Here is where you can buy them http://amzn.to/1mmmXWd
If you need to cover them while you wait, I would use a cheesecloth or even some plastic wrap until the lids arrive. Enjoy your first kombucha batch! 🙂
Help! I just finished my first batch of Kombucha. I removed the scoby and flavored the entire batch with organic juice and chia seeds, forgetting to keep some for my scoby. Now what do I store my scoby in? Can I just some of the tea that is flavored? Arrrgggg.
I wouldn’t add in the flavored tea. I would add some sweet tea and some vinegar to store it in.
I made a wonderful first batch of Kombucha but then, as life got crazy, I never made a 2nd batch so my scobi (now with about 5 babies) has been sitting for about 3 months (covered with cloth at room temp) in about 1 cup or so of Komb. My question is…can I still use that to make more or has it been too long and now this Komb starter liquid would be too strong/over fermented for the next batch to taste right?? Thanks so much for any input!!!
Hi, can i store my kombucha in a plastic spigoted container in the fridge or does it need to be bottled under pressure? Thanks! My first brew is going right now… can’t wait.
Glass is best, but yes, you can store with plastic spigots container. It will not be fizzy if it isn’t bottled for the second ferment though.
Hello, normally once I bottle my kombucha I wait 3 days without capping them then, cap & refrigerate. This did not happen this time & they were left for 10 days; should I throw away the batch or will it still be beneficial to me? Thank you, Annette
So they were not capped. I would cap them when they go for the second ferment for 3 days max and then put in the frigerator. I probably would toss.
Why would you do that? If you want carbonation they need to be capped. If you dont want carbonation then cap them and put them immediately in the fridge. Bottling and not capping is the same as just leaving it in the large vessel.
I reuse old wine bottles for the second ferment and storing my kombucha in the fridge. I keep 2 gallons going at a time. I save corks from liqueur bottles – those that have a topper which makes it easier to pull them out. And I bought a bunch of those hinged bottle stoppers, too. For the brewing period, with the scoby, I use a 1 gal glass jar – you can find them on Amazon for under $20. Mine are older, from the days when restaurants got mayo in glass jars.
Right now I’m testing making a simple syrup infused with ginger to add to my next brew. I want to enhance that ginger flavor. Instead of adding ginger slices to the batch at day 7, I’ll also try juicing the ginger for the extra heat.
Sounds interesting! Love the idea for the wine bottles! Keep us posted would you? 🙂
So what’s the verdict on clear glass leaching chemicals into kombucha? Many sources say don’t brew in a colored vessel for this reason. Are all chemicals that leach harmful?
Hey Kim. Trying to do some research to quell my concerns. Metals are generally used to color the glass. They are typically unreactive, so beer can be stored in the glass, but any chemist knows that strong enough acids can react with usual unreactive metals. Kombucha is more acidic than beer. I don’t know where these reactive threshold begins and how it varies for each type of bottle with varying coloring metals. I just keep seeing “don’t use colored” but no scientific reasoning for it. That lack of a scientific explanation shouldn’t be evidence of safety. Anyone know any more about this? If so, please post a reference for everyone to know of colored safety or lack thereof. Thanks
Thanks so much Brad for your research on this. I am working on a post to tackle all of these questions!I am in the research stage of the post, so could be a few weeks before I post. Thanks again 🙂
Using colored bottles or fermentation vessel is completely safe. The clear-glass only rule is silly hysteria imo.
I just found 3 bottles of tea hiding in the back of my pantry. One has juice in it the other 2 don’t. They have been in there for over a year. Would they be safe to drink or should I just toss them? They all look and smell ok, little bit more of a vinegar scent.
Oh my goodness, I would toss them for sure! When in doubt, toss.
hi, I just finished brewing my first batch and the second brew cycle. I added blueberries and refrigerated The batch is too sweet. Is it too late to do anything about it?
After you add blueberries allow it to ferment at room temperature for 2-3 days then refrigerate. If it is too sweet, you did not ferment long enough in the first ferment. Unfortunately, I would toss this batch and just allow your next batch to sit longer to get your desired strength.
Thank you for the tips and recipes just finished bottling my first batch and will start playing around with your recipes I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
When storing the mother and baby scobies, do they have to be kept warm (over 70 deg) to prevent mold or is that not an issue in the scoby hotel?
Thanks!
That really isn’t an issue with a scoby hotel. I just put mine in a mason jar and store in pantry.
How long is Kombucha good for? Once in fridge,
somebody wrote 2 weeks?
2 weeks? The longer it ferments, the more complex it becomes. If planning a long ferment, use new bottles when possible. I’ve fermented for a couple years at approx. 70 degrees F. and they were like champagne! So open over the sink, or a glass container so as not to waste any! Just be ready to pour, or chug! It’ll keep erupting unless its given enough surface area for the CO2 to escape. I’ve had Grolsch flip-top beer bottles explode so be careful!! You can use a high grade HDPE until fizzy then transfer into a glass bottle, allowing for a 3rd ferment. If it tastes sweet, and its fizzy, adding more sugar at this point might upset the equilibrium. I use a plastic bin to store them in just in case and will even put the bottle in a gallon plastic ziplock bag before into the fridge! If you live where the summer nights are high 90’s, when you wake up to the sound of exploding bottles, at least it will be somewhat contained! Its a real bitch cleaning out the spice cupboard, counterop , and mopping the floor at 3:00 a.m.!! Use NEW BOTTLES , older bottles = more micro-cracks that will inevitably result in an explosion..
I have just reached the 8 day period. MY kombucha tastes good, but I think I’ll leave it for another day. There is a new scoby that has formed on top. But I needed to know to get the scoby out and make a scoby hotel, which I did, thank you. I am going to bottle tomorrow, an d place in the cupboard for two days so it gets fizzy. I like that. I didn’t add anything to my first batch.
I am so grateful that I had some where to go to answer my questions. Thank you so much. I’ll keep you posted on how it tastes.
Best,
Martha
Does anyone know where I can find information regarding the regulations of bottling and selling my Kombucha if it is not an alcoholic beverage? Also very informative article! I will definitely use some of these techniques for my brew.
Kombucha may have a very small dose of alcohol that forms in the fermentation process, but it is very minimal.
I just bottled my first batch of Kombucha, and noticed that miniature SCOBYs are forming on the inside of some of my bottles. Is this a filtration problem on my end? Or is there another reason that this would happen? Thanks -Josh
This is completely normal. Sometimes it happens to me as well and other times mini scobies don’t form. Both are normal.
I am having the same issue and although i know it is normal for baby scobies to form in the finished product, I am interested in finding out how to prevent them from growing in the capped, refrigerated end product! While i personally don’t mind them being in my drink, when i’ve shared them with friends, they get really freaked out. I have been scouring the internet for tips on how to address this and can’t seem to find anything. Help:)
I have also the same problem – often I would say. I really would like to know how to stop them from growing in bottled and capped finished Kombucha. I know that the post is old, but if there is still anyone out there who could help to overcome that problem I will highly appreciate that.
I use these exact same bottles and read that you can secondary ferment for up to 14 days. I let mine go for 7 full days and there was hardly any fizz 🙁 Any idea why mine didn’t fizz up?
HI All, I like your website !! I started making Kombucha about 2 months ago. I had no SCOBY so I made my 1st batch with a scoby from ACV that I had made, it worked just fine ! I now have 3 scoby hotels ( one is from making pineappple vinegar, which is SOOO de-lish ). So if anyone out there is living in a place where they can’t just waltz down to the local health store and buy a bottle of kombucha … to get that 1st scoby … no worries … make your own ! I’m now enjoying a tall glass of fizzy, tangy, delicious Kombucha every day, and I really love it. My “guts” work better and I feel it has given me more energy as well.
Hello
Im storing my Scoby’s in a Hotel that is gallon pickling jar with metal lid.
Do I have to burp the jar every week or it will explode?
Thanks
No you do not need to burp it. You want to make sure that the metal lid does not touch your scoby or tea. It is best to use plastic.
I love all the questions and comments but I am new to brewing Kombucha and none of the Q & A are exactly what I need to know – but I’m learning a lot! So, I am now 2nd fermenting my first batch ever of Kombucha. I have six bottles using all kinds of flavorings to see what I/we like the best. I saved enough to cover my SCOBY and have that and a forming baby in a glass liter jar along with about a cup of unflavored KT from that first batch. I am not ready to brew another gallon of tea maybe for a couple of weeks because I am still getting my body used to drinking it. So, a couple of questions: 1) Will that KT in with the SCOBY just get more and more acidic the longer it sits? 2) Can I use that tea as a starter for my next batch even if it is more sour than I would normally drink it? Will that more acidic starter affect the taste of the new batch. or 3) Do I need a different starter? 4) I planned to refrigerate my flavored bottles of KT to slow down the carbonation – can I use any of that KT as a starter? Maybe choose the mildest flavored of them all? 5) If I can use one of those 2nd ferment batches for future starter, is it better to keep it unrefrigerated? thanks in advance for any help.
Thank you so much for your article! I have read through most of the comments and have learned a lot. I have one question, and of course like everyone else I’m worried I messed something up!
I finished my 1 week of the initial fermentation process. I left some starter tea with the scoby after I poured the kombucha from the original container into the 2nd container for the 2nd fermentation. Then, I brewed new sweet tea, let it cool, and poured it on top of the scoby in the original container. Is it ok that I did not remove the scoby and gently place it on top of the new tea batch? As I poured the new tea on top of the scoby, it did not seem to be very happy with me as it flipped upside down and around…I tried to turn it right side up but then worried I would contaminate it. Will it be ok? How will I know if it isn’t? Thank you so so so much for your assistance! My first batch tastes great!
I am very excited after having my very first batch successfully done, although I have one question /concern. I didn’t had a baby scoby and the original seems to be still really weak, although I achieved the expected results. How many batched takes to get a scoby as strong and meaty as the one in the picture?
I’d say about 3 batches. Just leave what has formed in the container and continue your next brew. It will continue to grow.
Hi Kim! I Love your site!
I just finished brewing my first batch of K and bottled in covered mason jars a couple of hours ago and left out in a dark area. I left some room about an inch and a half in order to add some fresh organic berries tomorrow morning. My worry now after reading your article is that it may not be as fizzy because of the 12 hours or so with so much room. Have I screwed up my entire batch or can I still add fruit tomorrow? FYI there was a ton of fizz before bottling.
Im so sorry Halle! I apologize for the addressing you as Kim.
Nope, you haven’t screwed it up, Denise. Just add the berries and ferment for another day or two. Do note that it is best to add the berries as soon as you bottle the kombucha. I also find that you get a lot more fizz when your put the kombucha in actual bottles versus mason jars. Keep that in mind for your next brew.
AWESOME! I’m so excited and look forward to having my own batch! I’m going to hopefully have the right containers in time for my next batch! Thank you for your fast response!!
Hi! I’ve been brewing kombucha now for a while and it’s going great. I gave my mother a bottle that she forgot and had in her refrigirator for one year. We still opened it and it tasted almost a little champagnely. Do you know anything about storing kombucha for longer times if it gets more awesome like wine or if nothing really happens? Much love, thx
I JUST used a metal ladle BEFORE I read this!! Did I destroy my batch of Kombucha? 🙁
It’s best not to use metal, but you should be fine. Just make sure next time not to use again.
Thank you! I does seem fine, but I sure won’t do that again! 🙂
No problem. The “metal reacts with kombucha” line is silly and false. I wouldn’t use a metal fermenting vessel, or metal cans/bottles, but a metal funnel or ladle will have zero impact.
I am wondering if our scoby needs to be tossed, or not.
We ordered a scoby off of Amazon and it was sent to the wrong address. We contacted the sender and he said that the scoby should be okay once it arrived at the correct location. When we received the scoby, it had been in transit for maybe 2-3 weeks. The scoby itself looked fine and was still in liquid, not punctured, etc.
I brewed the started tea with half green and half black and added the vinegar, sugar, etc. (followed very strict instructions to make sure I didn’t mess up!)
I had a friend who brewed K and everything smells good like his did and it seems that there is a baby scoby forming, but the top scoby looks like there’s a big air pocket and it is a bit bumpy. I’ll upload pictures. Any help would be SO GREATLY appreciated! Thank you!!
I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING!
ALTHOUGH it looks like there may be mold in the picture, it does not look like there is any mold when I look at it myself in “person”.
Thank you!
(:
The SCOBY looks fine to me…looks like there is a new one forming on top, which is normal. Why did you add vinegar to the tea? Did your SCOBY not come in a liquid?
If you contacted the seller about the 2-3 week delay in delivery and they informed you that it would be ok, then you need to decide how reputable this company is. I am not saying they aren’t reputable, but I personally would have had them ship me another one at their expense. You are dealing with a live culture and 2-3 weeks at the wrong temperatures could affect that.
Keep in mind, I am always super overly cautious, and I do not know who your source was for the SCOBY.
Hi! Not sure if this was already asked or not but is there an “expiration time” for keeping homemade kombucha in the fridge after brewing? Thanks so much!
yes. Drink within 3-4 weeks. Never after a month.
Maybe you already covered this, but I am curious why you say to use clear glass only? Amber glass is pretty standard and reduces light degradation of the product.
I moved the gallon jar I’m using to brew my komboucha, so I disturbed it somewhat. Will this affect it? There are a few bubbles, but no real film on top. Also, it’s only been 4 days and it smells like apple cider vinegar already. That seems fast for this time of year. We keep our heat set at 68, so I know it’s not that hot in here. I do have it above the fridge in the cupboard. It has greenish grey stuff floating on top. Looks like the stuff you skim off a pot of boiled meat or almost like loose tea. I used green tea and none of the bags were broken when I removed them. Do you think it’s ok?
It is hard to say with your description. I wouldn’t put it in a cupboard. Kombucha needs the open space to grow the beneficial bacteria. As far as the substance you are describing, that sounds like it is a new scoby forming. If you want to take a picture and upload it into these comments (there is a button below the comments that you can submit a picture) I can take a look at it for you.
Hi,
I wanted to play with adding flavors to the kombucha. Any recommendation on how and when in the process we should do that?
Sarah
Look at part 4 of this series to learn how to make flavored kombucha.
Thanks Halle!
Here is a photo of my komboucha brew. It smells vinegary, but it’s still sweet.
I’m not sure why the photos didn’t show up Cindy, but I can see them in the back end of my website. I’ll have my tech team look at fixing this so that the image shows up here. There is a lot going on with your kombucha. It is hard to tell from your photos if there is mold growing or not. It could just be part of the kombucha floating to the top and is sitting right below the new scoby. Keep an eye on it to see if any fuzzy mold grows on the surface, but I’d keep on fermenting it.
Here’s one more photo.
Hi. Thank you for your response. The top looks nasty, but I don’t see any powdery mold on it like on bread. Thanks for taking the time to help me. Is there another way to tell if it would be harmful to drink?
I was also wondering can you use any type of black organic tea? I was thinking of using earl grey but not sure if that would be gross. Also what about chamomile rather than the green tea? or does it have to have caffeine in both types of tea?
No chamomile for sure. Black works best. Green and White work as well.
I have about 2 gallons of Kombucha Tea that has just completed the Fermentation process. Normally, I would go ahead with a 2nd Ferment in a variety of different flavors. However, for various reasons, I am not able to and have to wait about 2-3 days before I can begin the 2nd Fermentation.
During these 2-3 days (or more), what method and for how long should I store the Kombucha Tea (without the SCOBY)? I’m not sure if I should store it in a lidded glass jar in my Kombucha Closet or put it in the refrigerator… I don’t want it to get more of a vinegary taste to it, but I’m not sure if putting it the refrigerator is a good idea if I am going to be taking it out again for 3 days during the 2nd Fermentation. Any information anyone can provide would be most helpful. Thanks!
I am looking for a small refrigerator to store my finished product. I am using the glass flip top bottles like those you have pictured. Can I lay them flat in a refrigerator or do I need to keep them standing up? Im not sure what contact with the flip top might do
Thanks
I LOVE, LOVE Kombucha! I have been making it for about 2 months now. Wish I’d done it waaayyy sooner. 🙂
why do you have to use brown coffee filters – they don’t come in contact w/the Kombucha? I’m using a gallon glass jug & a tea towel will basically cover the while jug. Is that ok?
That is fine.
I bottled my kombucha and drank mos of it, however one bottle was lost in the fridge, in openned for three months, it is still good? it tastes and smells fine. It did get very effervescent.
Why do you have to use only clear glass bottles? I have ones that are smoky gray.
Why do you have to use clear glass bottles? I have smoky gray glass bottles by Bormioli.
Why do you use clear glass only when doing your second ferment? I use Brown and it turned out fine am I doing something wrong? I just started so let me know
I still would like to ask, how to stop a SCOBY growing inside the bottled kombucha. I bottle my Kombucha usually after 14-16 days ‘cos if I do it sooner it is much too sweet. I keep the bottles a day or two on my kitchen benchtop. On many occasions, after only several hours, a new small SCOBY starts forming and grows into nice and healthy, white, meaty scoby, that can be used later for a new batch. However, as this happens so often, I have a fridge full of scobies and it gets really old. If anyone knows, how to resolve that issue, I will be grateful.
I made a batch of Kombucha and bottled half in green groelsch bottles half in clear plastic screw top bottles. Only the clear bottles got fizzy. Anyone know why?
My question is, can i gift my baby scoby? If so, just put it in a jar with the brew liquid?
You sure can gift it! Just put it in a jar with 1/2 cup starter and print out instructions for the friend you are gifting the scoby to and you will be good to go!
Bottle my first batch the other day and taste tested it today. Yummmmm. I bottled them in 3 small, like milk bottles added 1 mango and about 1 1/2 tsp. of ginger. Put the mango chunks and ginger in a blender. Divided the mixture among the 3 bottles. Can’t wait until it is completed it’s thing. How warm does the bottled kombucha have to be? Thinking of purchasing a gardening warming pad.
I doubt you need a gardening warming mat. I lived in Wisconsin, and it got super cold there. It takes longer to brew when it is cooler (for me sometimes 2 weeks), but it will ferment just fine, just at a slower rate of speed.
can you store in plastic bottles after fermented process?
After my Kombucha is done can I strain it and keep it at room tempture (on the counter) without the SCOBY in it? Or does it have to be Refrigerated? Thanks!
If you want to stop the fermentation process, it is best to refrigerate the kombucha.
Why must I use clear glass bottles only? I have been bottling in dark Amber colored 16 ounce flip tops and my kombucha has been coming out great! Is there any particular reason why you said CLEAR bottles only??
That is FALSE. Brown/Amber bottles are fine and will give your kombucha a longer shelf life because there is less exposure to light.
I transported my brew in its glass gallon jar for 9 hours but forgot the lid was metal!! Is my scoby going to be ok? Or is it now contaminated..? It’s been 2 days since I moved it but it seems to look ok.
It should be just fine Maral!
My scoby is too big for my container, is that ok? I have it brewing now, and the scoby is kind of running along the side of the container since it did not fit perfectly along the top. Is that OK? It is also in my kitchen right now right next to the window and has been for 2 days. AH! I have to move it, but the closet is not an ideal place, correct?
Thanks!
Hi Mary,
Your SCOBY is fine if it doesn’t fit the container, a new one will form that will fit it and you can use that one for future brews. It’s best if you move your kombucha out of the kitchen and out of direct sunlight. Doing so will create your optimal brew.
We just bottled our first batch of kombucha (after straining) and after the carbonation period there was a slimy substance similar to a stringy baby scoby in the bottle. What is this and how can we prevent this happening? We would appreciate any suggestions or help.
That is indeed the start of a new scoby. You can just remove it before you drink, but there is no real way to prevent this from happening. It’s a good sign that you did everything right! 🙂
Hi! I really appreciate you web site ! I made my first batch of kombucha and was reealky nervous but it came out great . I did my final fermentation with 3 bottles with blueberries and striwberrys and the other three are plain. I’m tasting one of the fruit ines now and it’s a bit vinagary. Is that normal ? It had been a little sweeter prior to the three day fermentation.
Thank you
Cindy
Hi Cindy! If it is too vinegary, try brewing it a little less next time and that will solve your issue.
Hi Halle,
Thanks for all this information :-). I second-fermented with grapefruit juice and mint leaves. It tastes good and worked out well, but I’m new at this…do you strain out the leaves and particulate stuff once it’s ready?
I don’t think it really matters. I just leave it all in there and drink around it
“Metal will react with the kombucha.” False.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using stainless steel utensils or vessels. A Scoby is Yeast. If you can use stainless steel to brew beer then you can use it to make kombucha. Stainless steel is non ferrous and does not contain iron. It will not react with your kombucha in anyway. Plastics and wood ARE ferrous and can hold bacteria which runs a higher risk of contaminating your batch.
After my kombuch mixed with juice, then it keep into the fridge, can last for how long?
HI Halle, I have loved reading all the questions about kombucha. I am wondering if the little scoby that grew in my second ferment is healthy enough to use to start another batch of kombucha. Up until now I’ve tossed them all but if I could share these with friends I’d love to.
Thank you in advance.
Moe
Yes, you can use the little scoby, it will eventually grow to the size of the vessel that you put it in. Just be sure you include some starter tea (kombucha) with the scoby.
That’s great news! Thanks for all the info. ?
is it normal for scobies to form during the second fermentation after flavoring?
should they be disgarded or can they be used to make kombucha?
Yes this is normal and you can use them or hand them out to friends!
When I am doing the second fermentation and I have fresh fruit do I need to strain out the fruit before I put it in the fridge or can the fruit stay in the bottle till I drink it ? I guess what I’m trying to find out is will it go bad or get moldy or make me sick if I keep the fruit in there and just strain it out when I’m ready to drink it ? I have about four bottles liter bottles that have gone through second fermentation for about four days I then put them in the fridge but I have not strained out the fruit. Nice and fizzy and taste good I just don’t know if I need to pour everything through a strainer into yet another set of new bottles
Hey Lisa,
You can leave the fruit right in the bottle…it won’t hurt you. It ferments right with the drink, so totally safe to consume.
Hi Halle,
My questsions are on the stage of adding flavors to kombucha. How long is it safe to leave fresh fruit in the bottle, even after it’s refrigerated? And can I bottle the Kombucha after the second ferment, having strained out the fruit? I make kombucha for my friends and am concerned about the fruit going bad if left in the bottle for a week or more. Thanks!
Toss the baby scoby in yr just taking out of the fridge, are you serious, you can drink it down with yr mouthful of Kombucha tea,,,,, seriously dude’s…….. don’t toss it.
I have my first booch brew going now and am so excited! I do need a little clarification on covering the jars-during the first fermentation you use a cloth and rubberband? During flavoring or scoby hotel you use a tight fitting lid? Is that correct?
Thanks!
That is correct.
I made my first batch of kombucha a couple weeks ago and it is now ready to bottle. Thanks so much for providing thorough directions for the process – I appreciate it!
Happy to help!
I have a surplus of Weck glass juice jars with glass lids, silicone gaskets, & clamps. Would those be safe to use for bottling my booch?
I made my first batch of kombucha but only had mason jars with the metal lids and sealed them tightly for the 2nd ferment. I am on day 2 but after reading about not using metal I am now afraid to continue. Should I throw it out and start all over again?
Halle
Why Clear glass ONLY for bottling?
Hello !
Just brewing my second batch now…. once my tea cools can I pour it ontop of the scoby I left in the 4 liter jar? I left the scoby in with some starter tea…
Also, I peeled the bottom layer off my scoby and left the top part (I don’t know why) is that ok ? Will it still work out ?
My first batch turned out super !
Yep, it will still work. Scoby’s will continue to get thicker the longer you brew so it’s a good idea to separate them from time to time.
Hi-
We are fairly new to making kombucha. We’ve had trouble getting ours to get fizzy. Any hints? Also, we’ve often had ours turn vinegary when we don’t drink it fast enough and made a tasty vinaigrette for salads. We want to try mayonnaise and sourdough starter next. Have you had any experience with any of these alternatives?
Hiiiio, I’ve only read this one post and am already loving your offerings! Kombucha making & storing made simple!
I have one quick question: I have fermented my kombucha in a large glass container that has a pour spout. I was planning on just pouring the finished kombucha from here to my bottles rather than removing the mother and starter. Is this something that you think would be ok? Or does the Mother need to be moved to a new, clean container regularly?
Thanks for the help!!
Matt, you most certainly can just bottle right from your pour spout and start a new brew. If it seems like your container needs a washing, just remove the scoby and rinse it clean and you will be good to go.
Once I take the scoby out for the 1st fermentation process, can I just store that Kombucha in the fridge for a few days if I am not quite ready to flavor and start the 2nd fermentation? Or does it need to follow pretty quickly?
Hello. I just want to ask if it is safe to consume kombucha that was fermented for 33 days? It’s just that I made a kombucha and went for a vacation and just harvested after 33 days.
Thank you so much.
Malou
Any method to stop the fermentation after bottling? The growth of the SCOBY can’t seems to be stopped.
Hi! This has been going kn for years (comment thread)…so cool!
So I have made my kombucha and I made it fizzy. It is in the same bottles you used in pics and I burped it for a few days and just tasted it and it tastes great! Just wondering now that it is fizzy and ready to drink, do I still have to burp it. It is ready for the fridge, I just don’t want the glass bottle to explode if I don’t burp it every day.
Thanks so much!
Oh and how long is scoby hotel good for and how long is kombucha good for once refrigerated?
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Great recipe!
Just to be sure, if I’d like mine to be fizzier, I take the scoby out first and then
bottle it, then put bottles in a warm, dark place for no more than 2-3 days, then refrigerate, is that correct?
Thanks 🙂
Hi, once we put them in the refrigerator, how long will they last before they spoil (if that is the right word)
I have made my kombucha, bottled it, flavoured it and left it to sit and carbonate for a couple days, now have put it in the fridge ready to drink. However when I had a taste it had a vinegary taste. Is that normal or have I not left it for long enough or something
My SCOBY isn’t uniform like the one you’ve shown in your site. When the mother scoby was being transported in a zip-lock bag it was folded for several days. So I suppose a uniform baby SCOBY wouldn’t form from a deformed one. Is this correct? I’m through my first fermentation and have successfully flavored and bottled. Looking forward to health benefits from drinking Kombucha daily.
I’ve done my 1st batch, bottled and its devine. I removed scooby & I took off baby. Wasn’t sure which 1 to keep, so i threw out mum & kept baby. I placed baby with 1 cup of brewed kombucha tea and placed in fridge. Is that the right way? And will it be ok to use baby to start my next batch?
My understanding is that by refrigerating your bottled kombucha after it is finished this helps stop the carbonation/fermentation process. I was wondering if it’s possible to temporarily cool the bottles to stop the carbonation/fermentation process by putting it in the fridge but then removing the bottled kombucha to store in a pantry at room temperature.
Hi!! I’ve made a few batches of kombucha and they taste great but keep turning out flat. So this time i followed your recommendation and left them out on the counter for 2 days.. with the fruit/juice in them. Was that ok? They have little floating patches of bubbly stuff on the top now that I’ve never seen before, and I want to make sure it’s ok and not ruined!! Thanks!
They should be fine. I have found that if there isn’t enough sugar during the second fermentation process, it will turn out flat. Or if you burp it too often.
I made my first batch of kombucha about a month ago. We went away for the holidays so I just put the scobees in a jar with a lid. Can I still use these scobees for my next batch or should I throw them out?
I checked with a local authority and they said dark glass bottles are fine and actually protect the micro organisms from UV light, lots of manufacturers use them so what’s the deal then?
I poured my kombucha into their bottles and tasted it..it is too sweet, and not tart enough, needs to ferment longer. Can I pour it all back into the co trainer with the scoby and ferment longer? Or do I have to start back over?
I made my scoby and started a new batch of kombucha tea. Most of the scoby tea was left in the jar except for a couple of cups I used in my new batch. I covered the jar with leftover tea with coffee filters and left it under the counter. Now two weeks later a new scoby has formed. Is this any good or do I toss it witheverything in the jar? Thank you so much for your comment. Ashma
Ive seen a video and heard from a few people that its fine to ferment it longer to remove the sugar. Up to 30 days. Any experience with this? its mainly for a sugar free diet but to be able to enjoy the same benefits…i know it will be very much like vinegar but thats not a problem ill add sweetner.
I’ve seen a video and heard from a few people that its fine to ferment it longer to remove the sugar. Up to 30 days. Any experience with this? its mainly for a sugar free diet but to be able to enjoy the same benefits…i know it will be very much like vinegar but thats not a problem ill add sweetener.