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# Brew Your First Batch of Kombucha

- [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/u/kairenner/brew-your-first-batch-of-kombucha-728)
- By [KaiRenner](https://slatesource.com/u/KaiRenner)
- Food & Drinks
- Created on Mar 19, 2026

> The SCOBY is not an ingredient. It is a living culture that teaches you fermentation every time you feed it.
>
> — KaiRenner · 26th of April 2026

## What a SCOBY Actually Is

SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. It is a rubbery disc of cellulose produced by acetic acid bacteria as a byproduct of fermentation. The bacteria and yeast live throughout the culture and in the liquid, not only in the disc itself. Your SCOBY grows a new layer on the surface of each batch. These layers can be separated, refrigerated, and shared.

**1** Cup White Sugar

**7** to 14 Days

![](https://cdn.slatesource.com/4/4/7/44796e1e-03df-418f-987c-bddc790ec445.webp)

Brew the Sweet Tea Base

Steep 4 to 6 black tea bags in 1 gallon of boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove bags and add 1 cup of white sugar. Stir to dissolve. Cool completely before adding the SCOBY — heat above 90°F kills the culture.

Add SCOBY and Starter Liquid

Pour cooled tea into a clean glass jar. Add the SCOBY and at least 1 cup of starter liquid from a previous batch or store-bought raw kombucha. Starter acidifies the batch and protects it during the first 48 hours.

Cover and Ferment

Cover with cloth or a coffee filter secured with a rubber band — not a tight lid. Kombucha needs oxygen during first fermentation. Keep between 70 and 78 degrees F away from direct sunlight. Taste starting at day 7.

## What the Ferment Looks Like

Brown yeast strands will hang from the SCOBY and float through the liquid. This is normal. A new SCOBY layer will begin forming on the surface within 3 to 7 days. The liquid gradually transforms from sweet tea into a tart, lightly effervescent drink. Fuzzy green, black, or pink mold on the surface is not normal. Discard everything and start fresh if you see it.

**2.5** to 3.5 pH

**10** to 20 Percent

Before First Fermentation

0%

Glass jar cleaned with hot water only — zero soap residue

Sweet tea confirmed at room temperature before adding SCOBY

SCOBY and at least 1 cup starter liquid added

Breathable cover secured (not a tight lid)

Location confirmed: 70 to 78 degrees F, no direct sunlight

Temperature Changes Everything Below 65°F kombucha ferments very slowly and yeast can dominate, creating an overly alcoholic or vinegary batch. Above 80°F fermentation accelerates and can overshoot tartness in just a few days. If your home runs warm, taste daily from day 4. If it runs cool in winter, expect 14 days or longer. A seedling heat mat set under the jar stabilizes temperature in cooler spaces.

> Every batch is a calibration. Temperature, tea strength, and sugar ratio all shift the timeline. Your palate is the only instrument that counts.
>
> — KaiRenner · 26th of April 2026

[Kombucha Kamp — Complete Brewing Instructions and Troubleshooting Guide](https://www.kombuchakamp.com/how-to-make-kombucha?utm_source=slatesource)