If you have been looking at bottled kombucha tea that is sold in health food stores or your local supermarket, you have likely noticed how expensive it can be. This is because it goes through a fermentation process, so it isn’t as simple as just combining ingredients in a manufacturing plant.

However, you can make it on your own to always have it on hand, control what it is flavored with, and save some money in the process. Here are some basic instructions for making your own kombucha tea.

Gather Your Ingredients

To make your own kombucha tea, you first need to have the right ingredients. The following includes a list of ingredients and tools that are needed for making your own kombucha tea.

  • Large glass jar or container
  • Hot water
  • Kombucha starter
  •  Loose tea leaves – green or black preferred
  • Sugar
  • Metal tea ball
  • Flavorings

Keep in mind that these ingredients are for when you are making a simple kombucha in a smaller jar, not a huge batch.

Combine Your Ingredients

The first step to making your kombucha tea is to combine your ingredients. Get the glass jar and fill it with your hot water and sugar first, allowing the sugar to dissolve completely. You will then add in the loose tea leaves contained in a metal tea ball, or you can use tea bags if you have those.

Let the tea remain in the hot water and let it cool down in temperature. You can then remove your tea bags or tea leaves, or leave them in for a stronger flavor. Add in your kombucha starter that you got from the store, which is made from bacteria and yeast culture.

Let the Tea Ferment

Once the ingredients are combined, it is time to start the fermentation process. You should cover your jar with a coffee filter or a towel that has a very tight weave. This allows it to fully ferment. It should not be messed with, but also not left in direct sunlight. It can take anywhere from a week to a month to ferment, though 10-14 days is about average.

At this point, you can remove the makeshift lid you created, scoop up the layer of culture on the top and save it as a starter for your next batch. Remove any tea left in the jar, then add in your flavorings. If you are flavoring it, you will go through a second fermentation process. Otherwise, you can flavor the cup of kombucha each time you drink it.