Kombucha Recipe: How To Make Kombucha (Is It Good For You?)

My kombucha recipe is one of the most beneficial things I’ve learned to make at home for my family’s health, and after nearly two decades of brewing, I’ve taught others how to make it too.

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My current SCOBY—Toby the SCOBY—was gifted to me over 8 years ago, and since then, I’ve shared his offspring with friends all across the United States. Once you get started, you’ll understand why—it’s simple, it’s delicious, and it becomes part of your rhythm at home.

In this guide, I’m going to walk you through my exact kombucha recipe, explain what kombucha is good for, and answer some of the most common questions I get—like alcohol content and whether kombucha is actually good for you.

What Is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea that’s been around for thousands of years, dating back as far as 200 BC, and it’s made by combining sweet tea with a living culture called a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast).

As the tea ferments, the SCOBY feeds on the sugar, transforming the tea into a lightly fizzy, tangy drink that’s rich in probiotics and beneficial compounds.

I like to think of it as a practical, traditional way to support gut health and overall wellness without relying on store-bought drinks.

It might sound a little strange at first, but once you understand the process—and taste it—you realize it’s just another form of food preservation, much like sourdough or pickling, and it fits right into a from-scratch, homestead lifestyle.

What Is Kombucha Good For? (Real Benefits Explained)

As I mentioned above, Kombucha has been used traditionally for generations to support health.

From my personal experience, kombucha is helpful for:

• Maintaining a healthy gut.
• Adding probiotics to your diet.
• Supporting the immune system.
• Replacing sugary drinks with something homemade.

I don’t look at it as a miracle drink—but I do see it as a easy, natural way to support my family’s overall health.

Is Kombucha Good For You?

After brewing kombucha at home for nearly two decades, I can confidently say yes—kombucha makes an excellent addition to most daily routines.

First, the fermentation process creates a naturally probiotic beverage packed with beneficial bacteria, organic acids, and antioxidants.

Clinical studies show that regular kombucha consumption aids in digestion by modulating the microbiome, increasing beneficial bacteria, and helping alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation.

Moreover, emerging human research links kombucha to improved metabolic markers. Small clinical trials indicate it can help lower fasting blood glucose levels and support healthier carbohydrate metabolism.

In practice, I recommend these guidelines to enjoy kombucha at its best:

• Start with 4 ounces per day and gradually increase as your body adjusts.
• Note that a small amount of sugar remains after fermentation—typically 2–6 grams per 8-ounce serving in a well-fermented batch—far less than in soda or juice.
• Listen to your body, as individual responses vary based on your unique microbiome.

When you brew kombucha properly under clean conditions, it delivers a refreshing, functional drink backed by centuries of traditional use and growing modern science.

Kombucha Alcohol Content (What You Should Know)

Kombucha does contain a small amount of alcohol — it’s a natural byproduct of the fermentation process.

Here’s exactly how it happens:

Yeast in the SCOBY first consumes the sugar in the sweetened tea and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. Then, the beneficial bacteria (mainly Acetobacter) convert most of that alcohol into organic acids, which gives kombucha its signature tangy flavor.

In a well-brewed batch, homemade kombucha typically ends up with less than 0.5% alcohol — similar to what you’d find in many non-alcoholic beers or kombucha sold in stores. However, the actual alcohol level can vary based on several factors:

• Fermentation time — The longer you ferment, the more sugar the yeast consumes and the higher the potential alcohol content can become before the bacteria convert it.
• Temperature — Warmer temperatures speed up yeast activity and can lead to slightly higher alcohol levels.
• Sugar amount — More initial sugar gives the yeast more food to work with.
• Your specific SCOBY — Every culture is a little different in how efficiently it converts alcohol to acid.

If you ferment for a very long time (beyond 14–21 days), the kombucha will taste increasingly vinegary and can creep up toward 1–2% alcohol in some cases. Most people stop fermenting once it reaches their preferred tanginess to keep the alcohol content low.

Quick tip from 20 years of brewing: If you want to keep the alcohol as low as possible, ferment at a slightly cooler room temperature (around 68–72°F / 20–22°C) and taste-test starting around day 7.

Kombucha Starter (SCOBY Explained)

To make kombucha, you need starter liquid and a SCOBY, which stands for:

Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast

It might look a little strange at first, but it’s what makes the whole process work.

My SCOBY—Toby—has been with me for over 8 years now, and over time I’ve learned how to keep him healthy, active, and producing batch after batch of kombucha.

That’s one of my favorite parts about this—it’s meant to be shared.

Kombucha Recipe (Simple DIY Method)

Ingredients:

• 2 family-size black tea bags (or equivalent)
• 1 cup sugar
• Purified, distilled, or spring water (no tap water)
• 1 SCOBY (kombucha starter)
• 1–2 cups starter liquid (from previous batch or kombucha).

Kombucha Recipe Directions

1. First, brew a strong, sweet tea. I use about 1 cup of sugar with my tea, and just enough water to steep it until it’s strong and dark.
2. Let that cool completely—this is important. If you add your kombucha SCOBY or starter liquid to hot tea, you will kill the beneficial bacteria.
3. Once cooled, pour your tea into a clean glass jar.
4. Add your SCOBY and about a couple of inches of your starter liquid.
5. Then fill the rest of the jar with clean, purified water, leaving a little space at the top.
6. Cover it with a coffee filter or cloth and secure it with a rubber band.

Set it in a cool, dark place and let it ferment for about:

• 1 week for a sweeter kombucha
• 2 weeks for a stronger, more vinegary taste

That’s it. It really is that easy.

What Kind Of Tea Do You Make Kombucha With?

When I make kombucha, I use real tea—most commonly black or green tea—because both provide the nutrients your SCOBY needs to stay strong and active.

Black tea is the most traditional and tends to produce a stronger, more robust flavor, while green tea creates a lighter, smoother taste. In either case, both work well, so it really comes down to your preference.

However, you do need to make sure you’re using true tea from the tea plant, not herbal blends, because herbal teas don’t contain the same nutrients that support proper fermentation. Over time, I’ve found that sticking with plain tea gives the most consistent and reliable results.

Can You Use Decaf or Flavored Tea For Kombucha?

Yes, you can use decaf tea for kombucha, but I don’t recommend using it all the time. While decaffeinated black or green tea will still work, the decaffeination process can also strip away some of the nutrients your SCOBY relies on. As a result, fermentation may be slower or less consistent over time. If you choose to use decaf, I’ve found it works best when mixed with regular tea rather than used on its own.

When it comes to flavored or herbal teas, I avoid using them during the first fermentation. Many contain oils, additives, or lack the nutrients your SCOBY needs, which can weaken the culture over time.

Instead, I always add flavors during the second fermentation (See below for instructions). That’s when you can safely use fruits, juices, or herbs without risking the health of your SCOBY while still getting the flavor you want.

How To Make Kombucha (Step-By-Step Video)

If you’re more of a visual learner, I walk you through the entire process step-by-step in this video.

Kombucha Tips from 20 Years of Brewing

Over nearly two decades of brewing kombucha at home, I’ve learned that the best results come from keeping things simple.

Here are the practices that have made the biggest difference in my kitchen:

Don’t Overcomplicate It. Kombucha is remarkably forgiving. You don’t need fancy equipment or complicated steps — just a few basics done well.

Always Use Clean Equipment. Clean jars, utensils, and hands are essential. Introducing unwanted bacteria is one of the few ways to ruin a batch, so I make sanitation a quick habit.

Never Use Tap Water. Chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can harm or even kill your SCOBY. I always use filtered or purified water to give my culture the best environment possible.

Use Real Tea and Real Sugar. The SCOBY thrives on real black, green, or oolong tea and plain white sugar. Skip herbal teas and artificial sweeteners — they simply don’t provide what the culture needs to ferment properly.

Trust Your Nose. After years of brewing, I rarely rely on a calendar anymore. I can usually tell when a batch is ready just by its smell — it develops a pleasant, tangy, slightly sweet aroma that’s hard to miss.

Watch Your SCOBY Growth. A healthy SCOBY will grow thicker over time. When it becomes too thick, I peel away the older layers. The extra SCOBYs can be shared with friends, dehydrated into snacks, or even fed to chickens.

Keep Your Ferments Separate. This is one of the most important rules I follow. I never ferment kombucha near other active cultures, such as sourdough, kefir, or vinegar. Different ferments carry different bacteria and yeast; not to mention, cross-contamination can affect flavor and the health of your SCOBY.

Adjust to Your Taste. One of the joys of home brewing is customizing the flavor. A shorter fermentation (7–10 days) produces a sweeter kombucha, while a longer fermentation (14–21 days or more) creates a tangier, more vinegary drink. I always recommend tasting it every few days until it reaches the perfect balance for you.

Put Your Scoby to Sleep. You can ‘take a break’ from making kombucha by placing your scoby in starter liquid in the fridge. Once you are ready to start brewing again, just follow my kombucha recipe above.

Double Fermentation (Flavoring Your Kombucha)

If you want flavored kombucha, you can do a second fermentation.

After your first ferment:

1. Pour kombucha into bottles.
2. Add fruit (fresh or dried), such as strawberries, mulberries, or nectarines.
3. Seal the lid.
4. Let it ferment for a few (1-5) days. Make sure to burp to release pressure.
5. Test for taste.
6. Once you have the desired carbonation, place your kombucha in the fridge.

Some of my favorite flavor combinations:

• Pineapple + ginger
• Mixed berries and lime

How To Use Your Kombucha Recipe In Everyday Life

Kombucha has become a simple, everyday part of how I take care of my family, and once you start making it yourself, I think you’ll see just how easy and practical it really is.

And once you have it going, it opens the door to even more from-scratch recipes. I use it in my homemade fermented mustard and my homemade ketchup that’s better than store-bought, which are both simple ways to keep those gut-healthy benefits going in everyday meals.

If you’ve been buying kombucha at the store… you’re probably going to kick yourself once you realize how easy it is to make.