**Secure a healthy scoby, “mother”, starter sponge from a friend.
1. Boil water… I like to add some fresh ginger chunks for a little added goodness.
2. Once water has come to a boil, turn off heat and add tea bags to taste… You can use loose leaf if you have it or start unwrapping tea bags.
3. After about 5 minutes…give or take… add sugar. 1 cup of sugar per 1 gallon of water! Any more than that seems way too sweet to me.
4. Allow to sit and cool completely. Depending on how much you’re making this might take 24 hours. You can always make a super concentrated tea and add cool water but I think its best to not rush these things.
5. Once tea is COMPLETELY cool and at room temperature, poor your tea into a FOOD GRADE bucket, glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bowl/bucket with wide mouth. Wide mouth is needed so that the scoby can breathe.
6. Pour 1 bottle of your favorite kombucha or a bottle from another batch. Be sure to strain out fruit.
7. Add some extra water (only if you made concentrated tea or are brewing a huge amount).
8. With super clean hands, place your scoby in your tea. Cover with towel or tea towel, secure with twine or something stringy.
9. Store in dark warm place and be patient. Usually around day 7 things start to get flavorful!
Stay tuned for the bottling process!