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HOME BREWING
Kombucha is a living, evolving beverage, and there’s no one-size-fits-all guide to brewing it perfectly. Its true magic lies in its diversity and the personal touch you bring to each batch. That said, certain insights can support your understanding and help you along the way. Trust your senses and taste, smell, and observe your brew as it develops.
Kombucha is a fermented drink made from sweetened tea and a living culture of bacteria and yeast. This culture, known as a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), ferments the tea, converting its sugars into organic acids, enzymes, vitamins, a small amount of trace alcohol, and natural carbonation. The result is a beverage with gentle bubbles, sweetness, and acidity.
The SCOBY is often recognized as the jelly-like biofilm that forms during fermentation, but the liquid starter contains active cultures essential for brewing. The bacteria and yeast work symbiotically, transforming the sweet tea over 1–2 weeks during what’s called primary fermentation. Once complete, the kombucha is ready to drink. or it can undergo a secondary fermentation in a sealed bottle, where carbonation develops and flavors can be customized with added ingredients.
This recipe is for those beginning their kombucha journey using the same living liquid culture we use to brew every bottle of Folk. There's no need for a cellulose SCOBY to get started - this powerful liquid SCOBY contains all the wild bacteria and yeast needed to begin fermentation. Over time, a cellulose SCOBY will naturally form and can be used alongside the starter liquid to strengthen future batches.
Ingredients (for 2 liters):
2 liters filtered water
12 g tea leaves (ideally a mix of green tea and lemon verbena, or your preferred tea)
150 g organic cane sugar
240 ml unpasteurized Folk starter liquid
6. Cover & ferment: Cover the jar with a clean cloth and secure with a rubber band. Store it somewhere warm (23-25°C), shaded, and still. Let it ferment undisturbed for at least 6 days.
7. Taste & observe: From day 6, begin tasting daily using a clean spoon down the side of the jar. Avoid disturbing the forming SCOBY. Taste for the balance of sweetness and acidity. Everyone's perfect brew is different.
8. When it's ready: Once the flavor is right, save 15% of your brew (about 300 ml) along with the SCOBY for your next batch. Bottle the rest - drink it as is, or second ferment with fruits or herbs for natural bubbles and added flavor.
Instructions:
1. Boil the water: Bring 1 liter of the filtered water to a gentle boil.
2. Brew the tea: Let the water cool slightly to around 80°C (if using green tea). Add the tea leaves and steep for 15 minutes, covered.
3. Sweeten: Remove the tea leaves and stir in the sugar until fully dissolved.
4. Dilute & cool: Pour the sweetened tea into your clean brewing jar. Add the remaining 1 liter of filtered water to help cool it. Let the mixture reach at least 25°C before moving on.
5. Add the starter: Pour in 240 ml of Folk starter liquid (at room temperature). Stir gently to combine.
Notes:
A cellulose SCOBY will begin forming on the surface within the first week or two. It will be thin in the beginning brews that's completely normal.
As your culture matures, scale up your batch size by multiplying ingredients proportionally.
Always use clean equipment, but avoid residue from antibacterial detergents, which can kill the culture.
Ingredients (for 2 liters):
2 liters filtered water
12 g tea leaves (ideally a mix of green tea and lemon verbena, or your preferred tea)
150 g organic cane sugar
240 ml unpasteurized Folk starter liquid
Instructions:
1. Boil the water: Bring 1 liter of the filtered water to a gentle boil.
2. Brew the tea: Let the water cool slightly to around 80°C (if using green tea). Add the tea leaves and steep for 15 minutes, covered.
3. Sweeten: Remove the tea leaves and stir in the sugar until fully dissolved.
4. Dilute & cool: Pour the sweetened tea into your clean brewing jar. Add the remaining 1 liter of filtered water to help cool it. Let the mixture reach at least 25°C before moving on.
5. Add the starter: Pour in 240 ml of Folk starter liquid (at room temperature). Stir gently to combine.
6. Cover & ferment: Cover the jar with a clean cloth and secure with a rubber band. Store it somewhere warm (23-25°C), shaded, and still. Let it ferment undisturbed for at least 6 days.
7. Taste & observe: From day 6, begin tasting daily using a clean spoon down the side of the jar. Avoid disturbing the forming SCOBY. Taste for the balance of sweetness and acidity. Everyone's perfect brew is different.
8. When it's ready: Once the flavor is right, save 15% of your brew (about 300 ml) along with the SCOBY for your next batch. Bottle the rest - drink it as is, or second ferment with fruits or herbs for natural bubbles and added flavor.
Notes:
A cellulose SCOBY will begin forming on the surface within the first week or two. It will be thin in the beginning brews that's completely normal.
As your culture matures, scale up your batch size by multiplying ingredients proportionally.
Always use clean equipment, but avoid residue from antibacterial detergents, which can kill the culture.
This kombucha recipe with rhubarb and rose is one of our all-time favorites, featured in our founder's book Kombucha - En levende te, also available in our shop.
Rhubarb's naturally tart flavor and beautiful range of colors-from soft green to deep red-make it a perfect match for fermentation. The color of the stalks varies depending on the variety and anthocyanin content, while the addition of dried rose buds brings a delicate floral aroma that softens the sharpness of the rhubarb.
[AT FOLK, SCIENCE & TRADITION MEET]
[ORGANIC LIVING TEA]
[BREWED WITH BACTERIA AND YEAST]
[RAW, UNPASTEURIZED KOMBUCHA]
[TASTE CRAFTED WITH CARE]
[SLOW DRINK]
[KEEP COOL]
[SWIRL, DON'T SHAKE]
[A BEVERAGE WITH BENEFITS]
[FERMENTED WITHOUT COMPROMISES]
[REIMAGINING THE CRAFT OF FERMENTATION]
[AT FOLK, SCIENCE & TRADITION MEET]
[ORGANIC LIVING TEA]
[BREWED WITH BACTERIA AND YEAST]
[RAW, UNPASTEURIZED KOMBUCHA]
[TASTE CRAFTED WITH CARE]
[SLOW DRINK]
[KEEP COOL]
[SWIRL, DON'T SHAKE]
[A BEVERAGE WITH BENEFITS]
[FERMENTED WITHOUT COMPROMISES]
[REIMAGINING THE CRAFT OF FERMENTATION]
