Zoh knowledge bank · Kombucha · Updated 4 October 2026
The short version
Start with cooled sweet tea, an active culture and enough mature starter liquid. Use a breathable cover for the first fermentation. Check the brew before tasting or bottling, and keep finished kombucha refrigerated.
Start with a small, repeatable batch
One litre is a manageable place to begin. Follow the instructions supplied with your starter if its recommended batch size differs. Do not stretch a small starter packet across a large jar of sweet tea.
What you need for approximately 1 litre
- 800 ml drinking-quality water
- 5 g plain black tea
- 60 g white sugar
- 200 ml mature, unflavoured starter liquid and the supplied pellicle, if present
- A clean food-safe glass jar of at least 1.5 litres, a tightly woven breathable cloth and a secure band
- A thermometer and suitable pH strips or a calibrated pH meter
The starting pH still needs checking: a fixed volume of starter is not a guarantee of adequate acidity. This is a small-batch guide, not a substitute for your culture’s specific instructions.
Make sweet tea and cool it fully before adding the culture.
Mix in mature starter liquid. Check acidity and cover with cloth.
Track temperature, time, appearance and pH as it ferments.
Keep starter for next time. Refrigerate the drink you will use.
1. Brew the sweet tea
Wash your hands and clean your equipment. Boil the water, steep the tea for 5–10 minutes, then remove the leaves. Dissolve the sugar in the hot tea. Let it cool to room temperature, protected from dust and insects. Never add your culture to hot tea.
2. Add starter liquid and cover
Pour the cooled tea into the jar and gently mix in the mature starter liquid. Add the pellicle if supplied. Check the mixed liquid: aim for pH 4.2 or below at the start. If it is higher, use more sound mature starter and recheck; ask for help if you cannot bring it into range. Secure a clean, tightly woven cloth over the opening.
3. Ferment and keep notes
Keep the jar away from direct sun and the heat of the hob. Around 23–28°C is a useful working range for this guide. Expect roughly 7–14 days, with warmer conditions often working faster. Use the actual temperature and the batch’s progress rather than the calendar alone.
Check for contamination before tasting. Dry fuzzy growth is a reason to discard the liquid and culture; do not scrape it off. When the batch looks sound and its pH is in the recommended drinking range of 2.5–4.2, taste a small cleanly collected sample to decide whether the sweetness and tang suit you. pH alone cannot prove a batch is safe.
4. Reserve starter and refrigerate
Before adding flavourings, reserve enough plain starter liquid for your next batch. Transfer the remaining drink into clean, suitable containers and refrigerate. Do not drink a batch below pH 2.5. More sour does not mean more beneficial.
Does kombucha need a second fermentation?
No. You can chill the first fermentation and use it as it is. For a simple flavoured drink, add ingredients at serving time: try kombucha jaljeera.
Sealed fermentation is an optional way to build carbonation, but it also builds pressure. Use bottles explicitly rated for carbonation and follow their filling guidance. Warm Indian kitchens can accelerate pressure build-up. A fixed “three days” or occasional burping is not a guarantee against breakage. Chill fully before opening, keep the bottle away from your face and never use decorative glass bottles.
Brewing kombucha in an Indian kitchen
Making kombucha in Mumbai? Measure the temperature where the jar actually sits: an air-conditioned room and a warm kitchen can behave differently. Keep the cloth cover securely fastened, especially when fruit flies are around. In Gurgaon or Delhi during winter, check whether your brewing spot is cooler than the working range before expecting the same timing.
For sugar, choose plain white granulated sugar. Madhur or Makwana are familiar shopping examples; check that the particular pack is plain sugar, without added flavours. Weigh 60 g for this batch. Brand names are a convenience, not a requirement for fermentation.
Three mistakes worth avoiding
- Leaving starter liquid out of the recipe.
- Using taste or a floating pellicle as the only safety check.
- Adding fruit to the starter you need for the next plain batch.
Questions people ask
My SCOBY sank. Is the batch ruined?
Not necessarily. The pellicle can sit at different levels. Check the batch’s acidity, condition and fermentation progress rather than its position alone.
Can I leave out the sugar?
No. Sugar is part of the fermentation substrate. Leaving it out changes the process, and fermentation does not make the finished drink predictably sugar-free.
Can I use a steel spoon?
Brief contact with clean food-grade stainless steel is generally suitable. Avoid reactive metals and vessels not intended for acidic foods.
How do I brew in summer?
Choose a cooler indoor spot, measure the temperature and check the batch more frequently. Do not put the jar in direct sunlight to speed it up.
Keep exploring
Kombucha Brewing Equipment: What You Need and What Can Wait
Kombucha SCOBY Guide: Buying, Using and Caring for Your Culture