KOMBUCHA BOTTLES RECIPE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in sugar, then add tea bags.
• Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Remove the tea bags, then pour the tea into a 1-gallon glass jar. Gently pour scoby and starter kombucha into the jar.
• Cover the jar with a paper towel or clean tea towel and affix it with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm (the ideal temperature is 75 degrees F), dark location until it is tangy and fruity, about 8 days. Avoid cool locations, which can lead to mold. Note: During fermenting, the scoby may float on top or sink to the bottom and, after a few days, a new scoby layer will form.
• After 8 days, taste the kombucha for doneness. If it tastes sweeter than you prefer, allow the kombucha to ferment for another day or two. If necessary, continue tasting for up to 14 days until the desired flavor is reached.
• When the kombucha is done, remove the scoby and place it in sealable container with 1 cup of the kombucha to store. (Store it, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks until you're ready to make the next batch of kombucha. If, over time, the scoby grows several layers thick, remove a layer and discard it, or share it with a friend.)
• Pour the kombucha through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or large measuring cup(s) to filter out any sediment. Using a funnel, pour the kombucha into sealable glass bottles.
• Close the bottles and return them to the warm, dark storage location until carbonated, 1 to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a pot, then remove from heat, and whisk in the sugar until dissolved.
• Add the tea, and allow it to steep on the countertop until the sweetened tea is almost room temperature, at least an hour. Discard the tea bags.
• Strain the sweetened tea into a very clean 1-gallon glass or ceramic jar (or 2 half-gallon jars), followed by the kombucha (divided equally if using 2 jars).
• Using very, very clean hands, gently place the Scoby into the jar (if you’re using half-gallon jars, you can cut your Scoby in two with scissors or a knife that has been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed in hot water). Cover with a clean dish towel, and secure with a rubber band or a length of string.
• Set the jar or jars somewhere dark and cool, and allow to ferment 8 to 14 days, tasting occasionally after 1 week. The longer the tea ferments, the more sugar will be eaten by the Scoby and the less sweet it will be. Aim for a light fermentation and a slightly vinegary taste.
• Using very, very clean hands, transfer the Scoby to a jar, then pour 2 cups of the fermented kombucha on top. (You can save this mixture for the first fermentation process of another batch. You could also peel off the newer second layer from the Scoby, separating the “child” from the mother to double your production of kombucha, give it to a friend or discard it, as you like.) Strain the remaining fermented kombucha through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl for use in the second fermentation.
• Strain kombucha again, and whisk in the juice. Pour it through a funnel into 4 very clean quart-size fermentation bottles with swing-top caps.
• Add 1 piece of peeled ginger to each bottle, and seal tight.
• Let sit somewhere dark and cool for 3 to 7 days, checking after 3 to taste how bubbly the kombucha has become, then place in the refrigerator until ready to drink, to stall fermentation.