Honey-Green Tea Kombucha Part 2: Bottling

Our first batch of kombucha has been fermenting for 7 days now. It is time for bottling! Kombucha may take longer to ferment depending on the ambient temperature. I tasted our batch after 7 days and felt it was the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. However, if the temperature is cooler in your house, it may need up to 10 days of fermentation. After 7 days, taste it every day by pouring it into a glass until it is to your liking.

Green Tea Kombucha all ready to be honeyed and bottled!

1. With clean hands, lift the scoby out of the kombucha and set on a clean plate. Measure 2 cups of starter tea from this batch of kombucha and set it aside for your next.

Scooby along with a baby scooby (left) and 2 cups reserved starter tea (right)

2. Divide 3/4 cup of honey equally among the containers you are using to bottle the kombucha. One batch makes six-16 ounce bottles, so I put 2 tablespoons of honey in each bottle. Pour fermented tea over top. Leave at least 1-inch of headspace. Cap the bottles and shake each bottle to dissolve the honey.

3. Store the kombucha at room temperature out of direct sunlight until carbonated, typically 1-3 days. Refrigerate to stop carbonation. Consume within one month.

Bottled kombucha with the next batch already fermenting!

Brewing kombucha at home was so much fun. It can seem intimidating, but was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Now that my scoby is ready, I can make 6 bottles of kombucha a week. I can’t wait to try new flavors by adding fresh fruit, fruit juices, and spices! Kombucha is a great alternative to drinking water. It is healthier than drinking soda and is full of probiotics. I hope you found this tutorial helpful!

Happy Brewing!

-Lisa