The BEST Kombucha Ratio for a Tasty Brew

The key to a tasty brew is getting that kombucha ratio just right!

You’ll find many different kombucha ratios on the internet, but how do you know which one is best?

My recipe has been perfected over many years of brewing with careful attention to all of the factors involved.

Am I just lucky? Nope! My recipe has been duplicated in many, many households with great success. I’m confident that my secret to the BEST kombucha ratio will work for you, too!

Let’s get to it!

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a fizzy, fermented tea beverage that has been consumed by humans for centuries and it’s certainly not going out of style. It has become the fastest growing product in the functional beverage market! It is filled with gut-healthy probiotics, plus all of the health benefits that are traditionally obtained from brewed tea. 

The process of making kombucha involves microorganisms – specifically the action of a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY). The SCOBY is a gelatinous, mat-like film that sits on top of your brew and makes the magic happen.

What does the SCOBY do?

• The yeast present in the SCOBY is in charge of converting the fermentable sugars into ethanol (AKA alcohol) and carbon dioxide (hello fizz!) (Kapp, 2019). 
• Then, the bacteria present in the SCOBY then takes over by converting the ethanol into organic acids. These beneficial bacteria also inhibit the growth of any pathogenic bacteria (AKA the “bad bugs”)(Kapp, 2019).
• In the end, you have a low-sugar, low-alcohol tasty beverage that is good and good for you! 

The BEST Kombucha Ratio

Kombucha Tea Ratio

This is where it all starts! You can’t have kombucha without tea, and you definitely need to have a balanced amount to produce a smooth brew. 

How much tea should I add to my kombucha?

• 1 Gallon (most common): a strong tea using a mixture of 3 Tbsp of loose leaf tea (or 9 tea bags) in 4 cups of boiling water. Steep for 6 minutes, then discard the tea leaves.
• 2 Gallons: use 6 Tbsp of loose leaf tea (or 18 tea bags) in 8 cups of boiling water. Steep for 6 minutes, then discard the tea leaves.
• 1 Cup: use 1/2 tsp of loose leaf tea (or ½ a tea bag) in 5 oz of boiling water. Steep for 6 minutes, then discard the tea leaves.

What kind of tea should I add to my kombucha?

This is where you can really start to customize your brew to develop a flavor that you love! It’s important to choose organic tea leaves so that you can limit contaminants or chemicals. 

Both loose leaf tea and pre-packaged tea bags are acceptable, however I prefer loose leaf tea in a reusable tea bag. It’s often cheaper this way, plus I like that it’s a more sustainable option (no packaging!).

You can make kombucha from the following types of teas, according to Cultures for Health:

• Black Tea – bold and fruity (don’t use Earl Grey or any others with flavoring/oils)
• Oolong Tea – sweet, fruity and smooth; Oolong is my personal favorite (see link below)! 
• Green Tea – light and soft
• White Tea – flowery and delicate (not recommended for beginning batches and will need mixing with black tea)
• Rooibos Tea – flowery and delicate (not recommended for beginning batches and will need mixing with black tea)
• Yerba Mate or other herbal teas – fruity and smooth (not recommended for beginning batches and will need mixing with black tea)

Buying the right tea will really make or break your brew! I experimented with several different brands of oolong tea and was disappointed until I found the tea below. It’s a complete game changer! I will seriously cry if it ever goes off the market. I’ve had many people tell me they don’t like kombucha, but when they try my brew using this tea, they are SOLD!

Kombucha Sugar Ratio

Yes, sugar! You absolutely cannot skip this part. Your SCOBY needs sugar, otherwise it will starve.

Don’t worry, though! Nearly all of this sugar will get converted into organic acids by the end of the fermentation period. The longer you let it go, the less sugar there will be. 

Therefore, if you prefer a tart brew, let it go 2-3 weeks like I do! If you like it sweet, stop it early at 1-2 weeks. However, this time period is heavily dependent on your brewing environment, room temperature, and how active your SCOBY is, so always do a taste test before bottling.

How much sugar should I add to my kombucha?

• 1 Gallon (most common): Add 1 cup of sugar to your 4 cups of freshly brewed tea.
• 2 Gallons: Add 2 cups of sugar to your 8 cups of freshly brewed tea.
• 1 Cup: Add 1 Tbsp of sugar to your 5 oz of freshly brewed tea.

What kind of sugar should I add to my kombucha?

Just like with the other ingredients we have discussed, you want as clean of a product as possible. You technically can use basic white sugar, but I recommend organic cane juice crystals. This is the one that I use:

Do not use the following for brewing kombucha according to Cultures For Health:

• Brown sugar, raw sugar or whole cane sugar
• Honey, agave, maple syrup, coconut sugar, palm or syrups
• Stevia, xylitol, artificial sweeteners

Kombucha Water Ratio

Once you’ve made your tea and dissolved the sugar, it’s time to dilute it down further before adding your starter tea and SCOBY.

How much water should I add to my kombucha?

• 1 Gallon (most common): Add 7 cups of cold water to your sugar-tea mixture.
• 2 Gallons: Add 14 cups of cold water to your sugar-tea mixture. 
• 1 Cup: Add 9 oz of cold water to your sugar-tea mixture.

What kind of water should I add to my kombucha?

• Well-water: You can use water straight from the tap. 
• City water: You’ll want to use filtered water to avoid contaminants, chlorine and fluoride. If you don’t have access to filtered water, let your water sit out for 24 hours to allow the fluoride to evaporate.

Kombucha Starter Tea Ratio

The addition of starter tea (AKA pain kombucha) to each brew is essential to reduce the pH a bit and give it a head start on fermentation. Without it, you risk your brew fermenting too slowly and developing the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

How much starter tea should I add to my kombucha?

• 1 Gallon (most common): Add 1 cup of starter tea to your diluted sugar-tea mixture.
• 2 Gallons: Add 2 cups of starter tea to your diluted sugar-tea mixture.
• 1 Cup: Add 1 Tbsp of starter tea to your diluted sugar-tea mixture.

Where can I find starter tea?

• If you buy a kombucha starter kit (see my recommendation below!), then it will arrive with a package of starter tea for you! This is the same kit that I bought many years ago; it’s awesome!
• Find a friend who is brewing kombucha and see if they’ll give you a cup.
• Buy a bottle of PLAIN kombucha at the store.

Kombucha Add-Ins Ratio

Once your kombucha has finished brewing, it’s time to add some flavorings to empty 16 oz bottles and fill them up with kombucha! You always want to use your flavor add-ins at bottling time (not during your first fermentation) so that your SCOBY remains pure and unadulterated. 

You can do the same flavor for all of your bottles, or try a different flavor for each one. This is where it gets super fun!

How many add-ins should I add to my kombucha?

• Fruit juice: ¼ cup per 16 oz bottle
• Fruit: chopped and filled to ¼-½” of the bottom of the bottle
• Ginger: chopped into matchsticks to ⅛”-¼” of the bottom of the bottle
• Herbs: 2-3 tsp, to taste

What kind of add-ins should I add to my kombucha?

The options here are limitless! However, these are my favorite combinations:

• Strawberries + Basil
• Mango Juice
• Ginger
• Strawberries + Lemon (think strawberry lemonade!)
• Mint + Lime
• Pomegranate Juice

How to Put the BEST Kombucha Ratio Into Practice (1 Gallon)

1. Boil 4 cups of water
2. Add 3 Tbsp of loose leaf tea to a reusable tea bag (or use 9 tea bags). 
3. Once boiling, turn off the heat and add the tea bag(s). Let steep for 6 minutes.
4. After 6 minutes, remove the tea bag and stir in 1 cup of organic cane juice crystals. Set aside to cool.
5. With clean hands, remove SCOBY from the brewing jar and place on a clean plate
6. Reserve 1 cup of kombucha. Set aside. Set out clean bottles to begin filling.
7. Fill clean bottles with add-ins of your choice (see above for ideas!)
8. Fill bottles with kombucha using a funnel and close the swing-top lid. Set bottles aside.
9. Next, clean empty brewing jar and then fill with the sugar-tea mixture
10. Add 7 cups of ice water to dilute the sugar-tea mixture (ice water is necessary if the sugar-tea mixture is still hot. You don’t want to fry your active cultures!)
11. Add the reserved 1 cup of kombucha and place the SCOBY on top
12. Cover kombucha jar with a piece of tightly woven cloth and secure with a rubber band
13. Place kombucha jar and filled bottles on a shelf (dark, warm place) to rest and start fermenting
14. After 2-3 days, move your bottles to the fridge and now you can drink them!
15. After 1-3 weeks, your kombucha brew will be ready to start the process all over again! Give it a taste to determine when you want to stop the brewing process and start bottling. The longer it sits, the more tart it will be with a lower sugar content.

What Supplies Do I Need to Brew Kombucha?

Feeling Crafty?

Try making my DIY Whipped Tallow Balm or Lip Balm DIY Recipe!

Hungry?

Then you’ll definitely love my Gluten Free Quiche with Garden Veggies and Homestead Refried Beans!

Conclusion

Kombucha is a tasty beverage that is not only healthy for you, but it is fun and super easy to make! Why shell out $5 per bottle at the store, when you can make your own for a fraction of the cost?  Plus, the sustainability of being able to reuse your own bottles is an added bonus.

Now that you know my secret to the BEST kombucha ratio for a tasty brew, what are you waiting for?!

If you have any favorite flavor combinations, please share them below!