The best sugar that leads to the most consistent, healthy brew is cane sugar. This can go by a few different names and take a few different forms:
Those are all great options for kombucha. There are other types of cane sugars that have been processed differently (things like brown sugar, muscovado sugar, demerara…) and they may affect your brew differently than the plain stuff.
Can I use sugar substitutes?
In general, if you’re just starting out, I do not advise using anything other than plain white cane sugar. Your SCOBY feeds on this and needs it to do its job. So if you give it a sugar substitute or something different than its food source, you may end up starving it, harming it or weakening it over time.
That means you should avoid:
Artificial/alternate sweeteners like stevia, monkfruit extract, aspartame, Sweet’N Low, Splenda, Equal, etc.
Honey, especially raw honey (the bacteria there can compete with your kombucha bacteria) - Watch my video HERE for more details!
Maple syrup
Molasses
Coconut sugar
Agave
Powdered sugar (contains cornstarch)
Can’t I experiment?
I’m all for experimenting! And you’re certainly more than welcome to play with your brew and do your bucha the way you want — but just make sure you’ve got some “pure” SCOBYs and starter tea as a backup in case something goes wrong!
If I end up doing some experiments in the future using alternate sugar sources, I’ll be sure to post my findings here on this site.
What if I’m trying to cut back on my sugar intake?
This is a choice you’ll need to make, taking into consideration your own personal health. But if you want to make real kombucha, it requires a certain amount of sugar to feed the kombucha culture. I recommend at least ¾ cup per gallon batch. If you cut back on the amount of sugar in your fermentation, your brew may not ferment properly because you’re starving your SCOBY.
It is worth noting that a good amount of that sugar does get eaten up by the yeast, so it doesn’t all remain in the brew. And by the time your brew ferments, the sugar is broken down into fructose and glucose, which have a lower glycemic impact on the body.
Ultimately, the choice is yours. To make it less sweet, you can ferment your brew longer in the first fermentation stage. Or you can water it down with water (sparkling water works well as a "mixer" with kombucha!). Or you can just drink smaller amounts of kombucha.
For what it’s worth, both my parents have Type II diabetes, and they both drink kombucha regularly because they claim it gives them energy, relieves their joint pains and alleviates cravings for sugary sodas and desserts. So for them, the payoff is worth it. But that’s just them. I make no medical claims or recommendations about kombucha, so if you’ll have to listen to your body and to your doctor’s guidance on this one.
FAQs
What is the recommended ratio of tea, sugar, water, and starter tea for making kombucha? For a 1-gallon batch of kombucha, you'll need 1 cup of sugar, 6-8 bags of tea, and 12 fl oz of starter tea. The rest should be filled up with clean, filtered water.
How to tell how much sugar is in homemade kombucha? ›
How to Use a Refractometer?
- Place a drop of kombucha on the refractometer lens.
- Look through the refractometer.
- Note the number on the blue line.
- Calculate the amount of sugar in your kombucha according to the formula: 1 Brix = 1g of sugar per 100ml of liquid.
Between days 3 and 8 the process the ferment using the sugar starts to increase. During days 7-14 about 50 to 70 percent of the sugar has been consumed. Generally, at the end of a 30-day fermentation period, there is very little sugar remaining, about 80 percent of it having been consumed by the fermentation process.
How much sugar do you put in a SCOBY? ›
The standard Kombucha recipe is 1 cup of sugar per gallon.
Too little and you are inhibiting the brew's normal healthy development; no SCOBY, no acetic acid. Too much and the yeasts will either a) “flush” and overrun the bacteria, or b) fall completely asleep and do nothing.
How much sugar for 2 gallons of tea for kombucha? ›
-How much sugar should I use? Lila's golden ratio is 1 cup of sugar per one gallon of kombucha. You can adjust it depending how much kombucha you are brewing. -What kind of sugar should I use for brewing kombucha?
Can I use less sugar when making kombucha? ›
To reduce the amount of sugar to be added, you can go as low as 150g (¾ cup) of sugar for 3L of kombucha, but no less! If you don't like sugar, you can use maple syrup, like in our local kombucha recipe. Otherwise, try jun, a kombucha made with honey.
What happens if you add more sugar to kombucha? ›
The bacteria and yeast in the Kombucha culture feed on the sugar to produce organic acids, carbon dioxide, and other compounds that give the tea its characteristic tangy flavor. However, adding too much sugar can lead to over-fermentation and create an overly sour or vinegary taste.
How to estimate sugar content? ›
How to calculate sugar in food items?
- Amount of sugar stated on the label per 100 g/ml x product weight (or volume) / 100 = amount of sugar in the product.
- Example:
- Sweetened carbonated beverage 10 g sugar per 100 ml A can contains 250 ml.
- 10 x 250/100 = 25 (this is the amount of sugar per can in grams)
What Type of Sugar is Best for Kombucha? Organic cane sugar is the best option for brewing kombucha. It is easily broken down by the yeast and bacteria with consistent results.
What happens if you leave kombucha brewing too long? ›
Although kombucha does not spoil in a traditional sense, unrefrigerated raw kombucha can continue to ferment if left out too long. This extra fermentation can result in kombucha that is more vinegary, more acidic, more carbonated, or even contains a little extra alcohol.
Now You May Be Asking Yourself Why Over Fermented Kombucha In This Case Tastes Like Nasty Yeasty Beer Instead Of, Say, Vinegar. If you leave kombucha on the counter with the scoby too long, you get something that taste like vinegar and can be used to replace vinegar in recipes.
What is the healthiest kombucha to drink? ›
Here are some of the healthiest kombucha brands:
- GT's Kombucha.
- Health-Ade Kombucha.
- Kevita Master Brew Kombucha.
- Humm Kombucha.
- Brew Dr. Kombucha.
- Remedy Kombucha:
- Wonder Drink Kombucha.
- Synergy Kombucha.
A SCOBY is a cellulose mat that houses the bacteria and yeast cultures that turn sweet tea into kombucha. A new or “baby” SCOBY is produced each time you make kombucha, and the SCOBY also helps turn sweet tea into more kombucha. It's basically the means through which kombucha replicates itself.
How long can SCOBY live without sugar? ›
A SCOBY that has not been fed for a while will use up all available sugar over about eight weeks and then go dormant for a while. Eventually though, the bacteria and yeast will need to eat so the culture will begin to die off and eventually the SCOBY will turn black and rot.
Does kombucha have to much sugar? ›
Though some brands of kombucha are high in sugar, other kombucha products make better choices. When shopping for kombucha, look for drinks that contain less than 4 grams of sugar per serving to keep your added sugar intake to a minimum. kinds of kombucha are high in sugar, which is not good for your overall health.
How much sugar is needed for fermentation? ›
Sugar affects the rate of fermentation reactions. A little sugar, up to three percent, speeds up fermentation. The yeast processes the added sugar first, saving the time it would take to break down starch into sugar. With over three percent sugar, however, the fermentation rate no longer increases.
Can I use sugar in the raw for kombucha? ›
For brewing kombucha, it is recommended to use plain white cane sugar, also known as granulated sugar. This type of sugar is readily available, affordable, and provides the necessary nutrients for the SCOBY to ferment the tea effectively.
How much sugar do you add to kombucha to carbonate? ›
Add A Little Sugar/Fruit/Juice/Flavor
Sugar is what sparks yeast the most, and the yeast are responsible for the bubbles. 1/2 teaspoon of straight sugar per 16oz bottle should crank up the Kombucha carbonation.
