The BEST Kombucha Ratio for a Tasty Brew - The Homesteading RD (2024)

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!

*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products (including Amazon). I’ll earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you! Regardless, I only link to products that I personally use on our homestead or believe in.

What is Kombucha?

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

This tasty beverage is created by 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. I know it looks a little weird, but it’s essential for a good brew!

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!)
• 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”)
• In the end, you have a low-sugar, low-alcohol tasty beverage that is good and good for you! Yum!

The BEST Kombucha Ratio

The 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. Let’s chat about the right amount based on your container size.

How much tea should I use?

• 1 Gallon container (most common): Make 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 Gallon container: 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 container: 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 use?

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. 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:

• 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!
• 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 – 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’ve had many people tell me they don’t like kombucha, but when they try my brew using this tea, they are SOLD!

The 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.

• Prefer a tart brew with less sugar? Let it ferment for 2- 3 weeks
• Prefer a sweet treat? Let it ferment for 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 container (most common): Add 1 cup of sugar to your 4 cups of freshly brewed tea.
• 2 Gallon container: Add 2 cups of sugar to your 8 cups of freshly brewed tea.
• 1 Cup container: Add 1 Tbsp of sugar to your 5 oz of freshly brewed tea.

What kind of sugar should I use?

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. Azure Standard has some great bulk options as well!

Avoid using the following:

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

The Water Ratio

Once you’ve made the tea and dissolved the sugar into it, it’s time to dilute it down further. If don’t do this, then your kombucha will be much too strong. Don’t add the starter tea and SCOBY just yet!

How much water should I add?

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

What kind of water should I add?

• 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.

The Starter Tea Ratio

The addition of starter tea (which is a fancy word for just plain 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 container (most common): Add 1 cup of starter tea to your dilusugar tea-tea mixture.
• 2 Gallon container: Add 2 cups of starter tea to your diluted sugar-tea mixture.
• 1 Cup container: 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 (that’s the same one I bought years ago!), then it will arrive with a package of starter tea for you!
• 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 bottle it and add some fun flavorings! It’s important to only add these flavor add-ins at bottling time (not during your first fermentation in the large container) 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 much should I add?

• 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 flavoring add-ins are best?

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

Let’s Put My BEST Kombucha Ratio Into Practice!

*The instructions below are for a 1-gallon container, please adjust the ratio if you are using a different size.

Step 1: Make the tea

Start by heating 4 cups of water in a pot, then turn off the heat once the water starts to boil. Then, add 3 Tbsp of loose-leaf tea (or 9 tea bags) and let the tea steep for 6 minutes. If you’re using loose-leaf tea and you don’t have a reusable fabric tea bag, just add the tea leaves directly and strain them out afterward.

After 6 minutes, remove the tea bag (or strain out the loose tea leaves) and stir in 1 cup of organic cane juice crystals. Set the sugar-tea mixture aside to cool.

Step 2: Fill the bottles

With clean hands, remove the SCOBY from the brewing jar and place it on a clean plate. Pour out 1 cup of kombucha and set it aside. Bring out 5-6 clean bottles and begin filling with your flavoring add-ins (see above for ideas!).

Then, place a funnel on the bottles and fill the rest of the way up with finished kombucha from your large container. I’ve found 2″ of headspace to be perfect. Finally, close the swing-top lid and set the filled bottles aside.

Step 3: Prepare the next brew of kombucha

Now that the brewing container is empty, clean it with diluted white vinegar. Don’t use soap or any residues may negatively impact fermentation. Next, add the sugar-tea mixture that we made earlier on the stove.

Lastly, add 7 cups of ice water to dilute the sugar-tea mixture. Ice water is necessary if the sugar-tea mixture is still hot (above 88 degrees). You don’t want to fry your active cultures! Add the reserved 1 cup of kombucha, place the SCOBY on top, and cover with a cotton fabric cloth secured with a rubber band.

Step 4: Let the kombucha ferment

Place the newly filled kombucha fermenting container and bottles on a shelf (dark, warm place) to rest undisturbed. After 2-3 days, move your bottles to the fridge and now you can drink them! Keep the fermenting container on the shelf.

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 tarter it will be with a lower sugar content. I’ve found the 2 weeks is perfect for my taste preferences and fermentation environment.

What Supplies Do I Need to Brew Kombucha?

I’m glad you asked! Thankfully, you don’t need much to start brewing kombucha and I highly recommend getting an all-in-one kit to keep it easy.

Other Articles You’ll Love:

• Fermented Honey Garlic (Plus, Tips to Avoid Botulism!)
• Fire Cider Recipe
• Fermented Eggs Recipe (EASY!)
• Fermented Turnips Recipe

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!