Primary Fermentation

Part I: Primary Fermentation

Ingredients
8 cups or 1 gallon water
2 Tbs black tea, loose leaf in a tea infuser (or 4 disposable tea bags)
½ cup cane sugar
1 kombucha SCOBY
½ cup starter liquid

Supplies
Large pot
Brewing vessel, ½ gallon glass jar
Muslin cloth or clean dish towel
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Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat water to a rolling boil, then remove from heat.
2. Add black tea to hot water, steep for 10 minutes, then remove tea infuser or tea bags.
3. Add sugar to tea, stirring to dissolve.
4. Allow tea to cool to room temperature, about 2–3 hours.
5. Pour tea into brewing vessel, then add starter liquid and SCOBY.
6. Cover the opening of the vessel with a muslin cloth or clean dish towel and secure it with a rubber band.
7. Set in a warm location out of direct sunlight. Allow the tea to ferment for 7 days.
8. After 7 days, taste the fermenting tea. If it is too sweet, continue fermenting for up to two weeks total, or until the taste is to your liking. If the tea is too acidic, shorten the fermentation time for the next batch.
9. When the kombucha is fermented to your liking, enjoy plain or transfer to a bottle to add flavorings (see Part II below).
10. Save a ½ cup of kombucha for starter liquid for the next batch and repeat the steps above.