Unflavored Kombucha for Starter
It’s easy to start your own kombucha SCOBY from scratch, but first you’ll need raw kombucha to get started, preferably unflavored but some flavors can work
WHY YOU NEED UNFLAVORED KOMBUCHA FOR YOUR STARTER
The primary (or first) fermentation of kombucha is started when sweet tea is combined with kombucha starter (also called “starter tea”)and a SCOBY. Adding the starter liquid to the sweet tea serves two purposes:
- Introduction of kombucha microbes – raw kombucha includes all of the yeast and good bacteria needed to produce a healthy kombucha fermentation.
- Lower the initial pH – at the start of your first fermentation (i.e. right after you’ve combined sweet tea and starter tea), the liquid should be below pH 4.5. Without the addition of the starter tea, the pH would be higher and greatly increasing the risk of unwanted contaminants taking hold and growing in your kombucha.
Here is a guide to kombucha pH for more in-depth information about kombucha pH
What is the best kombucha for a starter
You can easily grow your own SCOBY from scratch with just a bottle of unflavored, raw kombucha and some homemade sweetened tea. The unflavored kombucha aka “starter culture” starts fermentation and production of a new SCOBY over a couple weeks. Ideally the kombucha you use as your starter culture should be:
Raw: Kombucha that is sold as raw should not be pasteurized and should therefore contain live cultures, Typically it will be sold cold (not at room temperature) and indicate on the bottle that it contains live cultures.
Unflavored: often Store-bought kombucha that is flavored has juice added which dilutes the kombucha and cultures inside. Look for unflavored kombucha, or a minimally flavored one. I have used successfully used GT’s Organic & Raw Gingerade to start a SCOBY.
Where to Find unflavored kombucha
Now that we’ve established that raw kombucha, preferably unflavored is needed where can someone find it?
Friends: A friend that brews kombucha might have extra starter (and even an extra SCOBY to go with it) to help you get started on your kombucha brewing adventure.
Grocery Stores: Many grocery stores, especially organic or health food stores such as Whole Foods typically has unflavored kombucha.
Online Groups: There are many online groups (Facebook, Reddit, etc) that have active home brewing communities with fellow brewers offering to send you some starter culture and a SCOBY for the cost of postage and a thank you
Amazon: Amazon has everything needed to get your kombucha brewery going from equipment to SCOBY and starter culture.
SCOBY Hotel: if you have a SCOBY hotel, you may remove liquid from the hotel and use it as your starter tea. Simply add the same amount of sweet tea back to the SCOBY hotel after removing it.
What if I can't find it?
Don’t worry! You don’t need it to be unflavored, just be certain it’s raw kombucha and follow these instructions to grow a SCOBY
Helping you learn to brew kombucha, find inspiration for new kombucha flavors and use kombucha to make kombucha mocktails
The materials contained on this website are intended to be used for educational purposes only, and the website’s use is solely at your own risk. It is important to use good judgment when consuming kombucha. Never consume kombucha that looks, tastes, or smells unpleasant. Further, before consuming kombucha or any other fermented or cultured food, you should receive full medical clearance from a licensed physician. Author and publisher claim no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material on this website.