Are you bothered about the high cost of store-bought kombucha? I tried brands like Synergy Kombucha and Liquid Remedy. While I love those kombucha brands, one can or bottle costs around $3-$4. If you like to consume kombucha every day, it is $100 a month on average. Now, as a family tight on grocery budget, it is not reasonable to spend this much money on only one item. So, I decided to give home brewing a try on the best kombucha starter kits. If you are also bothered by the high cost and looking for a home-made kit for these gut-friendly probiotic wellness, this post will surely help you.
Related: Synergy Kombucha | Is the Hype Worth it?
The ability to control the sweetness is another reason I believe brewing kombucha at home is a good idea. The majority of kombucha brands use sugar to balance the kombucha’s acidity and vinegary flavor. So, these are must-try kits if you are a kombucha fan.
Related: What does kombucha taste like?
What is SCOBY in the starter kit?
Kombucha homebrewing can be a fun DIY project. Making it at home does not need fancy kits. The only thing you need is SCOBY. It is the original culture for the fermentation. It is a mix of good bacteria and yeast, and it is what turns your sweet tea into kombucha. Do you feel grossed out when you hear about the scoby? Then you probably do not know about the fermentation process. It is the age old technique to turn grape juice into wine. Similarly, this refreshing and gut friendly kombucha drink is made through fermentation and is packed with probiotic goodness.
Myth About SCOBY
By the way, let’s debunk one other myth about kombucha. I used to think that this scoby comes from mushrooms. But after I knew what was meant by Scoby, it blew my mind. Scoby stands for symbiotic bacteria and yeast. You can buy this good mix of bacteria and yeast when you order your kit. This is the only thing you need basically for home made kombucha.
- This scoby has various names such as the mother, the mother culture, pancake, mushroom, etc.
- The names mean that the mother culture will grow a separate child culture on top of the scoby.
- The purpose of the scoby is the fermentation and also works as a barrier where the bacteria and yeast can grow.
Make SCOBY at home
Rising on the top kombucha fluid, it is a thick rubbery raft. At first glance, you could not be able to identify this object. Scoby can be made at home following this tutorial. It is a very helpful tutorial for beginners who want to save money with DIY kombucha.
Why Brew Kombucha at Home?
- Lower Cost: Most kombucha starter kits only cost around $40-$50. It generally makes 1 gallon of kombucha tea from 1 starter kit. If you can save the scoby, then you probably will not need to buy another kit.
- Healthier than store bought: Most kombuchas, like Synergy, Kevita, and other well-known brands, use refined sugar in this refreshing drink. So, if you want to avoid sugar and like the tangy taste of kombucha, homebrewing is the perfect option for you to get more benefits out of this healthy drink.
- Meet craving anytime: If you can brew kombucha at home, you do not need to wait for your next trip to the grocery store. You can enjoy this healthy sip anytime you want.
Best Kombucha Starter Kits—Top 3
The Kombucha Shop Organic Kombucha Starter Kit
- organic loose oolong black tea
- 1 cup of starter tea with the culture
- cane sugar
- temperature gauge &
- pH strip
- Big jars and long neck bottles
Pros:
- Contains everything you need as a beginner kombucha homebrewer
- The temperature gauge can be attached to the jar and is perfect to maintain health of your culture
- Includes a pH strip
- Can make 1 gallon of tea and organic scoby
- Quick support center to get help if your culture looks or smells bad
- Very easy to follow instructions
Cons:
- The quality of jar and other utensil items might seem cheap
- It might be a bit expensive and a cheaper alternative is to get scoby locally
- You might need to buy a heat jacket separately
- Be careful about sanitization or else molds can grow
The Kombucha Company Starting kit
This kit provides the biggest scoby in a starter kit. The size is 5-inch for the scoby and because of its bigger size, it covers the opening of any regular jars. So, the scoby can act as a barrier with the air and make the fermentation better. Also, it does not allow any impurities to go in the jar.
As the scoby is quite big, you can reuse it multiple times. But you need to preserve it well.
You can make multiple batches with this starter kit and it is the best part. Buying this kit for $50 can make you a couple gallons of kombucha.
The kit comes with
- a scoby
- starter kombucha liquid
- loose-leaf tea brand
- cane sugar
- a brewing jar with cloth cover
- pH strip &
- adhesive strip for temperature
Pros:
- Multiple batches of kombucha can be made if well preserved. Some people made 4 batches or more
- Contains everything for a first-time homebrewer.
- Contains pH and temperature strips
Cons:
- Open the kit as soon as you receive it. Don’t wait long, as the scoby might get ruined in the delivery packaging
- Glass bottles can be broken when in delivery
- Might get moldy if you don’t preserve the scoby well
Fermentaholics Kombucha SCOBY & Starter Tea
If you don’t want to spend $50 as a first-time homebrewer, this kit is the one to buy. It only costs around $15. As an experimental DIY project, get this kit. Then you can go and buy expensive kits if you emjoy homebrewing.
I started my homebrewing journey with this kit. You can always buy the jars, clothes, tea, and sugar separately. This kit comes with the scoby and the starter tea. These are the two main ingredients you need to brew at home.
This 12 ounce can make gallons of kombucha tea. Personally, I like the flavor of gingerade. So, I infuse my tea with ginger and lemon. You can also try this flavor. The starter liquid itself is tasty enough.
Some scoby from other manufacturers can be thin, slightly brown-tinted, and might not smell good. But the scoby is thick, healthy, creamy-looking, and thin. One pro tip for long-term scoby storage is to use green tea instead of black tea. This will prevent the scoby from turning brown.
Pros:
- Best value for money compared to other kits
- Healthy-looking scoby
- Multiple batches of kombucha
- Tasty starter liquid
Cons:
- You need to buy the jars, tea and clothes separately.
- The liquid might explode during delivery if the temperature is high
- Smaller scoby compared to other kits
- Starter liquid amount is smaller than other kits
- Might be moldy if not preserved well
- Need to buy pH strips, temperature strips and heat jackets separately
Conclusion:
For me, making Kombucha at home is a no-brainer. I have greatly benefited from brewing at home. I’m saving money and can reduce the sugar in my tea. At the same time, I can flavor my drinks with ginger, strawberries, raspberries, and so on. So, get these best kombucha starter kits to make your sipping pleasure healthier.