Kombucha Brewing 101
Wars rage, storms howl, economies crumble—and somewhere overhead, an alien warship probably just engaged its landing gear. So really, what better time to start brewing kombucha?
Slip through the portal and enter a realm where things still make sense—where the tea is enchanted, the bubbles are benevolent, and magic is real—alive and brewing in a jar near you.
Welcome to the Realm of Brew Wild.
Here, you’ll study the ancient ways of fermentation, train as a Booch Alchemist, and one day return to your realm—bottle in hand, ready to fight for the forces of good (and gut health).
There is much to learn, and time is of the essence. So let’s dive right in.
What is Kombucha?
Wait… you don’t know what kombucha is? Who let you through the portal?
Just kidding—welcome, brave initiate. You’re about to meet tea’s wilder, fizzier alter ego.
Kombucha is tea that’s been fermented with the help of a living culture. Yeast and bacteria—working together to transform sweet tea into something tangy, sweet, and very much alive.
Why do people drink it? Lots of reasons. Mainly, it’s full of probiotics—a synergistic team of heroes for your gut. It’s a popular soda swap thanks to the lower sugar, and a great option for folks exploring booze-free alternatives. Some folks are just really into… tangy things?
Whatever the reason, kombucha is having a moment—it’s everywhere. But few truly understand the power of homebrewed booch. The flavor, the freshness—it all hits different when you craft it yourself. And the probiotic strength? Unmatched.
Let the big brands keep their bottles—this path leads back to kombucha’s roots. Reclaim the ritual. Revive the homebrewer’s craft.
The kombucha caravan rolls out—destination: the wilds of fermentation.
Fermentation for Dummies
All fermentation needs three things: a carb source (our love language), a nutrient source, and something hungry to devour all that delicious potential energy.
In kombucha’s case, the key players are:
The carb source? Sugar.
The nutrient source? Tea.
The hungry devourers? Yeast and bacteria.
Yeast is the bad roommate who raids your snack stash (sugar), vapes indoors (producing CO₂), and leaves questionable liquids around the house (alcohol).
Bacteria is the slightly more responsible roommate—comes in after the chaos, cleans up by turning the alcohol into vinegar, and makes the place smell weird but somehow better?
With teamwork (and a chore calendar), these microscopic roommates transform sweet tea into kombucha.
For those of you who demand a more scientific explanation:
(Tea + sugar + microbes) × time = kombucha (Please don’t check our math.)
*Bonus equation*
Kombucha + helpful blog + suspiciously charismatic tea company = this link right here
SCO-BY or Not to Be
Because acronyms make everything more official, we call the living kombucha culture a SCOBY—Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. This is the microscopic dream team that transforms sweet tea into kombucha over the course of about 1–2 weeks.
But let’s clear something up right now.
That slimy, jelly-like pancake floating at the top?
Not the SCOBY.
That’s the pellicle—a protective layer that forms during fermentation. It helps regulate oxygen flow and keeps out invaders. Think of it as a security system with the texture of a wet gummy bear.
Fig 2: Pellicle. This is normal. We swear. Please don’t run.
Okay, so the SCOBY is yeast and bacteria—but what physical form does it actually take? And how do you add it to your tea?
Well, it comes in liquid form. Since kombucha contains the very microbes we’re after, you use kombucha to make more kombucha. SCOBYs are like medieval royalty—keeping lineage strictly within the family.
Let's break it down further.
The Holy Trinity (of Fermentation)
We get it—kombucha, starter liquid, SCOBY… it’s a lot.
So let’s break it down with an analogy that definitely won’t offend anyone:
Much like the Holy Trinity, the SCOBY exists in many forms. Mysterious? Yes. Sacred? Arguably. Let’s begin:
SCOBY → the spirit (omnipresent and unseen)
The invisible life force of yeast and bacteria. It’s present in all things: the starter liquid, the finished kombucha—even the pellicle. It’s with you from the first batch to your final fizz... and beyond.
Starter Liquid → the son/sacrifice (sent forth with a mission)
Raw kombucha from a previous batch, loaded with active cultures. It’s still kombucha, but when set aside to kick off a new brew, it’s called starter liquid. Same kombucha. New calling.
Kombucha → the father (originator and sustainer of fermentation)
The final form—and the beginning. Tangy, complex, refreshing. Still infused with the SCOBY’s essence (because the SCOBY is everywhere, always). And when reused to brew again, it ascends once more... in the name of starter. (Amen.)
Okay, that was funny. Don’t hate us.
TL;DR:
Kombucha is starter.
Starter is kombucha.
Both contain SCOBY.
Kombucha has no end.
Starter has no beginning.
Time is an illusion....
Sorry. Kombucha theology hits hard. We're back.
Flavoring Kombucha
Now we’re getting into the weeds—the juicy, fruity weeds. For the sake of a well-rounded kombucha education, let’s talk about how people traditionally flavored their brew.
Plain kombucha has its own distinct vibe (read: tangy, funky, vaguely reminiscent of a health store fridge), but most people want a little razzle-dazzle. Traditionally, that meant doing a second fermentation—after the first one was done.
Let’s recap:
First fermentation → (Tea + sugar + microbes) × time = kombucha
Second fermentation → (Kombucha + fruit + sugar) × more time = flavored kombucha
Does it work? Sure.
Is it a pain? Also yes.
You’re adding more ingredients, waiting again, crossing your fingers your bottle doesn’t explode—or worse, turn to vinegar.
It’s a lot of effort for something that should be fun.
Enter Brew Wild.
Shameless Self-Promotion
You really thought we were going to fund your all-expenses-paid Kombucha Education™ without a single timeshare pitch? C’mon. This is America.
All this free advice, zero strings attached. Well… maybe just one itty, bitty, invisible baby string. Humor us with one paragraph to tell you how we make your life wildly easier.
Here’s the deal: every kombucha starts with tea. No tea, no booch—just sad sugar water (which, to be fair, is great if you're an insect). But the right tea? That’s where the magic happens.
At Brew Wild, we created tea blends that flavor your kombucha while it ferments. No extra steps. No second fermentation. No summoning fruit flies with overripe mangoes. Just bold, balanced flavor in one brew.
And wait, there’s more—our blends are designed to keep your SCOBY happy, healthy, and thriving for many weird and wonderful batches to come.
Don’t believe us? Let the reviews speak for themselves.
★★★★★
“I used to scream into the void every time a berry was dropped into my jar. But now? I feel peace. The Brew Wild blends whisper secrets to me. I have seen the edge of time. I am ready.”
— Chad, 6th-generation SCOBY, amateur philosopher, ascended gelatinous being
C’mon. We’re charming. You’re intrigued, and if you want your SCOBY to transcend space and time… well, stop by the store. Link below.
That’s all the sacred knowledge we can squeeze into one blog post. But this is just the beginning. We’ve got so much more kombucha wisdom to share—check out our full series of brewing guides before you go. Your SCOBY demands it.
