Making Kombucha Without a SCOBY  

Kombucha is a refreshing fermented drink, but to prepare it, you need a kombucha culture, called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast). 

But what if you don't have a SCOBY on hand? Good news: you can grow one yourself from scratch! 🎉 

In this guide, you will learn how to: 
✔️ Create a homemade SCOBY in a few weeks 
✔️ Successfully culture the SCOBY with the right ingredients 
✔️ Avoid common mistakes to obtain a well-formed culture 

Time needed: about 2 to 3 weeks 
Materials: a glass jar, sweet tea, and unpasteurized kombucha 

Once your SCOBY is ready, you can finally make your own homemade kombucha! 🥤✨ 

What is a SCOBY and why do we need it?

The SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts that forms a gelatinous membrane on the surface of kombucha during fermentation. This biofilm plays a crucial role in the process of transforming sweet tea into a fermented drink.

👉 It acts as a physical barrier limiting external contamination, thus protecting the fermentation environment (source: International Journal of Food Microbiology).

👉 It promotes the production of beneficial metabolites, including organic acids (acetic, glucuronic, etc.) and living microorganisms (yeasts and probiotic bacteria), known for supporting the balance of the gut microbiome (source: Frontiers in Microbiology).

👉 With each fermentation, the SCOBY produces a new layer: it is a natural self-replication process that allows for creating new disks to start other fermentations (source: Journal of Applied Microbiology).

Therefore, it is essential for achieving authentic fermentation. Good news: even without a SCOBY at the beginning, it is possible to grow one from sweet tea and unpasteurized kombucha, in just a few weeks.

How to make a homemade SCOBY in 5 steps? 

🔹 You will need: 

• 250 ml of unpasteurized plain kombucha (UCHA is better 🤪) 

• 500 ml of brewed black or green tea 

• 50 g of sugar 

• A glass jar of at least 1L A clean cloth + a rubber band 

Step 1: Choose the right store-bought kombucha 

Check that your kombucha is indeed unpasteurized and plain. If your kombucha is pasteurized, the bacteria and yeasts will be dead, and your SCOBY will not form. 

💡 How to know if it’s the right kombucha? Head to the fresh juice section! Unpasteurized kombucha must be stored in the fridge. You can also check on the label if it is unpasteurized.  Look at the bottom of the bottle: If you see strings or sediments, that’s a good sign!  

Step 2: Prepare the sweet tea 

1️⃣ Heat 500 ml of water and steep 1 to 2 bags of black or green tea for 10 minutes. 
2️⃣ Add 50 g of sugar and mix well until dissolved. 
3️⃣ Let it cool completely before proceeding to the next step. 

⚠️ Never pour hot tea onto your kombucha! The heat would kill the essential microorganisms.  

Step 3: Mix the sweet tea and kombucha 

4️⃣ In a clean glass jar, pour the store-bought kombucha. 
5️⃣ Add the cooled sweet tea and mix gently. 

💡 Why does this mixture work? 
The bacteria and yeasts from the kombucha will use the sugar and nutrients from the tea to form a cellulose membrane, which will become the SCOBY.  

Step 4: Let it ferment and observe the formation of the SCOBY 

6️⃣ Cover the jar with a clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band. 
7️⃣ Place it in a warm (20-25°C) spot, away from direct light. 

👀 What to expect? 
📅 1st week: A thin translucent film will appear on the surface. 
📅 2nd week: It will begin to thicken and become more opaque. 
📅 3rd week: You’ll obtain a white/beige disk about 5 mm thick: your SCOBY is ready! 

Step 5: Test and use your SCOBY 

8️⃣ Once the SCOBY is thick enough, gently remove it and use it to prepare your first homemade kombucha! 

🔗 Follow our complete guide here 👉 Easy Kombucha Recipe 

Tips for successfully growing your SCOBY 

✔️ Use a lively store-bought kombucha 
Prefer kombucha with visible yeast residues, it’s a sign that it’s active. 

✔️ Avoid chlorinated water 
If you use tap water, let it sit for 24 hours to evaporate the chlorine. 

✔️ Keep the jar in a warm place 
If the temperature is too low, fermentation will slow down and the SCOBY will take longer to form. 

✔️ Be patient! 
It takes 2 to 3 weeks to obtain a well-thickened SCOBY. Don’t get discouraged if it takes a little longer. 

FAQ – Answers to common doubts 

❓ My SCOBY isn’t growing, what should I do? 

Check these points: 
✔️ Is the temperature warm enough (20-25°C)? 
✔️ Was your kombucha indeed unpasteurized? 
✔️ Are you using regular cane sugar and not a sweetener? 

❓ How long does it take to have a ready-to-use SCOBY? 

Generally, 2 to 3 weeks. However, depending on the temperature and the quality of the starting kombucha, it may take up to 4 weeks. 

❓ Can I use another type of sugar or tea? 

Black tea and green tea are the best choices. Avoid herbal teas and flavored teas, as they may contain essential oils that hinder fermentation. Use regular cane sugar (avoid honey or sweeteners, which do not feed the bacteria well).  Making kombucha without a SCOBY is entirely possible and only requires a few weeks of patience. Once your SCOBY is formed, you can make kombucha endlessly and flavor it to your liking. 

Have you tried this method? Share your experience in the comments!