How Long Is the Second Fermentation for Kombucha

Anyone who has not heard of kombucha must have been living under a rock for this past decade. Kombucha is virtually everywhere, in all markets, and there are even kombucha bars popping up around the United States.

But if you make kombucha, or you’re learning to, you may be wondering about the more intricate details of this trendy beverage, like what are the exact ingredients, how long does fermentation take, and even how long is the second fermentation for kombucha?

Second fermentation?

That’s right!

Let’s get started.

Kombucha, not just a Trend

Though kombucha is largely known in the United States today thanks to founder GT Dave, who brewed his own kombucha to help his mother through cancer, the seemingly magical elixir has actually been around for two thousand years.

That’s right again.

Legend has it that an emperor in China back in 200 BC “discovered” this fermented tea beverage and encouraged its spread throughout his dynasty.

A couple hundred years later, it was adopted in Japan as a health remedy, eventually making its way over to Germany and the rest of Europe.

Kombucha is indeed a fermented tea and juice combination that draws on the powers of bacteria and yeast to create probiotics, which are highly beneficial to the human body, in particular the gut.

Doctors have compared the benefits of kombucha to that of yogurt, and we all know that yogurt is really good for you.

Also read:
Kombucha: Health benefits for liver and beyond
Does kombucha need air for ferment? Your need to know

How to Make Kombucha

The nice thing about kombucha, unlike yogurt, is that it is really easy to make.

People can make it in their own homes, like wine or beer.

Yogurt, on the other hand, takes a lot of practice and a lot of failure.

This likely explains why we have so many brands of kombucha on market shelves today next to GT Dave’s much beloved California kombucha.

You can find kombucha made with every variety of tea, a wide range of fruits and herbs and spices, and even some with chia seeds floating around inside.

But what are the core ingredients of kombucha?

Ingredients

The primary ingredient of any kombucha are tea, fruit juice, and SCOBY (more on SCOBY in a minute).

Black tea is the most traditional tea used, but you can also use green tea, which will only add to the health benefits of your kombucha as green tea is one of those antioxidant rich super foods.

In terms of fruit juice, it is always a good idea to make sure you enjoy the juice you choose, that it is as close to its natural state as possible, and that it will blend well with the tea you chose.

We always want to include a fruit juice for the sugars inside.

The SCOBY will need something to ferment, after all, and tea has no naturally occurring sugars.

Of course, you could just add sugar, but where is the fun in that?

What Is SCOBY?

Back to SCOBY.

SCOBY stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.

It is the fermenter of your fermented tea, and the bacteria, a good bacteria, is what will produce those probiotics everyone raves about.

To make your own SCOBY, and you should, all you need to do is add 7 cups of tap water, ½ cup of sugar, 4 bags of black tea, and 1 cup of unpasteurized, unflavored store bought kombucha.

You are basically cropping the SCOBY from a preexisting batch, like brewers do with yeast in their favorite beer all the time.

Make your tea by adding your bags to your 7 cups of boiling water, allow the tea to cool, pour it into a large jar, and then add your store bought kombucha starter.

Cover your jar with a few layers of tightly woven cheesecloth and a rubber band.

Then allow to sit for about one month.

Now you have SCOBY.

Kombucha Fermentation

Now, to make your actual kombucha, you will need 14 cups of water, 1 cup of fruit juice of your liking, 8 bags of black or green tea, 2 cups of unflavored kombucha (this can be the liquid in which your SCOBY formed), and 1 SCOBY.

Again, brew your tea, allow to cool, add all of your ingredients in a large glass container, cover with cheesecloth, and allow to sit for first fermentation in a dark room at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Primary fermentation typically takes about 10 days, but you can start tasting after about 6 days.

Remember that with any fermented food or beverage, the yeast and bacteria will off any bad bacteria or contaminants within that first 6 day period, so you don’t have to worry about your batch going bad.

Secondary Fermentation

Now, the purpose of secondary fermentation is to allow your kombucha to smooth and mellow out any off flavors.

Your SCOBY will do all of its own cleanup work, and create carbonation, when left to its own devices.

So reserve 2 cups of kombucha for your next starter, and then add in 2 Tbsp of mashed fruit or fresh fruit juice for every cup of kombucha that remains.

Add your kombucha to flip top bottles, which will keep the kombucha airtight during secondary fermentation, then add the desired amount of fruit juice based on the amount of kombucha in your bottle, being sure to leave a few inches at the top for headspace and carbonation.

Close the bottle and allow it to sit in a dark room at that same 70 degrees temperature for anywhere from 3 to 10 days.

When you are ready to serve, you can either strain out the fruit or not and pour into a chilled glass.

You can also simply move your kombucha to the refrigerator for a day or two, which will slow carbonation, and then serve.

Cheers!

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