Kombucha Second Fermentation

Kombucha Second Fermentation

Making homemade kombucha has three main steps (click the links below to jump around the post):

1. Make SCOBY 7-10 days
2. First Fermentation (6-10 days) – makes the actual kombucha tea
3. Second Fermentation (3-10 days) – carbonates the kombucha tea

Second Fermentation

The Second fermentation is adding sugar or puree to you brew then bottling and sealing this traps the carbonation created by the fermentation and makes the Kombucha carbonated.

It typically takes 2-4 days to ferment and get fizzy but can take longer.

(Remove your SCOBY and 2 cups of kombucha from your brewing vessel and set it aside. Reserve this for your next batch of kombucha. This starter tea + SCOBY combo will be what you use to make a future batch of kombucha! You can keep it in a SCOBY hotel for future use. Or just put it temporarily in a spare bowl if you plan to use it immediately to make your next batch of kombucha.)

Add 3-4 cups of pureed/juiced fruit into what should be about a gallon of kombucha.

Stir the kombucha in the brewing vessel after adding the pureed fruit. This helps all the bottles carbonate evenly by distributing all the compounds evenly.

Bottling

Pour your kombucha into your bottles close tightly making sure they are sealed.

Do not fill your bottles all away to the top fill them like a soda bottle is filled leaving room for the CO2.

Ferment for another 2-4 days at room temperature. Place in a safe place, in particular if you used glass bottles on the slight possibility that you over carbonated and they explode.

If you used plastic bottles which is what I recommend feel if they got hard if they are hard you know they are carbonated.

You can open a bottle now to see how the carbonation is going and if it needs more time out of the refrigeration.

Place in fridge the cold stops carbonation and of course makes it more delicious.

Utensils Tips

Here is a list of the simplest utensils that you can use; the ones Mom should already have in the kitchen:)

Utensils:
–  small funnel
– glass bottles, or storage containers, for bottling and serving, you can either use the glass Jar you used before, or just buy a second one. 

Other Great Recipes for You to Check Out!

• Strawberry Basil Kombucha
• Kombucha SCOBY
• First Stage Kombucha
• Beet Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Licorice Grappa Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Aronia Berry Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Chili Agave Liqueur recipe D.I.Y.
• Gooseberry Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Prune Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Etrog Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Pecan Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Peanut Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Beet Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Licorice Grappa Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.
• Aronia Berry Liqueur Recipe D.I.Y.

To spirits and cheers,

Binyomin Terebelo, Master Distiller and Drinkologist.

Image by Michael Tavrionov from Pixabay

Binyomin Terebelo

I love hearing from you about why you love something I wrote or published or a recipe I don’t know. I am Master Distiller at Terebelo Distillery, Love all things alcohol. Freelance for Grogmag and blog recipes for buildthebottle.com Weekend Rabbi too.