Kombucha is a fermented drink made from sweetened tea and a living culture of bacteria and yeasts. That culture eats the sugar and turns it into acids, carbon dioxide and a tiny amount of alcohol. What you are left with is a drink that tastes fresh and sour, fizzes lightly, and still carries a touch of sweetness and the pleasant astringency of tea.

The flavour depends on how long you let it ferment. The longer it sits, the more sugar is converted and the more sour it becomes. Around nine days at room temperature is a sweet spot in our book: sour enough to be interesting, not so sour that it makes you wince. And when you brew it yourself, that balance is entirely in your hands. Some people like a mild, sweet kombucha, others prefer more bite.

Kombucha belongs to the same family as water kefir, ginger beer and jun: fermented soft drinks. The difference lies in the micro-organisms and the base. Kombucha always starts from tea.

The SCOBY is the living heart of your kombucha. SCOBY is short for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast: a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts that work together to ferment your tea.

During fermentation, a jelly-like disc forms on top of the liquid. Almost everyone calls that disc “the SCOBY”, and it is also fondly known as “the mother”. Technically that is not quite right: the disc is called the pellicle or biofilm, and it is made of cellulose produced by the acetic acid bacteria. The real SCOBY is the whole thing: the liquid and the pellicle together. That combination is the living starter you need to begin.

So what do those micro-organisms actually do? Roughly three groups work together. The yeasts convert sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The acetic acid bacteria turn that alcohol into acid and build the pellicle as they go. And lactic acid bacteria add to the fresh, sour flavour. Together they produce that characteristic kombucha taste.

You can order a tested, organic kombucha SCOBY from us, guaranteed free of pathogens. That is the safest way to get started.

However you like, really. But a few ways work especially well.

Pure and chilled. The classic. Cold from the fridge or over ice, on a terrace in summer. As easy as a soft drink, but with character.

With or without bubbles. After the first fermentation, kombucha is fairly still. If you want fizz, you do a second fermentation (F2): pour the kombucha into a pressure-resistant bottle, add a little sugar or fruit juice and leave it sealed for a few days. The yeasts turn that into carbon dioxide. Prefer it flat? Just drink it after the first fermentation.

Mixed and flavoured. During that second fermentation you can vary endlessly with flavourings: ginger, lemon, berries, orange or a splash of fruit juice. That way one base becomes a whole range of flavours of your own.

In cocktails and mocktails. Thanks to its grown-up, tangy flavour, kombucha works wonderfully as the base for a mocktail, or as a refreshing, slightly sour element in a cocktail. It adds depth without you having to pile on the sugar.

Looking for more? Read 5 surprising things you can do with kombucha.