If you’ve ever wanted to brew kombucha and don’t possess a SCOBY, then this is the perfect opportunity for you important site. Don’t fret! It is not impossible, but it’s hard to bake without the yeast. Let’s take this wild ride together.

First, you’ll want to get some black or white tea. The base of the tea will be this. Pour some boiling water into a pot and steep your tea bags about 10-15 minutes. You want your tea strong enough to raise hairs on your chest but not bitter enough that you wince.

Next comes sugar. There’s plenty of it. Let’s say a cup for every gallon. The bacteria and fungi will consume it quicker than kids eating Halloween candy.

It gets really interesting here. Normally, a SCOBY – a symbiotic bacterial/yeast-based culture – would be used to ferment tea. Because we’re not flying with one, we need to improvise.

Grab yourself a store-bought bottle of raw kombucha. Make sure the kombucha is unflavored. Pour this liquid golden into your sweetened chai mixture after it reaches room temperature.

Cover it all with a towel or coffee filter and fasten with rubber band. This helps to keep unwanted animals out while allowing the concoction enough air.

Goldilocks’ porridge, or a warm spot that is not too hot will do. A kitchen table away from direct sunshine is ideal.

Wait… and wait… and wait some more. The patience is needed because fermentation takes between 7 to 30 working days depending on various factors like the temperature, and how tangy or sweet you want your finished product.

While you wait, a thin coating may form on the top surface of your beer. The baby SCOBY has made its grand entrance. This is like seeing the birth of a star right in your own kitchen galaxy.

Try it out after a little over a week with a straw. (Sneak it under that towel). If it’s a little too sweet, wait until it has the right balance between sweet & tart.

If you want to bottle your homemade kombucha, use glass bottles with tight-fitting tops. The carbonation will happen during the secondary fermentation.

But hold on to your SCOBY. What you’ve done is something very special, just like when you turn water into a wine or pull rabbits out of hats. It’s a great tool to use for future batches. This way, you won’t have all this trouble again.

You should always remember that each batch is a test. Sometimes they taste amazing, but other times they may taste like gyms socks left in the vinegar overnight.

It’s a crash course for making kombucha, sans SCOBY. Then, go forth with courage and curiosity into the bubbling world–and share some laughs on the way! Life’s too brief to drink boring beverage.