Start your fermentation journey with confidence. We’ve got you covered.
As a Brine Beginner, this hub is the perfect place to learn the basics, get hands-on quickly, and build a foundation that will make fermentation fun, not overwhelming.
Start simple. Master the fundamentals. Build from there.
New to the brew and ready to get started but just have a few questions about tools, troubleshooting, or processes that you need answered before you begin? You’re in the right spot!
Here you will find articles on everything that the budding Brine Beginner needs to gain a working understanding of fermentation from which vessels to use to teas, sugar, flavoring, and everything in between!
Each section below will contain a quick reference answer as well as links to various articles and How-Tos that you can find on the Kombucha Kamp website. For your convenience, we have structured this information into 3 Sections: Fermentation Basics, First Ferments & Flavoring, and Troubleshooting.
If you need 1-on-1 guidance, we offer Homebrewer Laser Sessions with Hannah Crum, the Mother of the Modern Kombucha Movement.
To gain access to all of this information as well as tons of recipes, history, and information on several different ferments taught here at Kombucha Kamp, be sure to grab your copy of The Big Book of Kombucha!
Everything you need to understand the “living” part of living foods.
A SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is the heart of your Kombucha brew — a protective, living culture of bacteria and yeast. It transforms sweet tea into Kombucha and naturally shields your ferment from contamination. New brewers often worry about how a SCOBY “should” look, so here’s your calm reminder: they come in all shapes, colors, and textures. While some use the term “SCOBY” to refer primarily to the organic mat or pellicle that is created by the bacteria (the jellyfish in your brew), it also refers to both the pellicle AND the starter liquid chock full of tangy sweet goodness!
Kombucha is naturally safe to brew at home thanks to its acidity and protective microbial balance. Most “odd” smells or textures are part of normal fermentation, and true mold is extremely rare when proper starter is used. That said, because of the many ways in which every SCOBY and brew might vary, it is natural to want to know exactly what’s safe and what’s not. We’ve got you covered.
Your brew is happiest between 75–85°F (24–29°C). Too cold? It ferments slowly. Too hot? It ferments too fast or becomes unbalanced. Understanding temperature removes half of beginners’ confusion. It also makes your brews far more reliable in terms of timing and taste, so it’s smart to have an understanding of how your brew’s temperature contributes to a thriving SCOBY.
➡️ Learn about brewing location & optimal brewing temperature →
Your first brew can take anywhere from 7–21 days depending on temperature, size, and your taste preference. There’s no “perfect day” — only your perfect flavor.
A SCOBY hotel is the “home base” for all your extra SCOBYs and backup cultures. Once you outgrow beginner status, your hotel becomes essential for flavor experimentation, batch backup, and continuous brewing.
Hands-on guides for your very first successful Kombucha.
Bottling (called “Second Fermentation” or F2) gives Kombucha its sparkle. The right bottles and techniques transform a flat brew into fizzy, flavorful Kombucha that rivals store-bought and is often much healthier with greater microbial diversity in every batch. That means your gut is going to feel oh-so-healthy every single time you sip!
Unlike many commercially available fizzy drinks, Kombucha’s bubbles come from naturally fermented effervescence… not from forced carbonation. That delightful fizziness comes from active yeast, sugar, and airtight bottles. Learn the simple steps to get natural carbonation without over-pressurizing or under-carbonating your bottles.
Start with simple combos: strawberry-ginger, blueberry-lavender, pineapple-mint, lemon-raspberry. These flavors always work and help you learn how ingredients behave during fermentation.
New brewers often worry about doing everything “right.” Don’t. Kombucha is amazingly forgiving. Follow a few key steps — proper tea, sugar, starter liquid, and temperature — and your first batch will turn out beautifully.
Quick reassurance + simple, effective fixes.
True mold on Kombucha is rare and unmistakable: dry, fuzzy, blue/green/white spots sitting on top of the brew. Most beginners confuse new SCOBY growth with mold — this guide, along with the largest library of Kombucha mold photos on the internet, clears that up fast.
Congrats – You’ve made Kombucha Vinegar! Over-fermented Kombucha is a rite of passage for every brewer. The fix is simple: shorten brew time, lower temperature slightly, or switch to batch brew to regain control. Before you throw away that batch, you should know that there are numerous things you can do with that too-tart tipple!
Important: Your SCOBY is still healthy and can be reused.
Are you about a week into your first fermentation with a brew that still tastes like regular sweet tea? Fear not! If your Kombucha isn’t fermenting as quickly as expected, it’s almost always temperature or starter liquid. Both are easy fixes and don’t require starting over.
Flat Kombucha happens when yeast is sleepy or there isn’t enough sugar or warmth in F2. A few small changes make a big difference in fizz. If you’re struggling in the warmth department (cold climates, cold storage areas, etc.) be sure to check out our Kombucha Heating Systems that will keep your brew perfectly toasty all year long!
Fermentation creates unusual aromas — vinegary, yeasty, fruity, even bread-like. This is normal. Learn when to trust the process and when to intervene.
SCOBYs can be lumpy, stringy, brown, translucent, patchy, wrinkled, or smooth. All of these can be completely normal depending on the batch.
While mold is something that happens occasionally, it is certainly not common. More often than not, what a beginner thinks is mold is likely a natural yeast formation or normal, healthy SCOBY development. However, it is always best to now what you’re looking at and the best way to do that is by seeing! Head to our Mold Gallery to identify some of the more common mold formations and to see what’s normal and what’s not!
First fermentation takes anywhere from 7-21 days depending on the strength of your starter and the conditions you are brewing in. Second fermentation can take anywhere from 24-72 hours depending on what you are using to flavor your Kombucha. Visit our How to Brew Kombucha Guide for the full details!
Kombucha can vary in terms of smell – after all, it is a living, growing culture! However, as a rule of thumb, healthy Kombucha brews should smell pleasantly sour, maybe a little yeasty, sometimes a bit vinegary. It should never smell off-putting in a way that doesn’t make your mouth water.
YES! One of the most common misconceptions about Kombucha is that it cannot be enjoyed by people of all ages. We are here to tell you that it most certainly can – and it can be a wonderful way to teach little ones about the living, wonderful world of fermentation while introducing their tiny taste buds to the joys of fermented foods. In fact, our Kombucha Vinegar Dyed Easter Egg Recipe is perfect for kids and a great way to open that discussion!
When you’re first starting out with fermented foods, it can be helpful to be aware of some of the possible scenarios you might face. Because the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is unbelievably deficient in fermented foods, the Western gut microbiome may take a little time to get used to the influx of beneficial amino acids and minerals present in these highly-nutritious and gut healthy foods. Familiarize yourself with some of the potential Side Effects of Kombucha in our complete guide.
Got a few brews under your belt and ready to go beyond the basics?
Explore Culture Creators, where you’ll learn flavor mastery, carbonation secrets, troubleshooting, and how to speed up your brew time. Plus, even more in-depth information to help boost your fermentation knowledge and begin introducing your to the wonderful world of ferments like Milk Kefir, Water Kefir, and Jun!
PACKAGE INCLUDES White Modern Porcelain Vessel or choose from Black Knight, Forest Green or Blue Heaven Fine Finish Wood Counter…
FEATURES 2 SCOBY Kombucha Cultures - makes 2 gallons of Kombucha in the first batch, or two 1 gallon batches, each culture…
FEATURES 1 KOMBUCHA KAMP HEIRLOOM SCOBY Kombucha Culture - starts 1 gallon of the best tasting homebrew when you use…
These handy cotton bags are the perfect size to infuse teas, whether cup by cup or when brewing a full…
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