Can You Make Kombucha with Matcha Tea?

One question we often get asked is: can you make Kombucha with Matcha? The answer to this is YES!

In this post, we'll first explain how to get your own continuous Kombucha brew going, we will explore the benefits of making Kombucha with matcha and provide a step-by-step recipe so you can get your first batch on the way!

We do recommend that you set up a separate brew using a spare SCOBY to make Matcha Kombucha, as the jar can gather sediment quite quickly. Rotating between Kombuchas made with Matcha and Tea Leaves could be messy and the flavour of the Matcha may be carried into the next brew, but if non of that matters to you then using your normal brew will be fine. 

We have other blogs on how to separate your SCOBYs and how to store your spare SCOBYs for later in a SCOBY hotel, which you might find useful if you want to set up the separate Matcha Kombucha brew.

Guide to Brewing Perfect Kombucha at Home

We ALWAYS use, & teach the continuous Kombucha brew method. This method is super easy, it doesn't need any fancy equipment, produces powerful, delicious, fresh Kombucha that is packed with health benefits, and is perfectly suited to those who lead busy lives, or people who like going on holidays!

We recommend getting your Kombucha brew established with green tea, before adventuring off to use Matcha, just to make sure your SCOBY has settled into its brewing routine and you know what to expect from your own home brew. It would be best to do at least 2 batches with green tea before trying to matcha recipe. 

It is also a great method for anyone who like to experimenting with different flavours and recipes, for example, this Matcha Kombucha.

If you've never actually tried a homemade Kombucha, then order yourself a sample of ours here, for just the cost of the delivery!

What You'll Need: 

This kit list should brew Kombucha to fuel 1 - 2 people with a 50 - 100ml serving, each day:

• 3 (could be bigger) Litre Glass Fermentation Jar with a Tap: The vessel for your fermentation. Make sure you clean thoroughly with warm soapy water, or use a sterilising agent
• 1 ish Litre glass bottle that fits upright in your fridge
• A high quality SCOBY: The heart of kombucha fermentation, containing live bacteria and yeast, this is your starter culture
• Green or Black Tea (8-10 high quality tea bags or 12 grams large leaf loose tea) and White Cane Sugar (120 grams). These provide fuel and nutrients for the SCOBY to grow and are vital to kickstart the fermentation process
• Clean Cotton / Muslin / Cloth Cover & Rubber Band: A breathable lid to protect your Kombucha during fermentation
• We also recommend a clean one litre measuring jug and a clean spoon to brew, and cool the tea before you add to the SCOBY

 

Here's the steps to get your first Kombucha brew going

By the way, we specialise in providing Complete Kombucha Starter Kits which have 5 star rating from our customers, they're designed with beginners in mind and come with a lifetime of brewing support.

These starter kits contain everything you need for the first month-ish of brewing, as well as a few fun extras to make your brewing life super easy!

Step 1: Begin by brewing your sweet tea in the amounts detailed above, in your measuring jug.

Make sure to stir the mixture until the sugar has fully dissolved, and then set somewhere to cool to room temperature.

We always use green tea, both for its flavour profile, but also for higher levels of polyphenols and antioxidants.

Step 2: Introducing the SCOBY
Add the SCOBY and all the liquid it is stored in (starter liquid) to your clean 3 Litre fermentation vessel.

This wonderful, symbiotic culture of bacteria & yeasts, is the engine that kickstarts the fermentation process, it introduces the live bacteria to your brew, and transforms your sweet tea into a probiotic-rich Kombucha.

Step 3: Fermentation Process
Cover the jar with the cloth cover / breathable lid, securing it with the rubber band.

This allows your Kombucha to breathe while keeping contaminants out. The fermentation period will typically range from 7 to 14 days, depending on your flavour preferences and environmental conditions, such as temperature.

You should aim to keep the brew at a consistent temperature, between 22 - 24 degrees Celcius for the best results.

Step 4: Monitoring Fermentation
Taste your first brew after 7 days (this is where the tap comes in VERY useful), and then subsequent days until it reaches a balance of sweetness and tartness that suits your palate.

The first brew typically takes a little longer than the next ones as the SCOBY has to move out of its dormant state, and start to grow.

You should see this new growth as a thin, slimy looking layer on the surface of the liquid in the jar. This is a really good sign of a strong fermentation, but should never look dry and fluffy. 

Step 5: Bottling Your Brew
Transfer the Kombucha into a clean glass bottle that fits upright in your fridge (this is where a tap comes in useful), leaving the SCOBY and some Kombucha (3 - 4 inches) to act as the starter liquid (enough to keep the full SCOBY submerged) to balance the next refill of sweet tea in your fermentation vessel ready for your next batch. 

Check out our Kombucha Recipe Club for some easy, natural Kombucha flavouring options, and let us know if you create something delicious you think we should know about!

To make your second batch of green tea Kombucha, you simply brew another batch of tea in exactly the same way as before, let it cool, and then add it to your jar with the SCOBY and leftover liquid (3 - 4 inches). 

You then follow the same tasting and bottling process, and then for the third brew we can try out our Match Kombucha recipe!

The Benefits of Matcha Kombucha

Matcha, a finely ground green tea powder, is packed with antioxidants and has been shown to have numerous health benefits. When combined with the probiotic-rich SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) used in Kombucha brewing, Matcha adds an extra boost of nutrition and earthy flavour to your fermented tea drink.

Some of the benefits of making Kombucha with Matcha include:

• Increased antioxidant content: Matcha contains high levels of antioxidants called catechins, which can help protect the body against free radicals and oxidative stress
• Improved mental clarity and focus: The L-theanine content in matcha can help promote relaxation and improve mental clarity, making it a great addition to your morning routine
• Enhanced flavour: Matcha adds a rich, earthy, slightly bitter flavour to your Kombucha

 

How to Make Matcha Kombucha at Home

Making kombucha with matcha is a simple process and very similar to the normal process of making Kombucha, which you would have been following before.

Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started:

Equipment & ingredients:

• Continuous Kombucha brew set up ready to be refilled, with 3 - 4 inches of starter liquid and SCOBY (see our Complete Kombucha Starter Kit for help with this)
• 8 grams of high quality Matcha powder (for 2 litres of Kombucha)
• 120 grams of white sugar (for 2 litres of Kombucha)
• 1 litre jug / pan for brewing and whisking tea
• 500ml boiling water
• 1500ml cold drinking water
• Spoon for stirring
• Matcha whisk (optional)

Instructions:

1. Brew the sweet tea: Combine the sugar and 500ml boiling water in your 1 litre jug and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then add the matcha powder and whisk or stir to combine powder until no lumps are present (if liquid is lumpy you could pour through sieve before adding to Kombucha jar)
2. Cool the tea: Add 500ml of cool drinking water to the jug. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature. This is an important step, as hot water can harm the SCOBY
3. Once cool, add your Match tea into your fermentation vessel, with your SCOBY and starter liquid. Then add another litre of cool drinking water in too
4. Ferment the Kombucha. Cover the jar with a breathable cloth / lid and let ferment in a warm, dark place, as normal, for 7-14 days
5. Taste and bottle: After 7 days, taste the Kombucha and determine if it's fermented to your liking. If not, allow it to ferment for a few more days. Once fermented, you can transfer the brewed Kombucha into glass bottles, and keep in fridge
6. Option to add some extra flavours in here, we find lemon goes really well with the Matcha Kombucha

Check out our Kombucha Recipe Club for recipes submitted by our brewing community!

Get Started with Our UK-Based Kombucha Starter Kits

Ready to give Matcha Kombucha a try?

Our Kombucha Starter Kits contain everything you need to get started, including a healthy SCOBY, starter liquid, brewing ingredients for first two brews and instructions.

Order now and feel the power of a homemade Matcha Kombucha!