A homemade lightly fizzy fermented drink made from green tea and sugar, fermented with a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) over 7 to 14 days. Makes approximately 8 servings of 250 ml each.
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that originated in Northeast China (Manchuria) over two thousand years ago, then spread through East Asia and Russia and eventually across the world. At its core, it is simply sweetened tea fermented by a SCOBY — a thick, rubbery disc of live bacteria and yeast — which consumes the sugar, produces organic acids, a small amount of natural carbonation and trace alcohol, and transforms the tea into something pleasantly tart and lightly fizzy.
The green tea version has a gentler, more delicate flavour than the stronger black tea version. Kombucha arrived in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf with the global wellness movement, and while its health claims are often overstated, it is a genuinely pleasant, refreshing drink that many find agreeable.
Bring 1 litre of water to the boil. Add the green tea bags and steep for 5 minutes, then remove the bags. Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
Allow the sweetened tea to cool completely to room temperature (below 30 °C). Never add the SCOBY to hot liquid — heat kills it.
Pour the cooled tea into a clean glass jar. Add the SCOBY and the starter liquid (plain kombucha from a previous batch or a shop-bought unflavoured kombucha).
Cover the jar with a breathable cloth or coffee filter secured with a rubber band. Place in a warm spot away from direct sunlight and ferment for 7–14 days, tasting from day 7.
Once the kombucha reaches your preferred balance of sweet and tart, remove the SCOBY, pour the kombucha into sealed bottles, and refrigerate.
Serve chilled over ice. For added flavour, add a slice of ginger or a splash of lemon juice before serving.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Green Tea Kombucha, and how to fix them:
Fermentation has not started or the SCOBY is not active. Check that the starter liquid was acidic (properly made kombucha, not just water), the temperature is between 22 and 28°C, and the jar was not covered with an airtight lid. Wait a few more days and taste again.
Over-fermented. Fermentation went too long or the temperature was too warm. Next batch: taste from day 7 and bottle when pleasantly tart. Use this batch in salad dressings as you would vinegar.
Contamination — discard the entire batch including the SCOBY and start fresh. Mould is fuzzy and coloured (green, black, pink); do not confuse it with the brown strings of yeast that are normal and harmless. Clean the jar thoroughly before starting again.
Normal — live yeast cultures create brown or tan strings and a slight cloudiness. Strain through a fine sieve before bottling. Sediment in the bottle after refrigeration is also normal and harmless; shake gently before drinking.
The SCOBY is healthy even when thin. A new layer will grow on each batch. A slimy texture is normal — it is not mould. The SCOBY grows thicker over multiple batches.
Over-carbonated from a second fermentation that went too long or used too much fruit. Refrigerate first to slow carbonation, then open very slowly over a sink. Next time, shorten the second fermentation to 1 day.
Store in sealed glass bottles in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. The flavour continues to develop slowly even when cold. Keep refrigerated at all times once bottled.
Store the SCOBY with sufficient starter liquid in a covered glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks between batches. It goes dormant in the cold and revives when returned to room temperature.
Fermented at room temperature — always with breathable cover (not airtight). Stop fermentation and refrigerate immediately once bottled. If you see fuzzy coloured mould, discard and start fresh. The natural acidity (pH below 3.5 when properly fermented) prevents harmful bacteria.
Use only glass or food-grade ceramic containers for brewing and storage. Metal reacts with the acidity of kombucha and can leach into the drink.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green tea | Black tea, white tea or oolong | Same amount | Black tea produces a stronger, more traditional kombucha. White tea gives a very delicate flavour. Oolong is between the two. Herbal teas (without actual tea leaves) are not recommended as the sole base as the SCOBY needs the tannins in true tea. |
| White sugar | Cane sugar or raw cane sugar | Same amount | The SCOBY consumes the sugar regardless of type. Honey is not recommended as it has antimicrobial properties that can inhibit the SCOBY. |
| Second fermentation: ginger | Lemon, berry, pomegranate or apple | A few slices or tablespoons of juice | Experiment with flavours during second fermentation. Ginger is the most classic; citrus and pomegranate are popular Gulf-adapted options. |
| Ingredient | batch 1 liter | Our batch: 2 liters | batch 4 liters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filtered water | 1 liter | 2 liters | 4 liters |
| Green tea | 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 4 tbsp |
| White sugar | 80 g | 160 g | 320 g |
| Mature starter liquid | 120 ml | 240 ml | 480 ml |
An honest word about the health claims: kombucha is widely marketed as a probiotic drink with benefits for gut health, immunity, energy and more. The evidence is poor — no high-quality clinical trials in humans confirm these claims. It does contain live cultures, organic acids and some B vitamins, but whether these survive the stomach in meaningful quantities is uncertain. Drink it because you enjoy its taste and gentle fizz, not because it is medicine. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those with weakened immune systems, should consult a doctor before consuming it due to the fermentation and trace alcohol content. And be aware of the sugar content — about 20 g per serving — even though much is consumed by the SCOBY.
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