Kombucha Sugar Ratio Calculator

Calculate the tea, sugar, and starter liquid needed for a batch of kombucha based on your vessel size.

mL

Sugar Needed

265 g

Sugar (cups)1.3 cups
Tea Bags16 bags
Starter Liquid (10%)379 mL
First Fermentation10 days (7-14 typical)

How to Calculate Kombucha Ingredients

Standard Ratios

Sugar: 50-90 g per liter of water (standard is about 70 g/L or 1 cup per gallon)

Tea: 3-5 tea bags per liter (black or green tea)

Starter: 10% of batch volume (mature kombucha from a previous batch)

Process

1. Brew strong sweet tea and cool to room temperature. 2. Add starter liquid and SCOBY. 3. Cover with a cloth and ferment 7-14 days at 68-85°F. 4. Taste every few days; when the balance of sweet and tart suits you, bottle it.

The SCOBY

The SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is the living culture that ferments the sweet tea. It consumes the sugar and produces organic acids, CO2, and a small amount of alcohol.

Example Calculation

A 1-gallon (3785 mL) batch with standard sugar and 4 bags per liter.

  1. 01Sugar = 3.785 x 70 = 265 g (about 1.3 cups)
  2. 02Tea bags = ceil(3.785 x 4) = 16 bags
  3. 03Starter liquid = 3785 x 0.10 = 379 mL (about 1.5 cups)
  4. 04Ferment for 7-14 days, then bottle for second fermentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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