All Kombucha Brewing Tools — Vessels, Tea, Temperature, Bottling & Testing

Brewing Vessels & SCOBY

Jars, vessels and the culture that does the actual work.

6 tools

Tea, Sugar & Flavoring

The three inputs you actually taste in the finished brew.

6 tools

Fermentation & Temperature

Hold a steady temperature and the culture does the rest.

6 tools

Bottling & Carbonation

Seal it, carbonate it, and keep the pressure under control.

5 tools

Cleaning & pH Testing

Clean equipment and a pH reading you can trust.

7 tools

All tools

Ordered by how early they typically appear in a brew. Use the category cards above for stage-specific guidance, or browse the full list below.

Glass Brewing Jar

The primary vessel for the first fermentation — food-grade glass, wide mouth, 1 to 2 gallons.

First Fermentation 1–2 gal (3.8–7.6 L)

Continuous Brew Vessel

A large vessel with a spigot for drawing off finished kombucha without disturbing the culture.

First Fermentation 2.5–5 gal (9.5–19 L)

Fermentation-Grade Bucket

A food-grade plastic vessel for larger batches, used only for kombucha and never for cleaning chemicals.

First Fermentation 3–6 gal (11–23 L)

SCOBY Culture

The cellulose mat of yeast and bacteria that ferments sweet tea into kombucha.

First Fermentation 1–5 gal (3.8–19 L)

Starter Liquid

Unflavoured finished kombucha from a healthy batch — it acidifies the new brew and keeps it safe.

First Fermentation 10–20% of total volume

Muslin Cover & Band

Breathable cloth that keeps dust, insects and mould spores out while letting the brew breathe.

First Fermentation Any size

Black Tea

The standard base tea — full oxidation gives the culture nitrogen, tannin and a reliable starting point.

First Fermentation 4–8 g (1–2 tsp) per gal of finished tea

Green Tea

Less oxidised, lighter and greener — a gentler base with a fresher finished flavour.

First Fermentation 4–8 g (1–2 tsp) per gal of finished tea

White Tea

Delicate and lightly processed — subtle, floral, and more sensitive to over-steeping.

First Fermentation 5–9 g (1.5–2.5 tsp) per gal

Oolong Tea

Partially oxidised between green and black — aromatic, rounded and adaptable.

First Fermentation 4–8 g (1–2 tsp) per gal

Herbal Tea Blends

Tisanes and botanicals for flavouring — best used as an addition, not as a whole base.

Flavoring 1–2 tsp per gal as an addition

Cane Sugar

The culture’s food source — plain white cane sugar, about 1 cup per gallon.

First Fermentation About 1 cup (200 g) per gal

Thermometer

Measure the liquid, not the room — the brew runs warmer than the air around it.

First Fermentation Any size

Temperature Controller

Switches a heater or cooler on and off to hold a set temperature around the clock.

First Fermentation Any size

Heating Mat

A gentle warming pad for rooms that sit below the culture’s comfortable range.

First Fermentation 1–5 gal (3.8–19 L)

Brew Fridge

A dedicated fridge with a controller — precise cooling for warm rooms and summer.

First Fermentation 1–6 gal (3.8–23 L)

Temperature Strip Thermometer

An adhesive strip on the outside of the jar — a quick read without opening the lid.

First Fermentation Any size

Fermentation Vessel Cover

A fitted cover that protects the vessel from dust, light and insects while letting air through.

First Fermentation Any size

Swing-Top Bottles

Reusable pressure-rated bottles with a wire bail — the standard choice for the second fermentation.

Bottling Typically 16–34 fl oz (0.5–1 L) each

Bottle Capper & Crown Caps

Seals crown-cap bottles with a crimped metal cap — cheap, reliable and recyclable.

Bottling Crown-cap bottles, typically 12–22 fl oz

Priming Sugar

A small, measured dose of sugar added at bottling to carbonate the brew in the bottle.

Bottling Roughly 4–8 g per gal depending on target carbonation

Bottling Funnel

A wide-mouth funnel that gets liquid into the bottle without spilling it down the side.

Bottling Fits standard bottle necks

Bottle Pressure Relief Valve

A venting closure or burping routine that releases excess pressure before it becomes dangerous.

Second Fermentation Fits standard bottle necks

pH Strips

Narrow-range indicator strips that show whether the brew has acidified enough to be safe.

Cleaning & Testing Any size

Digital pH Meter

A digital meter that gives a precise reading where a strip only gives a band.

Cleaning & Testing Any size

Cleaning Brush Set

Long-handled and narrow brushes that reach the shoulders and threads a sponge cannot.

Cleaning & Testing Various

Cleaner Powder

An oxygen-based brewery wash that lifts organic residue without scrubbing.

Cleaning & Testing Per label dose, typically 1 tbsp per gal

Sanitiser Solution

An acid-based no-rinse sanitiser that reduces microbes on a clean surface to a safe level.

Cleaning & Testing Per label dose, usually 1 oz per 5 gal

Siphon & Tubing

An auto-siphon and food-grade tubing to move kombucha without splashing or disturbing the culture.

Bottling Any size

Mouth & Bottle Brush

A narrow brush sized for bottle mouths, spigots and airlock stems.

Cleaning & Testing Fits bottle necks and spigots

How this library is written

Tool entries describe function and safe use, not brands. Specifications give the ranges that are widely used in home brewing rather than a single "correct" number, because vessel sizes, batch volumes and climates differ. Where a figure is a rule of thumb rather than a firm limit, we say so. Nothing on this site is sponsored, and no product is sold or recommended by name.

Every kombucha brewing tool, by category

Brewing Vessels & SCOBY

Tea, Sugar & Flavoring

Fermentation & Temperature

Bottling & Carbonation

Cleaning & pH Testing

All tools

Glass Brewing Jar

Continuous Brew Vessel

Fermentation-Grade Bucket

SCOBY Culture

Starter Liquid

Muslin Cover & Band

Black Tea

Green Tea

White Tea

Oolong Tea

Herbal Tea Blends

Cane Sugar

Thermometer

Temperature Controller

Heating Mat

Brew Fridge

Temperature Strip Thermometer

Fermentation Vessel Cover

Swing-Top Bottles

Bottle Capper & Crown Caps

Priming Sugar

Bottling Funnel

Bottle Pressure Relief Valve

pH Strips

Digital pH Meter

Cleaning Brush Set

Cleaner Powder

Sanitiser Solution

Siphon & Tubing

Mouth & Bottle Brush

How this library is written