The Best Kombucha Starter Kits

The Best Kombucha Starter Kits

Rich in probiotics and essential nutrients, kombucha is an excellent beverage to have in your fridge. Of course, buying kombucha at the grocery store can get mighty expensive, which is why DIY brewing kits have become so popular in recent years. If you're dying to brew your own fermented drink, you'll need a kit that comes with a Scoby, a brewing jar, pH strips, a temperature gauge, and ideally, bottles for storage. If you're in the market for a kombucha brewing kit, you've come to the right place. Put some pep in your step with the help of these starter kits.

The Kombucha Shop Starter Kit

Become a Kombucha-Brewing Pro

This kit has everything you need to make your own powerful probiotic-packed beverage.
Best Overall

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The Kombucha Shop Starter Kit contains everything you need to brew your own batch of delicious, healthy kombucha at home. The process is easy when you use this kit, which comes with a gallon brew jar, US-made test strips, a temperature gauge, and more. The quality is exceptional, too, since all the brand’s cultures are grown in their Wisconsin-area brewery using triple-filtered water and other top-notch ingredients. You’ll be on your way to brewing tasty, nourishing kombucha in no time.

Pros:

  • Cultures are grown using triple-filtered water, high-quality sugar, and loose-leaf tea
  • One-gallon brew jar is made of exceptionally thick glass
  • Comes in regular and deluxe sizes
  • Promotes hands-on learning for a fun, family-friendly experience

Cons:

  • The instructions could stand to be clearer

Joshua Tree Kombucha Basic Starter Kit

Budget Shoppers, Take Note

Get the most bang for your buck with this solid kit.
Best Value

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If you’re shopping on a budget, we don’t think you can go wrong with the Joshua Tree Kombucha Basic Starter Kit. It’s more affordably priced than others but has all the well-curated ingredients that you need, including starter tea, a muslin cloth, a glass brewing jar, and more. The process is easy and fun, and you get a one-gallon jar of probiotic-rich, flavorful kombucha out of the deal.

Pros:

  • Excellent value, considering that it comes with everything you need
  • Allows you to brew a full one-gallon of kombucha
  • Scoby cultures are handled in a sanitized commercial kitchen and grown using only high-quality ingredients

Cons:

  • Best for beginners, not experienced kombucha-makers

Craft a Brew Starter Kit

All the Must-Haves

You won't have to worry about buying extra supplies when you invest in this brewing kit.
Best Included Supplies

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Ideal for newbie kombucha-makers and seasoned fermentation enthusiasts alike, the Craft a Brew Starter Kit comes stocked with an arsenal of supplies and additional accessories to make brewing your own kombucha as easy as pie. It’s super-enjoyable to brew from home with all the supplies in this kit that uses extra-fresh ingredients that are all locally sourced. You can even add fruits and herbs during the bottling process to really ramp up the flavor profile of your fermented concoctions.

Pros:

  • Has all the necessary supplies and step-by-step instructions needed to make your first batch: a one-gallon glass jar, weave cloth, cane sugar, black tea, and more
  • Each kit is assembled by hand using high-quality ingredients
  • Has a charming look, with an adorable bee pattern on the jar — great for gifting
  • Easy to add flavorful fruit and herbs in the bottling process

Cons:

  • The kombucha does tend to come out fairly sweet, so it may not be everyone’s cup of tea (or kombucha, that is)

Get Kombucha Starter Kit

Worth Every Penny

This kit is just a tad more decadent than most, and we like it that way.
Best Splurge

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Satisfy all your kombucha cravings with the Get Kombucha Starter Kit, which results in truly delicious fermented brews. It may be slightly pricier than most, but you get what you pay for with this kit. It comes with high-quality ingredients and accessories you won’t find everywhere, including botanical packs, gloves, and even the brand’s Kombucha Brewer’s Handbook. The glass is incredibly sturdy, and the Scoby is durable enough to withstand extreme temperatures during the shipping process, too.

Pros:

  • Comes with very high-quality, organic ingredients and brewing accessories
  • You get a whopping 60 servings of the brand’s unique kombucha blend
  • The fully illustrated recipe guide is clear and easy to follow

Cons:

  • A premium pick with a cost to match, but if you’re looking to treat yourself, we highly recommend this option

Frequently Asked Questions

What should my kombucha starter kit come with?

Your starter kit should come with a Scoby (short for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast”), bottles, a glass jar for brewing, sugar, tea, a temperature gauge, and pH strips for testing the acidity of your ferment. These are the basics, but some kits may come with additional accessories.

How long does it typically take to brew kombucha?

You can brew kombucha for anywhere from seven to 30 days. Fermentation time depends mostly on your taste preferences; kombucha that’s been brewed longer tends to be on the tart side, while a shorter brewing time usually results in a much sweeter beverage. The process of putting all the ingredients together to prepare for fermentation only takes 30 minutes or so.