When I first got into home-brewing kombucha, figuring out what equipment to get and where to get it from cost me a ton of time. For brand new home-brewers today, an easier way to get started brewing kombucha quickly and easily is a kombucha starter kit.
Kombucha starter kits are a convenient way to get all the ingredients and equipment needed to start home-brewing kombucha quickly and easily. Most kits cost around $45 and include a SCOBY and starter tea, tea bags or loose leaf tea, sugar, a 1 gallon jar, and a jar covering. Some also include pH strips, and a thermometer.
With so many brewing kits on the market, and with most of them costing around the same price, it can be difficult to know which one to get. Luckily for you, I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 kombucha brewing kits on the market so you don’t have to waste time searching all over the internet trying to find which one is best for you.
Before we get into that though, let's talk a little more about why or why not you may want to buy a kombucha starter kit.
What is a Kombucha Starter Kit?
Also called a “kombucha brewing kit”, kombucha starter kits allow you to get all the equipment and ingredients you need to start home brewing kombucha with one purchase.
This solves the problem of having to either order online or go out and buy different ingredients and equipment, and ensures that you have everything you need and have it all at the same time.
Some starter kits will give you enough ingredients for multiple brews, while others give you just enough for one. If they do only give you enough for one it’s really not a big deal, since the only ingredients you’ll have to replace every brewing cycle are sugar and tea, which are both pretty cheap.
Why Buy a Kombucha Starter Kit?
The best thing about brewing kits is the convenience they provide to new kombucha brewers. Rather than spending hours researching what ingredients and equipment you need and driving to 10 different stores to find them all, all you have to do is click a button and if the kit is amazon prime (which a lot of them are) you’ll have all the materials you need sitting on your doorstep the very next day!
If you’re super pumped to start brewing booch and want to get started quickly and easily, a brewing kit is the way to go.
Downsides to Kombucha Starter Kits
One big downside to kombucha starter kits is that they don’t include brewing bottles.
Brewing bottles are used in a process known as 2nd fermentation when the carbonation and flavor are added to the kombucha. Second fermentation is the most fun part of the brewing process and definitely something you don’t want to miss out on.
If you do buy a starter kit I strongly recommend also getting a good set of brewing bottles so that your kombucha can go through 2nd fermentation, or else it's just gonna be sour tea.
I got my set of 6 brewing bottles on Amazon. They've always created awesome carbonation in my booch and are super easy to use. They even come with dry erase markers so you can write on them. I use it to keep track of the flavoring and the date they started fermenting. If you’re interested you can find them on Amazon here.
Another downside to buying a brewing kit is that you are paying more for convenience than the actual ingredients. Since other than the SCOBY and 1 gallon glass jar, most of the ingredients required to brew kombucha are relatively cheap and easy to find.
Some brewing kits do give you their special blend of tea that could make the purchase worth it, but you’re still probably paying more for the tea and sugar than you would if you bought it yourself at the store.
The Top 5 Best Kombucha Starter Kits
Below I’ve compiled a list of the best kombucha starter kits on the market right now. Including a description of each one, the price, exactly what they come with, and where to get them.
Just because a kit is higher on the list doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right one for you. So use the information on each one to make the best decision for your needs.
1. The Kombucha Shop Kombucha Starter Kit
It’d be wrong to make my #1 pick anything other than The Kombucha Shop Starter Kit, which has been the #1 selling kombucha starter kit in America for 3 years!
The Kombucha Shop claims that what makes them different from competitors is their clear and concise brewing instructions and their 16 page post-brewing guide that teaches you how to bottle your brew, add flavors, and care for your kombucha culture.
Another cool feature of their kit is that it comes with a wet erase marker that you can use to mark your 1 gallon jar.
The Kombucha Shop’s SCOBYs are grown using triple filtered water, organic cane sugar, organic loose leaf teas and organic starter. And every Kombucha Shop SCOBY is guaranteed to ferment your brew, if it doesn’t they’ll send you a free replacement!
Price: $44.99
This Kit Includes:
1 Gallon glass jar
SCOBY and starter tea
Organic Sugar
Loose leaf tea
pH strips
Non toxic wet erase marker
The Kombucha Shop Starter Kit is available on Amazon with free and Prime shipping here.
2. Get Kombucha Starter Kit
This starter kit comes with enough materials to brew 5 gallons of kombucha! Get Kombucha also claims that they have the largest and most durable SCOBYs in the business, guaranteeing that every one is 6.5 inches or bigger.
This kit also comes with really well written brewing instructions and even includes videos.
My favorite thing about this starter kit is that there's enough materials for making multiple batches kombucha.
The only drawback to this kit is that it doesn't include a glass jar.
Price: $44.95
This Kit Includes:
Kombucha Brewers Handbook and Videos
6.5 inch SCOBY
1lb Organic Sugar
4 oz. Kombucha Tea Blend
4 Botanical Packs
2 Cloth Covers
2 Rubber Bands
5 pH Strips
2 Reusable Muslin Bags
You can purchase Get Kombucha’s starter kit on Amazon and with Amazon Prime shipping here.
3. Craft a Brew Starter Kit
Craft a Brew is a Florida based brand that sells a really solid kombucha brewing kit that has everything you need to begin brewing kombucha for a great price.
One thing that makes this kit different is that you can opt for a SCOBY code rather than an actual SCOBY. This allows you to buy the kit, and then get the SCOBY sent to you later, which is perfect for people who either don’t want to start brewing right away, or want to give the kit as a gift. Since it will prevent the SCOBY from sitting around for too long and dying.
Price: $39.95
This Kit Includes:
Kombucha Brewing Guide
SCOBY
1 Gallon Glass Jar
Organic Cane Sugar
Organic Black Tea
Tight Weave Cloth and Rubber Band
Check out the Craft a Brew Kombucha Starter Kit on Amazon here.
4. Bucha Brewers
Another popular brewing kit right now is made by Bucha Brewers. If you’re on a budget, this kit is the best bang for your buck and includes everything you’ll need to brew your first batch of booch, including a 1 gallon glass jar.
One downside to this kit is that it only comes with enough tea and sugar for one batch.
Price: $39.95
This Kit Includes
Brewing Instructions
1 Gallon Glass Jar
SCOBY and Starter Tea
Organic Cane Sugar
80 pH Strips
3 Tbsp of Black Tea
1 Cotton Tea Bag
2 Coffee Filters and Rubber Band
Thermometer
Check out the Bucha Brewer’s starter kit on Amazon here.
5. Joshua Tree Kombucha Starter Kit
The Joshua Tree Kombucha Brewing Kit is very similar to the Bucha Brewers starter kit, but costs $5 less.
This is another kit that includes a 1 gallon glass jar and just enough ingredients to brew your first gallon batch of booch. It also comes with a thermometer and Joshua Tree’s signature tea blend.
Price: $34.99
This Kit Includes:
Brewing Instructions
1 Gallon Glass Jar
SCOBY and Starter Tea
Organic Black and Green Tea Blend
1 Cup Organic Cane Sugar
Cloth Cover and Rubber Band
pH Strips
Thermometer
If you're interested, you can get the Joshua Tree Kombucha Starter kit with Prime shipping on Amazon here.
Final Thoughts
Kombucha brewing kits are a great way for beginners to get started home brewing kombucha.
Instead of wasting tons of time researching what equipment and ingredients you need and running around town trying to find the stores that have them, you can just make one purchase and have all that you need to brew your first batch of kombucha on your doorstep the very next day.
Just remember that if you want to flavor and carbonate your booch, you’ll have to buy some brewing bottles seperately.
If you want to learn more about kombucha, how it relates to your health, and even how to brew it yourself, check out the rest of my website!