Brewing Green Tea Vs Black Tea Kombucha: Which is Best? Jenny Graham, December 14, 2023December 13, 2023 When it comes to brewing homemade kombucha you may be wondering what is best, green tea vs black tea kombucha. The answer may be up to your personal preference. Let’s get to brewing. Green Tea Vs. Black Tea Kombucha, The Difference Both green and black tea can be used for brewing kombucha. They each lend different flavors, caffeine, alcohol, and antioxidant levels. Green tea vs black tea kombucha have slightly different fermentation times, different health benefits, and effect the SCOBY in slightly different ways. The Green in Green Tea Vs Black Tea Kombucha Green tea kombucha tends to have a lighter, grassy flavor. It has a little lower caffeine content and higher antioxidants compared to black tea. It also has less tannins, which makes a smoother, less tangy kombucha. Green tea kombucha tends to ferment slightly faster than black tea kombucha. It is said to better contribute to the health of the SCOBY over black tea. This study also shows that green tea kombucha has a higher alcohol content than black tea kombucha, coming in at 7.29 g/L. This gives it an average alcohol content of 1.12%-2.00%. This is higher than the legal limit of 0.5% for a non-alcoholic beverage. What About Black Tea Kombucha? Black tea Kombucha has a stronger, bold, earthy flavor. It has a higher caffeine content compared to green tea kombucha. Black tea also has high antioxidant levels. With higher tannin levels than green tea, black tea kombucha is much more tangy and bold than green tea kombucha. Black tea kombucha has a lower alcohol content compared to green tea kombucha. It comes in at 4.90 g/L, which is still higher then the legal limit of 0.5% for a non-alcoholic beverage. So What Exactly is Kombucha Anyways? Kombucha is a probiotic drink that is made by fermenting sweet tea with a SCOBY. The end result is a fizzy, tangy, probiotic drink. It has many potential health benefits and is known to be especially good for gut health. What is a Kombucha SCOBY? A SCOBY is the kombucha mother. It’s the gelatinous mass that is added to the sweet tea. It is a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). If you can’t make your own or find a SCOBY locally to you they are available on Amazon, which is how I got my first SCOBY. How Kombucha is Made? Kombucha is made by steeping tea in, just off the boil, water. While the tea is steeping, organic cane sugar is added. The sugar and the caffeine provides a food source for the kombucha SCOBY. Once the tea has cooled to room temperature, the SCOBY is added. The sweet tea and kombucha SCOBY are then left to ferment for 7-14 days. The longer you ferment the tea the less sweet and more tangy it becomes. After brewing kombucha a few times you’ll figure out how long you prefer to ferment for. This is called the first fermentation. The second fermentation is when you remove the kombucha SCOBY, bottle it and add flavor, if you wish. This is when things get really fizzy and fun. The second fermentation only takes 2-3 days. Always be sure to save a little starter tea for your next batch of kombucha and to keep your SCOBY in. Come make kombucha with me. Which is the Best? Green Tea vs Black Tea Kombucha? When deciding on green tea vs black tea kombucha, it all comes down to your personal preferences. Both green tea and black tea are great for making homemade kombucha. Some home brewers even come up with their own custom blends. Making Green Tea vs Black Tea Kombucha There is very little difference when it comes to making green tea vs black tea kombucha. Green tea, compared to black tea, contains fewer compounds that can inhibit the growth of the kombucha culture. This gives green tea kombucha a faster fermentation time compared to black tea. Standard fermentation time for black tea kombucha is 7-14 days. If you are new to making homemade kombucha, and you are using green tea, you may want to start checking the flavor a day or two earlier. Play around with the fermentation times to see what you like the best. How to Flavor Kombucha Tea With Herbal Teas Herbal teas or herbal infusions, are often caffeine free teas made from herbs, fruits, flowers, and spices. Brew your homemade kombucha first. Once the first fermentation is done, remove the kombucha SCOBY, bottle the kombucha, being sure to save starter liquid for your SCOBY and next batch. Next, brew your favorite herbal tea. Once your herbal tea has completely cooled to room temperature, you can add it to your kombucha and bottle it for a second fermentation for 2-3 days. Play around with the strength and amount of your herbal tea until you get the flavor just how you like it. If you like a little extra sweetness, you can add a little local, raw honey. How to Flavor Kombucha Tea With Freshly Squeezed Fruit Juices Flavoring homemade kombucha with freshly squeezed fruit juices is my go to for flavoring kombucha. Once your first fermentation is complete, remove your SCOBY and bottle your kombucha. Always be sure to save some starter liquid for the next batch. Next, add your freshly squeezed fruit juice to your kombucha. My favorite flavor to add is red grapefruit. Coming in at a close second is to add lemon juice and slices of ginger. You can also add a little local, raw honey if you wish. After 2-3 days, once the second fermentation is complete, strain out any solids and enjoy your delicious kombucha. Different Types of Tea for Kombucha Brewing? While green tea vs black tea kombucha are the most popular choices for brewing homemade kombucha, there are a couple of other choices that you may want to consider. White Tea for Kombucha Tea White tea is a delicate and minimally processed tea. It has a very lite flavor profile, with more antioxidants than green tea. Brewing kombucha with white tea makes a milder and slightly sweeter kombucha. Oolong Tea for Brewing Kombucha Oolong tea can also be used to make homemade kombucha. It falls between green and black tea when it comes to caffeine content. It offers a more full-bodied flavor that has complex floral, fruity, and nutty notes. Which Tea is Not Good for Kombucha Brewing? Teas to Avoid When brewing homemade kombucha always use basic caffeinated tea. Avoid using teas that are flavored, like herbal teas, as the additives can effect the health of your SCOBY and quality of kombucha. Teas such as chai tea, herbal teas, hibiscus tea (even though it’s amazing), and earl grey tea aren’t the best choice for brewing kombucha. All of these can be added for the second fermentation for flavor though. Why You Should Drink Kombucha? Kombucha has many potential health benefits. Not only is it full of probiotics, it also is full of antioxidants, which is known to fight free radicals. It also has strong antibacterial properties. Kombucha has been shown to reduce cholesterol, lessening the risk of heart disease. Drinking kombucha on a regular basis can help mange type II diabetes and also may help protect against cancer. Is Green Tea Kombucha Good for You? Drinking any kombucha, especially green tea kombucha, has many potential health benefits. Even though it is fermented into a kombucha it still has close to the same benefits as drinking plain green tea. Why is Green Tea Vs Black Tea Kombucha a Healthier Option? Green tea is one of the healthiest drinks you can consume. Over black tea, green tea increases the number of calories you burn, reduces belly fat, promotes weight loss, supports your immune system, improves cholesterol levels, and helps with blood sugar control. Studies also show that green tea drinkers have a reduced risk of prostate, breast, and colon cancers. The Role of Tea in Kombucha Brewing Process Tea plays a very important role in the kombucha brewing process. Not only does it create the flavor profile but it is also vital to fermentation. Tea also provides the necessary nutrients for the SCOBY. Its essentially feeds the kombucha SCOBY caffeine (or energy), tannins, polyphenols, and nitrogen to for a healthy SCOBY. What Type of Tea is Best for Kombucha Brewing? While green tea, black tea, white, tea, and oolong tea can are all excellent choices, we now have to consider the quality. Is organic tea better? What about tea bags vs loose leaf tea? Does Brewing the Highest Quality Tea Matter? Quality ingredients matter and will brew a better kombucha. Your fermented tea will have better flavor, more nutrients, more caffeine, and higher antioxidants. These will all contribute to the highest quality kombucha. However, you can brew great kombucha from your basic, inexpensive black or green tea. There’s nothing wrong with that if it works for you. Tea Bags Vs Loose-Leaf Tea for Brewing Kombucha Loose-leaf tea, or green tea leaves, are usually higher quality and less money per ounce. While tea bags are much more convenient. Tea bags are often made up of smaller broken up pieces of tea, where as loose-leaf tea is made of of larger pieces, which preserves the quality. Both work well for brewing fermented tea. It’s all what you prefer. Organic Tea Vs Conventional Tea for Brewing Kombucha This again, the right tea comes down to personal preference. Brewing kombucha with organic tea does ensure that your homemade kombucha is brewed without all those nasty chemical compounds. Whether you choose organic tea or conventional tea, the most important thing is that you maintain good brewing practices. Green Tea Vs Black Tea Kombucha While some kombucha brewers say green tea has more health benefits than black tea, it’s all what you prefer. Different teas will have different flavor profiles and slightly different benefits. The best tea for brewing the perfect kombucha can only be found by experimenting with different teas, flavors, and fermentation times. So, get busy and start experimenting with making homemade kombucha. Happy Homesteading & Kombucha Brewing. Jenny @ The GrahamStead Family Farm Jenny and her family have been homesteading for over 20 years. They are currently farming on their 10 acre Florida farm, that they built from the ground up, 8 years ago, growing 100% of their meat and a lot of their vegetables. From their small herd of Aberdeen Angus Cattle, Pastured Poultry, Sheep, and seasonal pigs, they are able to raise enough meat for the family while selling extra to the community. All the while, striving to butcher at home, as much as possible, and use the bits and pieces of their harvest by preserving food, making bone broth, and (Jenny’s favorite) tanning all kinds of hides! SOURCES: Leech, Joe. “8 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Kombucha Tea.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 10 Mar. 2023, www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-kombucha-tea#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5. Rodrigo Rezende Cardoso a, et al. “Kombuchas from Green and Black Teas Have Different Phenolic Profile, Which Impacts Their Antioxidant Capacities, Antibacterial and Antiproliferative Activities.” Food Research International, Elsevier, 8 Nov. 2019, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996919306684#s0110. Homestead Kitchen Homesteading