Best Materials for a Brewing Vessel for Kombucha
The brewing vessel for Kombucha is the SCOBY mushroom’s home! It is important to select the proper brewing vessel for Kombucha to avoid contaminating your Tea.
Kombucha is a wonderful detoxifyer. That being said, it will also detox whatever environment in which it resides. That is why it is so important to choose the best material to protect yourself and your culture!
Glass Brewing Vessel for Kombucha
A Sun Tea jar may not be a good choice due to the spigot materials.
This is the ideal medium for brewing Kombucha. It is simple to source and relatively inexpensive. I’ve used recycled gallon sized pickle jars for years and have been very pleased with them. Size matters. It is best to stick to uncolored glass.
Many glass jars have spigots that are NOT SAFE for use with Kombucha. Learn more about spigots on vessels here.
You can usually find jars at the thrift store, on Freecycle or ask your favorite bartender if they can save a jar for you. Can’t locate one? We have 1 Gallon American Made Glass Jars and 1/2 Gallon American Made Glass Jars Available!
Glass bowls may also work and can be found for relatively cheap, but most people quickly tire of managing bowls as they are the messiest option and take up the most counter space.
Porcelain, Ceramic, or Stoneware
There are several types of porcelain brewers that are acceptable. Avoid ceramic vases or pottery pieces with any glazes on them as they may contain lead. Select a food grade porcelain brewing vessel for Kombucha for the safest brew.
Stainless Steel
While metal is not an acceptable material to brew Kombucha Tea, stainless steel is because it is non-corrosive. Stainless steel is also common in the beer brewing industry.
Stainless Steel Continuous Brewer
Wood Barrel
I have not personally used the wooden keg for my own home-brew. I know that there are several brewers out there who LOVE it. Order yours from a trusted source and do your research to see if this is the right option for you. Vinegar (Kombucha is an acetic acid ferment, just like vinegar, hence the similarity in taste) has traditionally been brewed in oak as are wine and beer.
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Acceptable Brewing Vessels for Kombucha
Food Grade Plastic 1 & 2
Food Grade may be acceptable, but with so many better options, we don’t recommend it.
According to Michael Roussin’s research in 1995, fermenting Kombucha in food grade plastic 1 & 2 didn’t cause toxins from the plastic to contaminate the Kombucha Tea. However, in 1995 nobody knew about BPA’s. The choice is yours, so if you are comfortable using it, then go for it, but I personally don’t advise it.
Never Ferment Kombucha Tea in these Types of Vessels
Metal
Avoid metals other than stainless steel
Metals other than stainless steel can contain elements that could poison you. Never use aluminum, cast iron or any other type of metal vessel to brew Kombucha.
Crystal
Crystal is traditionally made with lead. Therefore, it CANNOT be used to safely ferment Kombucha. It will give you lead poisoning. If you aren’t certain, you can always procure a home lead testing kit to double check the safety of that vessel.
The brewing vessel is your Kombucha mushroom’s home! It is important to select the proper vessel to avoid contaminating your Kombucha Tea.
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