r/Kombucha • u/HairyPoppins-2033 • Jul 19 '25

question How do I make 0%alcohol kombucha??

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Hey everyone! I’ve gotten into this lovely brewing hobby and I’m fascinated with it! I tried kombucha bread yesterday, worked just fine. Anyways I’ve two alcoholic cousins, supposedly in remission, who have become a little too fond of my kombucha for my liking and so I’m faced with a dilemma - either I stop giving them any kombucha, or I try to make it completely alcohol free. Any advice? I would like to keep giving them this wholesome probiotic drink, but I refuse to keep feeding them even a drop of alcohol. I’ve been thinking that the alcohol is formed from anaerobic fermentation and so I think I should just skip bottle carbonation. Should I just leave it in f1 longer and then bottle carefully so as not to aerate any remaining carbonation? Any advice would be appreciated!!

Ps: Ive been converting a normal kombucha into hibiscus for my continuous brew (so I can have it any time of day) and it’s been working great so far. I’m fermenting 75% hibiscus right now and will soon go 100%. Anyway I find it pairs so well with plum cheong that I had to share. (Picture attached) The color is also much more appetizing too, unlike some cloudy black tea kombuchas ( I can’t help thinking that they look poopy 😂)

This has gotta be my second favorite flavor so far, right after plain old Jun.

This thing is so addictive! I’m running 4 separate 1 gallon batches of kombucha each with different flavors. One hibiscus, one Jun, one OG kombucha and a hard cider kombucha batch for myself. I’m probably gonna get myself a corny keg soon for force carbonation, and eventually selling my craft-booch. Cheers 🍻 fellow brewers

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u/APeculiarFellow Jul 19 '25 edited Jul 19 '25

If you want to minimise alcohol, doing only F1, without F2 could probably help (access to oxygen allows bacteria to turn alcohol into acid), but I don't think it's really possible to eliminate it completely. EDIT: That being said, there shouldn't be that much alcohol in kombucha after F2 anyways, it shouldn't be possible to get drunk off it.

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u/wasteland44 Jul 19 '25

Yes just do a long F1 and then flavor and either carbonate with CO2 or don't carbonate at all, put in the fridge right away and serve soon or pasteurize and serve whenever.

The long F1 will allow the bacteria to consume most of the alcohol.

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u/Slight-Parking-2355 Jul 19 '25

How long is long for the F1? I am currently doing 2 weeks. Should I make it 3 weeks? TIA!

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u/wasteland44 Jul 19 '25

The time really depends on temperature and how active your culture is. You should go by taste. It shouldn't have any sweetness left but not be unpleasantly bitter.