🧠 What is Kombucha?

Kombucha has been brewed for thousands of years — first emerging in ancient China over 2,000 years ago, where it was revered as the “Tea of Immortality.” Traditionally passed from hand to hand, culture to culture, this fermented tea has long been valued for its refreshing tang and qi-boosting effects. At GOTURSIX’s Hellbender Third Space Kitchen, we carry that legacy forward — with a modern twist grounded in neuroscience and gut health.

Research continues to validate what we see every day: nurturing the gut microbiome supports the enteric nervous system (ENS) — your “second brain.” This intricate neural network lining your gut sends constant messages to the brain via the vagus nerve, helping regulate mood, emotional balance, resilience and more.

Studies now show kombucha can encourage the growth of SCFA-producing bacteria (Subdoligranulum, Akkermansiaceae); support anti-inflammatory and cognitive functions, and aid people managing PTSD, ADHD, anxiety, and trauma recovery (see J Nutr, 2025; Nutrients, 2025).

Our Hellbender Kombucha SCOBY strain is more than two decades in the making — and with your support we’re creating a culture of resilience, connection, and recovery.

Because healing doesn’t always start with a conversation. Sometimes, it starts with a sip.

📋 DIY Kombucha Recipe

Yield: 1 gallon
Time: 7–14 days (primary) + 2–5 days (optional 2nd ferment)

Ingredients

• For First Ferment:

  • 1 Hellbender Kombucha SCOBY (pellicle + 16 oz starter tea)

  • 1 cup cane sugar (no honey, stevia, or other substitute)

  • 8 tea bags or 2 Tbsp loose-leaf black and/or green tea (mix it up, but Earl Grey can be funky)

  • 14 cups filtered water

• For second Ferment: select a recipe based on preference

  • Mashed Fruit (watermelon and blueberries)

  • Fruit juice (mango, cherry, cranberry, pomegranate)

  • Herbs for flavor (lavender and orange)

🧰 Supplies

• 1-gallon glass jar

• Cloth cover + rubber band

• Funnel

• Glass flip-top bottles with tight lids (for optional 2nd ferment)

🔬 Directions

1. Brew the Sweet Tea
Boil 4 cups of water. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add tea and steep for 10–15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Assemble the Brew
Pour sweet tea into your glass jar. Add 10 cups of filtered water and 2 cups of starter tea. Gently place the SCOBY on top.

3. Cover (1st Ferment)
Secure with a breathable cloth and rubber band. Store in a warm (68–78°F), dark space for 7–14 days. Taste after day 7 until tangy but not vinegary.

4. Bottle & Flavor (2nd Ferment)
Remove SCOBY and 2 cups of starter tea for your next batch. Add fruit or herbs to bottles, pour in kombucha, seal with flip top lid, and let sit at room temp 2–5 days for carbonation. Then refrigerate.

⚠️ Safety Tips

• Sanitize all equipment and hands before brewing - optional: consider using an acid sanitizer, like Star San

• Do not use flavored, oily (like Early Grey), or herbal teas for the base brew

• A word about mold: If you have it in your house, you’ll have it in your kombucha. Discard if you see fuzzy black, green, or blue patches

• “Burp” and/or refrigerate bottled kombucha to prevent over-carbonation

🪰 Fruit Flies = Friend and Foe

If a fruit fly or two show up near your jar — don’t panic. They’re drawn to the very acids and yeasts that make kombucha so powerful. In fact, fruit flies are used in neuroscience labs to study how gut microbes shape behavior, stress response, and even memory. But keep them out of your kombucha - they will lay their eggs on the pellicle and ruin your batch.