Can You Make Kombucha With Matcha?

Short answer: yes, but use a separate jar or add it at bottling

Matcha is powdered green tea, so it comes from true tea and can work in kombucha. But because you drink the whole leaf in powder form, it leaves sediment and can cloud the batch. Most brewers either ferment a separate matcha batch with a spare SCOBY, or add matcha at bottling.

What matcha is

Matcha is shade-grown green tea leaf, ground into a fine powder. It is whisked into water rather than steeped and strained, so you consume the whole leaf. For that reason, a serving of matcha often contains more caffeine than a cup of steeped green tea, though the exact amount varies by product.

Method 1: a separate matcha batch with a spare SCOBY

This keeps your main culture safe from the powder while you test matcha.

1. Sterilize your equipment, and use a spare SCOBY (you can grow one) and some starter tea, not your main culture.
2. Make a sweet base. Dissolve about ¾ to 1 cup of plain cane sugar in a little warm water, then stir it into the cooled water to make one gallon.
3. Add a small amount of matcha. Whisk about 1 teaspoon of matcha into a little of the sweet liquid until smooth, then stir it into the batch. For a gallon, start with 1 teaspoon and taste as you go, rather than adding a large amount at once. Some guides suggest up to a tablespoon for larger batches.
4. Cool it. Let the mixture reach room temperature, about 70 to 80°F (21 to 27°C), before you add anything living.
5. Add the culture. Add 1 to 2 cups of unflavored starter tea and the spare SCOBY. Cover with a breathable cloth and a rubber band.
6. Ferment. Keep the jar at about 68 to 78°F (20 to 26°C), out of direct sunlight. Expect around 7 to 13 days, and start tasting around day 5.
7. Strain before bottling. Matcha settles to the bottom and can cling to the culture. Strain the kombucha through a fine cloth before you bottle it.

Many brewers find that matcha works better when blended with black or green tea than when used alone. If you use it alone, keep the spare SCOBY and the batch notes, so you can repeat or adjust the result.

Method 2: matcha at bottling

This is the simpler option, and it keeps matcha out of the culture entirely.

1. Brew a plain tea kombucha using green or black tea, as in how to make kombucha tea.
2. Remove the SCOBY and set aside some starter tea for the next batch.
3. Whisk matcha into a small amount of finished kombucha until smooth. Start with a small amount, perhaps a teaspoon per bottle, and taste.
4. Bottle and seal. Adding a small amount of fruit juice or a little sugar gives the yeast something to work with, if you want fizz.
5. Ferment for 1 to 3 days at room temperature, then refrigerate. Burp the bottles daily to release pressure.

Because matcha does not sit in the batch during fermentation, this method is less likely to affect the culture. It also gives a lighter, more even flavor. The trade-off is that the matcha will settle in the bottle, so shake gently before you pour, or strain it if you prefer a clear drink.

Caffeine

Matcha is a whole-leaf powder, so the caffeine per serving can be higher than a cup of steeped green tea. Kombucha made with matcha is a caffeinated drink. If you are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, or taking medicine that interacts with it, check with a clinician, and start with a small glass. For more on caffeine and how kombucha can feel, see why kombucha can make you feel buzzed.

Troubleshooting

• Lots of sediment. Strain before bottling, or use Method 2.
• Clouded or stained SCOBY. Keep matcha out of your main culture, and use a spare SCOBY for matcha batches.
• Bitter or grassy flavor. Use less matcha, or blend it with black or green tea.
• Slow fermentation. Check the temperature and make sure the batch was cool before you added the culture.
• Mold. Discard the batch if you see fuzzy spots, which can be blue, black, green or white. Brown or stringy strands are normal yeast.

Bottom line

You can make kombucha with matcha, and the powder works best in a separate batch with a spare SCOBY or added at bottling. Start with a small amount, strain before bottling, and keep your main culture on plain tea. For the base teas that most brewers start with, see green or black tea for kombucha.