Select the Best Kombucha Brewing Jar for Safe Home Brewed Kombucha
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Brew your own kombucha
We think that brewing kombucha at home is an easy, fun activity that results in a delicious, healthy beverage. Brewing your own kombucha is also much less expensive than buying it in a store. Plus, you have the advantage of tailoring the finished beverage to your own taste buds and creating interesting flavors.
Kombucha brewing jar requirements
The kombucha brewing container needs to be:
- large enough to produce a reasonable size batch of kombucha
- made of a material that is safe for brewing
- of a size that fits into your kombucha brewing space
- easy to keep clean
- able to be moved easily
Kombucha brewing jar size recommendations
In a hurry? See our top picks for kombucha brewing jars
CLICK on the buttons below to see Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
Or read on for more details about choosing a kombucha brewing jar…
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top
Top | Parker Eight - 1 Pack - 1 Gallon Glass Jar with Plastic Airtight Lid, Muslin Cloth, Rubber Band - Wide Mouth Easy to Clean - Dishwasher Safe - Kombucha, Kefir, Canning, Sun Tea, Fermentation, Storage | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top | Empty 1 Gallon Glass Jar w/Airtight Leakproof Plastic Lid - Wide Mouth Easy to Clean - Dishwasher Safe - USDA Certified - Kombucha Tea, Kefir, Canning, Sun Tea, Fermentation, Food Storage | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top | 2 Pack - 1 Gallon Glass Jar w/Plastic Airtight Lid, Muslin Cloth, Rubber Band - Made in USA, Wide Mouth - Kombucha, Kimchi, Kefir, Canning, Sun Tea, Fermentation, Food Storage | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Top | Anchor Hocking 2-Gallon Heritage Hill Glass Beverage Dispenser with Spigot, Set of 1 | Prime | Buy Now | |
Top | Northern Brewer Glass Continuous Kombucha Container with Stainless Steel Spigot (3 Gallon Glass w/Stainless Spigot) | Prime | Buy Now |
Brewing a one gallon batch of kombucha is a good quantity to begin with. So, we recommend starting with a one gallon glass jar. Fortunately, these are easy to find for no cost, or at very little cost.
One gallon jars are often called pickle jars, because for a long time pickles came in this size jar for use in stores and restaurants.
One gallon size glass jars are still used at restaurants who buy mayonnaise, salad dressings and other food products in that quantity, including of course, pickles. You may also find food products in one gallon jars at the big box stores.
This 1-gallon USDA Fermentation Glass Jar is inexpensive, easy to keep clean, and easy to move around.
It is the perfect size for the beginner brewer or if you want to brew small batches of kombucha.
It even comes with an airtight and leakproof plastic lid, muslin cloth, and rubber bands to hold the Muslin Cloth in place
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Sometimes a bigger kombucha brewing vessel is better
Ultimately, we found that a two and one half gallon brewing vessel was just about right for us. But each brewer has their own needs, so of course, it is up to you.
Why wider kombucha brewing jars work better
Wider brewing jars brew faster. Here’s why. The wider the jar, the larger the SCOBY grows, since the new SCOBY always grows to cover the top of the fermenting brew. Also, wider jars allows the SCOBY to get more of the oxygen it craves.
Best kombucha brewing jar materials
Glass kombucha brewing jars
So far, we have been only been recommending jars made of glass. We like glass jars because they are inexpensive and easy to keep clean. Since the mouth should be wide enough to get your hand into, it is easy to scrub away residue. It is also handy to be able to see into the jar and check on how your SCOBY is doing.
Porcelain or ceramic kombucha brewing containers
Porcelain is a kind of ceramic—the names are used interchangeably. They can work fine for brewing kombucha and many brewers like them.
One very important fact to know is that some ceramics are made with lead, which is poisonous to both the SCOBY and you. Lead is a heavy metal that is very dangerous to ingest and causes serious medical problems for those that get it into their bodies by mistake.
Ceramic jars are easy to keep clean if they have wide mouths. Most are sturdy and thicker than glass, which makes them heavier to move around. Ceramic can also scratch or chip, so just like glass kombucha brewers, it is important to keep a good grip when moving it around.
If you looking for a more attractive option, this Geo Sports Porcelain Ceramic Crock is 100% lead and cadmium free, and suitable for brewing kombucha.
It comes in four beautiful looks, including this pretty speckled black color. It holds 3.2 gallons which is a good size for most advanced brewers.
It includes a high quality stainless steel spigot as well—an important feature. (see below).
- Made with high-quality materials, including stainless steel faucets and 100% lead-free porcelain. Pour with ease, prevent leaks, and avoid messes using our NEW stainless steel faucets.
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Stainless steel kombucha brewing fermenters
Much high end brewing equipment is constructed of stainless steel. These containers can be used to brew kombucha at home. Stainless steel containers come in many sizes, including very large ones, so if you want to brew large quantities of kombucha, they may be your only choice.
Steel is easy to clean, strong, and won’t break if you bump or drop it. It can also be easily fitted with a valve near the bottom which makes putting the brewed kombucha into bottles easy.
This Chapman Stainless Steel Brew Kettle holds 7 gallons and is built of high grade stainless steel. It is specifically designed for brewing.
It is easy to clean, safe, durable, and is sure to last a long, long time.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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For brewing even larger quantities of kombucha, stainless steel brew kettles like this 10 gallon Concord Stainless Steel Home Brew Kettle are available in sizes that hold up to 45 gallons.
Made from high quality, fully polished, 304 stainless steel, it is suitable for both home and commercial kombucha brewing. These also come with a stainless steel spigot and a thermometer.
Plastic kombucha brewing containers
Yes, you can brew kombucha in a plastic bucket. For larger than two gallon batches of kombucha, a food grade plastic bucket is an inexpensive choice.
These are readily available at your local brewing supply store and online because many home beer brewers use them. You’ll want to be sure to only use plastic that is designed for food. Other types of plastic can leach chemicals into your batch of kombucha.
This 5 Gallon White Bucket is made of food grade HDPE plastic.
It is intended to be used for brewing and is constructed of durable material.
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A note on kombucha brewing container spigots
After your kombucha has completed brewing (fermentation one), the kombucha is transferred into bottles. We always add some flavoring ingredients at this stage of the process because we love creating new recipes and delicious flavor combinations.
If you are brewing in a smaller (one gallon or so) container, you can simply pour your finished brew (after removing the SCOBY) into a pitcher and then use a funnel to bottle it. But larger kombucha brewing vessels are unwieldy to pick up and pour from, so you need an easier way to get the finished brew into bottles.
The solution that we find works best for us is an autosiphon. You can learn about one here.
Some glass, ceramic, and plastic brewing vessels come with spigots attached near the bottom. Most of these are made of plastic and are not food safe for use with kombucha brewing. They are likely to leak. Furthermore, you will find that the SCOBY will grow right inside the spigot and when you open it, nothing will come out.
More choices in quality stainless steel spigots
Transferring brewed kombucha from the brewing jar into bottles
If you don’t have a brewing jar with a spigot, it is still easy to transfer the kombucha into the bottles with an autosiphon. They work well, are easy to keep clean and inexpensive to buy. You can learn more about them here.
The proper covering for a kombucha brewing jar
Whatever kind of brewing container that you decide on, you won’t need the lid or cover that it comes with. Remember that the SCOBY depends on oxygen to ferment your tea and sugar solution into delicious kombucha.
So you must tightly cover your fermentation container with a cloth covering. You want one that has a tight enough weave to keep out insects and dust, but can still let air in.
You also don’t want to use is cheesecloth, because the weave is too open to keep your brew safe. And you don’t want to use any type of lid that keeps the air out.
We have found that a cloth napkin or handkerchief works well and that is what we recommend.
Some brewers report success using a paper coffee filter, but these are more difficult to tightly attach to the fermenter and must be replaced often. We frankly don’t see any advantage to using them.
- ✅ HIGH-QUALITY KOMBUCHA JAR COVER – Why buying something that can be easily torn apart, when now you can have these strong and durable Kombucha lids made from ultra-fine breathable nylon mesh material
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If you don’t have any cloth napkins handy, there are also covers that you can purchase that are specifically designed for the purpose of covering a kombucha brewing jar.
They are composed of nylon mesh so they should last forever.
There are a few ways to secure the cloth around the top of your brewing jar; you could use a piece of string or wire. Our favorite way though is with a large rubber band like these.
Rubber bands are easy to take on and off so that you can check on your SCOBY whenever you want to with minimum fuss.
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Kombucha brewing jars that are unsuitable for brewing
Plastic or rubber containers that are not food safe.
All plastic containers are manufactured from materials derived from oil, natural gas, or coal. They often contain many other kinds of chemicals that are not safe for human consumption. The SCOBY is a very active organism and can dissolve out chemicals from the plastic and create a brew full of chemical compounds that you do not want to drink.
Metals other than stainless steel
Most metals are not good for the SCOBY and not good for you to ingest. Only high quality stainless steel will prevent the SCOBY from leaching metal compounds into your kombucha. Stay away from containers made of copper, aluminum, or low grade steel.
Lead crystal glass
All crystal glass contains lead. As mentioned, this is a heavy metal that is very dangerous and causes serious medical problems when ingested.
Colored glass containers
Most colored glass also contain lead, a very dangerous metal to have in your kombucha. These jars are quite pretty, but don’t be tempted to use them to brew kombucha.
What type of kombucha brewing jar do you prefer? Please leave us a comment below.
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I recently purchased an 2 gal model # 93339 to brew Kombucha however I’m not sure it’s the right jar for the job
Would you recommend another one or will this do fine?
We find that a 2-gallon brewing jar works perfectly for us. It provides enough kombucha for daily drinking and even some to share with friends and family. You made a good choice! Happy brewing.
I needed a second jar, and searching for an inexpensive gallon jar all I could find was a $12.95 jar plus $8.00 shipping. In addition, most of these jars are made in China, and no doubt are not BPA certified, or guaranteed lead free. I know that Anchor Hocking glass is made in the USA, lead free, food safe, BPA certified, and is a thicker/heavier glass than the cheaper gallon jars. I searched and found what I was looking for at Bed & Bath. It was the Anchor Hocking® Heritage Hill 1-Gallon Clear Glass Canister with Lid for $10.99 or $8.79 if you are a member. Free pickup at the store which is great if you have a Bed & Bath in your town. The mouth is a few inches wider than a typical glass gallon jar, but that is no problem, your kombucha may brew a bit more quickly is all due to more Scoby surface area. Going to buy a couple more for sure!!