Continuous Brew Ratio Calculator
Continuous brewing keeps one large vessel going: draw off finished kombucha, top up with fresh sweet tea. Enter your vessel size and draw percentage to get both sides of the cycle.
Results
- Refill with sweet tea
- 1.5 L
- Sugar for the refill
- 75 g (2.6 oz)
- Tea bags
- 3
- or loose leaf tea
- 5.6 g
After refilling, wait roughly 7-14 days (fewer when warm) before the next draw so acidity recovers.
How continuous brew ratios work
The refill uses the same ratios as batch brewing - 50 g of sugar and about 2 tea bags per liter of fresh tea. Drawing 20-40% keeps enough mature, acidic kombucha in the vessel that the culture stays ahead of mold while the fresh tea ferments.
Related tools
The refill ratios come straight from the kombucha batch calculator. For sweetening the bottled result, see the second fermentation time calculator and the kombucha sugar calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What size draw should I take from a continuous brew vessel?
20-40% of vessel volume per cycle is the common range. Smaller, more frequent draws keep acidity stable; drawing more than half at once leaves too little mature, acidic kombucha to protect the fresh tea from mold.
How often can I draw off a continuous brew?
Typically every 7-14 days, faster in warm rooms. Wait until the batch tastes properly tart again - the culture needs time to drop the pH of the fresh tea before the next draw.
Does continuous brew change the sugar or tea ratios?
No. Refill with sweet tea at the same ratios as batch brewing: about 50 g of sugar and 2 tea bags per liter of fresh tea (1 cup sugar and 8 bags per gallon).
Is continuous brew better than batch brewing?
It trades handling for consistency: fewer jar washings and a stable, well-established culture, but less control over sweetness per bottle and a bigger loss if something goes wrong. Many brewers run batches first, then switch once their recipe is steady.