Kombucha Brewing System

Yes, 304 stainless is what commercial kombucha is fermented in. Kombucha finishes around pH 2.5 to 3.5, which rules out aluminum, scratched plastic, brass and anything with lead solder, but not stainless. Every wetted part in this system is 304 stainless or silicone, joined with tri-clamp fittings.

Yes. The controller pulses the ultra-low-watt-density element at a low setting to hold 75–80°F, so the liquid never gets hot enough to hurt the culture, and the SCOBY floats at the top, away from the element. Only hold temperature with a full batch so the element stays covered. Customers already hold beer fermentation temperature the same way in cold shops.

Steep the tea at 190–200°F, cool it below 85°F before the culture goes in, hold 75–80°F for the first ferment (7–14 days) and the second ferment (2–5 days), then crash to 34–38°F to stop fermentation before kegging. The element and controller handle everything warm; the optional glycol chiller handles the crash. Set the glycol a few degrees above the element during fermentation so the two never fight.

No, and we don't recommend it. Both ferments run warm (75–80°F), and the element holds that. The only cold step is the crash after the second ferment, to 34–38°F, and tap water can't get that cold anyway. Use the glycol option in Step 3 for the crash, or keg and refrigerate. The jacket is rated to 5 psi, so it should never see mains water pressure.

Kombucha doesn't foam like beer, so it needs less headspace and each tank makes a bigger batch: up to about 6.5 gal (25 L) in the 8 gal, 11 gal (42 L) in the 13 gal, 22 gal (83 L) in the 26 gal and 33 gal (125 L) in the 1 BBL. Fill to about where the straight wall meets the top dome: the SCOBY needs the full surface. The 8 gal comes in 120V for a standard outlet or 240V; the 13 gal, 26 gal and 1 BBL need a 240V, 30A outlet.

Many of our customers do. Check your local food and licensing rules first, and test alcohol: kombucha can climb past 0.5% ABV, especially during a second ferment, and in the US anything at 0.5% or above is regulated as an alcoholic beverage.

You can, but kombucha's acetic acid bacteria are exactly what beer brewers fear. Either dedicate the tank to kombucha, or run a full hot caustic clean, sanitize, and replace the gaskets before it sees beer again.

2 years on the stainless: the vessel, every weld and TC port, grain baskets, brew tables and stainless fittings.

1 year on electronics: controllers, pumps, heating elements, solenoid valves and temperature probes, whether they come with a system or are bought on their own. Not covered on elements: dry-firing (running the element without liquid covering it), and heat or melt damage at the twist-lock plug from a loose or improper connection — a proper, fully seated connection has to be maintained.

Gaskets, clamps and O-rings are consumables; replacements are in stock and cheap. Warranty replacement parts are free, and we bill the shipping at cost. If we need the faulty part back, we send you a prepaid label.

Lifetime parts support on everything we build — serviced, not replaced. Orders placed before October 8, 2026 keep the warranty terms they were sold with.