Yeast & cultures
This is the living part of the drink. Kombucha needs a SCOBY and starter tea, and beer needs ale yeast. A SCOBY regrows every batch, so you pay for it once. A sachet of yeast costs a few dollars and pitches one five-gallon batch.
What clean means here: USDA Organic cultures where they exist
Organic kombucha cultures are easy to find. Organic brewing yeast only comes as a liquid (Imperial Yeast’s is certified by Oregon Tilth) and ships cold from homebrew shops, so there’s no card for it here. No organic dry sachet exists, so the dry yeast on this page is the mainstream non-GMO kind.
Source: Colorado State Extension: understanding and making kombucha, Imperial Yeast: organic yeast
Our picks
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Fermentaholics Organic Kombucha SCOBY + Starter Tea
$14 · 1 culture + 12 fl oz starter teaShop Fermentaholics Organic Kombucha SCOBY + Starter Tea on Amazon
An organic SCOBY with starter tea. You buy it once: the culture regrows with every batch, so it adds nothing to the cost of a bottle.
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The Kombucha Shop 100% Organic SCOBY + Starter
$15 · 1 culture + 14 fl oz starterShop The Kombucha Shop 100% Organic SCOBY + Starter on Amazon
Another organic SCOBY, shipped with starter liquid. As with the one above, you buy it once and reuse it every batch.
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Fermentis SafAle US-05 American Ale Yeast (3-pack)
$12 · 3 × 11.5 g sachetsShop Fermentis SafAle US-05 American Ale Yeast (3-pack) on Amazon
A clean-fermenting American ale yeast; one sachet pitches a five-gallon batch, so a three-pack is three batches.
New sachets print “contains wheat” and an emulsifier (E491).
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Lallemand LalBrew Nottingham Ale Yeast
$7 · 11 g sachetShop Lallemand LalBrew Nottingham Ale Yeast on Amazon
An English-style dry ale yeast sold as a single sachet, enough to pitch one five-gallon batch.
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Run the numbers
Certifications and ingredient lists are the manufacturers' label claims as we last checked them, not our own testing. They change, so read the current label, especially for allergens. Cost information only; nothing here is nutrition or medical advice. Full terms & disclaimers →