Boil water and steep tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and dissolve sugar in hot tea. Allow tea to cool to room temperature.

Pour cooled tea into a large jar, add starter liquid, and fill with water leaving about 1 inch space at the top.

Gently place the SCOBY into the jar and cover with a breathable cloth secured with a rubber band.

Let the mixture ferment at room temperature for 7 to 14 days, depending on desired tartness.

Remove the SCOBY and reserve a cup of the liquid for the next batch. Bottle the fermented tea, adding fruit or herbs if desired, and allow a secondary fermentation for carbonation.