# Kombucha Brewers



## amd

I know there are several threads about kombucha soap, but I'm really curious how many kombucha brewers are in the forum. So who's out there?

I have been drinking kombucha off and on for 2 years, just started brewing my own about a year ago, taking a small break at the beginning of summer when we moved, and December/January while I was getting my mental poop in a group. I make about 3/4 gallon at a time, because I'm the only one who drinks it at my house.

Tea: I usually brew mine with black and green tea, but I did do a few batches with oolong that I brought back from a China trip. (I'll be leaving more room in my bag on next trip. That was the best carbonation I have ever gotten!) 

Sugar: I usually use regular old table sugar, but did my first batch with raw sugar just last week. 

Flavors: Mostly plain, but I have experimented a bit with pumpkin, strawberry & rhubarb, and my last batch was strawberry & lime, which is my new favorite. I use my sister's homemade strawberry syrup for the strawberry part. It's too runny to be a decent ice cream sauce, and too rich for panpakes (pancakes), but works well for booch because I don't have to use alot.

...and no... I haven't tried to make soap with booch, but it is on my list.


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## dibbles

DH brews kombucha. He uses black tea and isn’t very adventurous so no experimenting with flavors. IMO he lets it ferment too long. It’s pretty acidic compared to what I’ve bought.


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## amd

I have a work friend who also makes booch (she actually started because I had an extra SCOBY) and hers are too sweet for me, mine are too sour for her. It's such an individual taste! Although mine have gotten too sour  even for me once or twice, I try to get mine just a bit past "store tang".


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## Misschief

I've been making it for almost 2 years. I tend to experiment with teas but lately, I've been tending towards a blend of black and green teas. As for flavourings, my favourite so far has been Ruby Daydream from Kombucha Brooklyn (https://kombuchabrooklyn.com/blogs/kombucha-brooklyn/kombucha-recipe-ruby-daydream). Unfortunately, with one of the meds I'm on now, I've been told to avoid grapefruit. 

I've just bottled my first batch after putting it on hold for the winter (our house temps vary too much from day to night as we turn off all the heat at night). It's been flavoured with blueberry lavender. My batches are 1/2 gallon at a time and, like you, amd, I use white sugar mostly. I do have cane sugar in the house, in addition to turbinado and palm sugar but I like the flavour best with plain white sugar. 

I still have to learn when to bottle it for my taste; I tend to let it go too long and I really don't like it when it's too sour. I also make water kefir and it's more popular around here than kombucha; even my husband likes it.


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## dibbles

Misschief said:


> I've just bottled my first batch after putting it on hold for the winter (our house temps vary too much from day to night as we turn off all the heat at night).



We got *this* as our house temps are kept very cool in the winter months. We've had since Nov 2016, and have had no problems with it. Also 
*this *to keep an eye on the temp.


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## Obsidian

I'd love to make my own but I like it real sour. The brand I buy almost tastes like it has vinegar in it.

The brand that is made local is barely fermented with very little flavor. Is there good recipes for a nice sour blend?


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> I'd love to make my own but I like it real sour. The brand I buy almost tastes like it has vinegar in it.
> 
> The brand that is made local is barely fermented with very little flavor. Is there good recipes for a nice sour blend?



The longer you leave it to ferment, the more sour it becomes. 



dibbles said:


> We got *this* as our house temps are kept very cool in the winter months. We've had since Nov 2016, and have had no problems with it. Also
> *this *to keep an eye on the temp.



That's a good price. I'm in Canada, though, and on Amazon.ca, they're a LOT more expensive. I do have the temperature strips already.


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## amd

@Misschief I bought some seedling heat strips (I think they were) from a green house when I first started. They can wrap around the jar much like the one that @dibbles posted. You might check at a greenhouse or gardening center. I kept my old house quite chilly and turned the thermostat down when I wasn't at home/at night because I was cheap, lol. Our new house my husband keeps everything at a set temp, which helps, but also we have an old radiant heat boiler system, so my booch stays toasty warm by the boiler. I've also seen people wrapping them in christmas lights to keep warm.


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## wardbond

amd said:


> I know there are several threads about kombucha soap, but I'm really curious how many kombucha brewers are in the forum. So who's out there?
> 
> I have been drinking kombucha off and on for 2 years, just started brewing my own about a year ago, taking a small break at the beginning of summer when we moved, and December/January while I was getting my mental poop in a group. I make about 3/4 gallon at a time, because I'm the only one who drinks it at my house.
> 
> Tea: I usually brew mine with black and green tea, but I did do a few batches with oolong that I brought back from a China trip. (I'll be leaving more room in my bag on next trip. That was the best carbonation I have ever gotten!)
> 
> Sugar: I usually use regular old table sugar, but did my first batch with raw sugar just last week.
> 
> Flavors: Mostly plain, but I have experimented a bit with pumpkin, strawberry & rhubarb, and my last batch was strawberry & lime, which is my new favorite. I use my sister's homemade strawberry syrup for the strawberry part. It's too runny to be a decent ice cream sauce, and too rich for panpakes (pancakes), but works well for booch because I don't have to use alot.
> 
> ...and no... I haven't tried to make soap with booch, but it is on my list.


Kombucha Brewer here


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## Misschief

amd said:


> @Misschief I bought some seedling heat strips (I think they were) from a green house when I first started. They can wrap around the jar much like the one that @dibbles posted. You might check at a greenhouse or gardening center. I kept my old house quite chilly and turned the thermostat down when I wasn't at home/at night because I was cheap, lol. Our new house my husband keeps everything at a set temp, which helps, but also we have an old radiant heat boiler system, so my booch stays toasty warm by the boiler. I've also seen people wrapping them in christmas lights to keep warm.



Christmas lights I have. I may just dig them out today.

I have a question for those of you who make it... what's your favourite flavour? I'm always looking for new ideas.

Also, what's the size of your batch? I make 1/2 gallon at a time because I (and my granddaughter, occasionally) am the only one who drinks it.


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## amd

I thought strawberry lime was my favorite, until this morning. Blackberry ginger is my new favorite, lol. I also like the master cleanse recipe from the Big Book of Kombucha.

I do 3/4 of a gallon. I like that about booch, I can make as much or as little as I want!

Also, I am totally sold on using raw sugar in the big brew. I bottled my first batch using it last night, and it was already carbonated! I've never had carbonation in my big brew. As I was filling the bottles, I had to stop and let the carbonation head go down.


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## homesteaders

I've always used organic raw sugar, but my kombucha is never carbonated, even when I bottle it with ginger or fruit/juice and let it brew longer. Does the kind of tea affect carbonation? I love the carbonated kombucha from the store, but $$$$$.


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## amd

I think the type of tea has something to do with it too - I never had carbonation until I added green tea, but then only after bottling. When you bottle, you should leave some of the bottle unfilled too. I've read anywhere from 1/2" to 1" of head room. Temp may play a big part of it too, my kombucha stays at a toasty 85-90°F on the boiler, which is probably a bit warmer than most people can brew at.


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## BrewerGeorge

I've never made this stuff, but I've fermented lots of other things.  

Carbonation should be higher when ferment temperatures are lower because more CO2 will stay in solution that way.  But unless you contain pressure somehow, it will always equilbrate to one atmosphere's pressure at whatever temperature it is.  And since CO2 is only produced during fermentation, warming it up later will drive off CO2 which may not be replaced after it's cooled down.


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## Misschief

One suggestion I've encountered is to fill one plastic bottle (i.e. pop bottle or water bottle) with your kombucha. When it's hard, refrigerate the entire batch.


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## BrewerGeorge

Misschief said:


> One suggestion I've encountered is to fill one plastic bottle (i.e. pop bottle or water bottle) with your kombucha. When it's hard, refrigerate the entire batch.


That's what people do with home made soda or sparkling cider.  Naturally carbonated home brew is somewhat similar, as well.

One caution, though.  Use soda bottles for this, as they are meant to safely contain pressure.  Water bottles are much, much weaker.  Whatever you do, don't use glass!


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## amd

Back story: I make a maple bacon onion jam type thing that my kids love on french toast. On Saturday night I was bottling booch, and I thought "I wonder how this would taste in booch" so I threw some in with some pineapple. It wasn't the _worst_ booch I've ever tried, but it wasn't for casual drinking. So I made the best dang bread with it. I usually make this recipe with beer (whatever my hubs has on tap), but it worked with booch too!

3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces beer/kombucha (and now the kids want me to try Dr. Pepper...)

Mix everything together. Place in greased pan (ha, I almost said "mold"). Bake at 375 degs F for 40 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, allow to cool on wire rack before slicing.

I wish I would have thought of this when I was trying to drink the banana pb booch I made last week...


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## Obsidian

Misschief said:


> One suggestion I've encountered is to fill one plastic bottle (i.e. pop bottle or water bottle) with your kombucha. When it's hard, refrigerate the entire batch.



What does hard mean? I don't know terms yet.

I finally got my scoby grown and need to get the kombucha going.


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## Obsidian

@amd
I need help! I've been reading through recipes and they all require 2 cups starter tea or store bought kombucha, can I use the liquid I grew the scoby in instead of having to buy another bottle?
If you have to use starter tea, whats the point of using scoby? Isn't it supposed to get the culture growing in the tea?


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> What does hard mean? I don't know terms yet.
> 
> I finally got my scoby grown and need to get the kombucha going.


 You know how a pop bottle feels hard when you purchase it? That's because of the carbonation. Once opened, it's soft. Same thing with kombucha; when the bottle becomes hard, it's fermented and bubbly... naturally carbonated.


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> @amd
> I need help! I've been reading through recipes and they all require 2 cups starter tea or store bought kombucha, can I use the liquid I grew the scoby in instead of having to buy another bottle?
> If you have to use starter tea, whats the point of using scoby? Isn't it supposed to get the culture growing in the tea?



Yes, you can use the liquid you grew the scoby in. I did. Basically, the starter tea is used to kick start the process. You can use just starter tea, tbh, and a scoby will eventually grow. When you have a finished batch, just save some of that tea to start your next batch.


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## Obsidian

awesome, thank you! I'm mixing up my first batch tomorrow, wish me luck.


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> awesome, thank you! I'm mixing up my first batch tomorrow, wish me luck.


No luck needed, Obsidian. It does all the work itself.  I would recommend tasting it after about a week. If it's too sweet for you, let it go for another day or two.. or more.. until it tastes good to you.


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## CaraBou

Ok, I admit I haven’t gained taste yet for kambucha, but this sure caught my eye:



amd said:


> Back story: I make a maple bacon onion jam type thing that my kids love on french toast.



I bought something once that fits this description, but I’d love to try making my own.  Is this a recipe you’d share, amd?


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## homesteaders

amd said:


> Back story: I make a maple bacon onion jam type thing that my kids love on french toast. On Saturday night I was bottling booch, and I thought "I wonder how this would taste in booch" so I threw some in with some pineapple. It wasn't the _worst_ booch I've ever tried, but it wasn't for casual drinking. So I made the best dang bread with it. I usually make this recipe with beer (whatever my hubs has on tap), but it worked with booch too!
> 
> 3 cups self-rising flour
> 1/2 cup sugar
> 12 ounces beer/kombucha (and now the kids want me to try Dr. Pepper...)
> 
> Mix everything together. Place in greased pan (ha, I almost said "mold"). Bake at 375 degs F for 40 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, allow to cool on wire rack before slicing.
> 
> I wish I would have thought of this when I was trying to drink the banana pb booch I made last week...


I'm going to give that a go! Sounds delicious. I've never used self-rising flour before, but sounds good for a quick bread.


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## Sally_L

Misschief said:


> The longer you leave it to ferment, the more sour it becomes.
> 
> 
> 
> That's a good price. I'm in Canada, though, and on Amazon.ca, they're a LOT more expensive. I do have the temperature strips already.


I bought one of those heating mats for germinating trays of seedlings from Home Hardware for $20. I find the temp consistent enough during winter to brew a gallon from start to finish in 7 days. I just unplug it during summer.


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## Sally_L

Misschief said:


> Christmas lights I have. I may just dig them out today.
> 
> I have a question for those of you who make it... what's your favourite flavour? I'm always looking for new ideas.
> 
> Also, what's the size of your batch? I make 1/2 gallon at a time because I (and my granddaughter, occasionally) am the only one who drinks it.


I brew 2 gallons at a time. My jugs sit on top of a gardening heated mat, I do not wrap it around my jugs. I use organic cane sugar.  The types of teas I use are black, green and rooibos. I think that the different green teas taste better than black. Most frequently, I blend green with black tea to make sure my SCOBYs have enough tannins. When I flavour by teas, I just add a few berries or cherries to the bottles. I also use sliced ginger and turmeric. The ginger is lovely.


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## amd

Obsidian said:


> @amd
> I need help! I've been reading through recipes and they all require 2 cups starter tea or store bought kombucha, can I use the liquid I grew the scoby in instead of having to buy another bottle?
> If you have to use starter tea, whats the point of using scoby? Isn't it supposed to get the culture growing in the tea?



Yes, use the liquid you grew the SCOBY in. Your first batch may be a bit slower to get through fermentation, but it will be fine. This was how I started my brews in the new house, because I had managed to kill my hotel (extra SCOBY storage) during the move. My batches after the first went much better. Just don't add vinegar if your starter tea is shorter than the 2 cups recommended. Vinegar invites contamination. If you're short on the starter, it's ok to use what you have, just make a slightly smaller batch - say 12-14 cups water total instead of 16 (for a 1 gallon example). The next batch you'll be able to increase the water. 

There's several "camps" on the purpose of the SCOBY, and neither is wrong. Some people don't use the SCOBY at all and only use the starter. Their reasoning is that the starter will contain both yeast and bacteria needed, which is absolutely true. I'm in the "use the SCOBY" camp. There is some research (I don't have the links handy, but if I remember tonight I'll link them up) that indicates their are different strains of bacteria contained within the SCOBY itself that you can't get from just starter. My SCOBY also (almost) always floats on the top until the new one is formed, providing protection from "bad stuff" that may want to settle in before the tea can get to the pH level that prevents contamination. Either way, you're going to get kombucha!


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## amd

Sally_L said:


> I bought one of those heating mats for germinating trays of seedlings from Home Hardware for $20. I find the temp consistent enough during winter to brew a gallon from start to finish in 7 days. I just unplug it during summer.



You do want to be careful using a mat, as your heat source is then at the bottom of your brew, which will lead to over-yeasting. Heat sources should be able to heat the brew thoroughly without creating hot spots, such as a mat would do to the bottom, leaving the top colder.


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## amd

CaraBou said:


> I bought something once that fits this description, but I’d love to try making my own.  Is this a recipe you’d share, amd?



http://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/maple-onion-jam
It's based on this recipe, but I leave out the spices, except pepper and salt, and make it in smaller quantites in a saucepan on the stove.


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## Obsidian

amd said:


> Yes, use the liquid you grew the SCOBY in. Your first batch may be a bit slower to get through fermentation, but it will be fine. This was how I started my brews in the new house, because I had managed to kill my hotel (extra SCOBY storage) during the move. My batches after the first went much better. Just don't add vinegar if your starter tea is shorter than the 2 cups recommended. Vinegar invites contamination. If you're short on the starter, it's ok to use what you have, just make a slightly smaller batch - say 12-14 cups water total instead of 16 (for a 1 gallon example). The next batch you'll be able to increase the water.



Thank you, I had enough scoby juice for a full one gallon batch and enough left over to mix with some fruit juice and drink.

How do you store scoby? I'm not sure I will drink this fast enough to keep a batch constantly brewing.
Also, if I want to brew in two smaller jars instead of one big one, can I cut the scoby in half or peel the layers apart?


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## amd

Obsidian said:


> How do you store scoby? I'm not sure I will drink this fast enough to keep a batch constantly brewing.
> Also, if I want to brew in two smaller jars instead of one big one, can I cut the scoby in half or peel the layers apart?



Storing: Brew some extra sweet tea, place SCOBY in jar, cover with sweet tea and cover like you would for a brew and store out of the way. Some reading on the interwebs might make it complicated by telling you to feed it and such, but I don't worry about mine. I might top the jar off as it fills with scoby to keep enough liquid to cover the top scoby, but I do that about once every six months. It will grow its own scoby, and that's ok. The brew won't be suitable for drinking, it will be more like kombucha vinegar. Just to clarify "extra sweet tea": I boil for cups of water, steep 4 tea bags for 5 minutes, and add 4 cups water and 1 cup sugar. The sugar gives the scoby food during storage.

Yes, you can cut it in half or peel the layers apart. If your scoby is fairly thick (like an inch or so), I would just take a serated knife and cut the scoby in half like you would when splitting a round cake into layers.


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## ewenique

I've been making kombucha for several months now and use green tea. I wonder if commercial kombuch is artificially carbonated because mine is only a little fizzy before adding flavoring and refrigerating. I like fresh ginger and pineapple.

I've made CP soap with vinegary kombucha that's sat too long, and I've added a scoby to the lye water. It shrunk down to marble size and I discarded it. I substituted kombucha for apple cider vinegar in a shampoo bar recipe. The soap is quite nice!


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## Sally_L

amd said:


> You do want to be careful using a mat, as your heat source is then at the bottom of your brew, which will lead to over-yeasting. Heat sources should be able to heat the brew thoroughly without creating hot spots, such as a mat would do to the bottom, leaving the top colder.


so if I just put the mat behind the jugs--between the jugs and the wall--so that the heat is distributed from top to bottom, albeit on one side, do you think that would be better?


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## Obsidian

I've only tried a couple different kombucha, a local made and kevita brand. The local stuff is barely carbonated, its also flavorless and not very good. I do prefer the commercial stuff, I like a lot of flavor. I really hope mine isn't bland and flat lol.

Ginger sounds nice, do you use the juice or chunks of root? I've not really looked into flavoring yet, suppose I need to soon.


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## Misschief

Kevita is something different; it's water kefir. I make that, too.


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## Obsidian

Misschief said:


> Kevita is something different; it's water kefir. I make that, too.


its says master brew kombucha on it, at least the one I drink does.


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## Sally_L

Obsidian said:


> I've only tried a couple different kombucha, a local made and kevita brand. The local stuff is barely carbonated, its also flavorless and not very good. I do prefer the commercial stuff, I like a lot of flavor. I really hope mine isn't bland and flat lol.
> 
> Ginger sounds nice, do you use the juice or chunks of root? I've not really looked into flavoring yet, suppose I need to soon.


I slice it very thinly and add it to the bottles.


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## DeeAnna

Fermented tea, huh? I always wondered what this stuff was -- and that shows you how little I know about kombucha. My friend Dianna gave me a swig of her homemade kombucha that was soooo very sour and pungent, I wasn't sure I could swallow it. But then I sampled a commercial kombucha at a Mother Earth Fair that was nicely tangy and drinkable.

I make my own sauerkraut, lacto-fermented garlic (great way to preserve it!) and cucumber pickles, as well as wine and cider vinegar. I might have to give kombucha a try.


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## amd

My work friend and I have done some reading on big batch brewing - she wants to brew for distribution because the closest brewers to us are 4 hours and 6 hours away. GT's actually uses kiwi juice instead of sugar for their brewing, which also adds to the flavor. I don't think their carbonation is forced, typically when using CO2 to force carbonation you'll see a smaller more even bubble distribution versus larger bubbles in pockets. Forced carbonation will also feel sharper on your tongue.

I've done some playing with sugar the last month or two, and it does make a difference for carbonation. My brews using plain table (granulated white) sugar barely had any carbonation to them. I switched to raw sugar and my first brew had so much carbonation that when I was bottling it I had to wait for the head to go down to get the bottles properly filled. I also tried a batch using priming sugar from my husband's beer brewing stash. The big brew wasn't nearly as carbonated as the raw sugar, but the bottles did have more carbonation after sitting at room temp for 12 hours. If you're having trouble with carbonation, my advice is to play with 1) type of sugar and 2) amount of sugar.



Sally_L said:


> so if I just put the mat behind the jugs--between the jugs and the wall--so that the heat is distributed from top to bottom, albeit on one side, do you think that would be better?



You'd still be applying heat to one side rather than surrounding it. If you have old style christmas lights (not LED) those would be a better option to wrap around the jug. Of course, if the mat is working for you as is, then use it! Especially if your brewing jug is more round than it is tall (one of mine is). Over time you may notice your booch flavor going off, and the reasoning is because of the imbalance of yeast. You'd have to start over with fresh starter tea from someone else.


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> its says master brew kombucha on it, at least the one I drink does.


Hmm... I could be wrong; I only checked on bottle and I'm pretty sure it said water kefir. That was a while ago, though. 

Just checked their website. It seems Kevita is the brand name and they have both Kombucha and Water Kefir. 
https://kevita.com/products/sparkling-probiotic-drink/


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## Obsidian

Misschief said:


> Hmm... I could be wrong; I only checked on bottle and I'm pretty sure it said water kefir. That was a while ago, though.
> 
> Just checked their website. It seems Kevita is the brand name and they have both Kombucha and Water Kefir.
> https://kevita.com/products/sparkling-probiotic-drink/



Yeah, they also make a apple cider vinegar tonic that is yummy. My favorite kombucha of theirs is the tart cherry, I'd love to make something similiar.


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## earlene

DeeAnna said:


> Fermented tea, huh? I always wondered what this stuff was -- and that shows you how little I know about kombucha. My friend Dianna gave me a swig of her homemade kombucha that was soooo very sour and pungent, I wasn't sure I could swallow it. But then I sampled a commercial kombucha at a Mother Earth Fair that was nicely tangy and drinkable.
> 
> I make my own sauerkraut, lacto-fermented garlic (great way to preserve it!) and cucumber pickles, as well as wine and cider vinegar. I might have to give kombucha a try.



*DeeAnna*, I am replying to your post because I am curious about the garlic.  If you are willing to share, I'd love to learn more about this.  (Maybe in a new post, if others are interested, or PM if you like, or not at all is fine, too as I can surely Google 'lacto-fermented garlic').  But I would love to know about how you do it and how you use it afterward.

I don't drink Kombucha because it tastes alcoholic to me and I just don't like it.  My SIL has been making Kombucha for a few years and constantly has it with her.  It's her Kombucha that tastes strongly of alcohol to me, although I have tried commercial Kombucha and it was less strong.  I do buy it to use in Kombucha soap, so I taste it when I open it, but I just have not found one that I liked, particularly when it tastes alcoholic.


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## DeeAnna

earlene said:


> ...I am curious about the garlic....



Off topic reply to Earlene --

It's awfully easy to do. I followed the recipe in "Fermented Vegetables" by Shockey and Shockey. There's a similar recipe from a free e-book from  https://www.culturesforhealth.com/ Here's my adaptation of the e-book recipe --

Lacto-fermented Garlic Cloves

Approximately 12 to 14 heads of garlic
Brine of 1 quart water + 2 tablespoons sea salt
Herbs such as basil or oregano if desired (Earlene -- I didn't add herbs)

Peel garlic using one of these options:

Roast it in a low oven, around 200°F, until the skins loosen a bit.
Peel them with a small sharp knife to keep them 100% raw.
Put the whole head(s) of garlic, or the unpeeled cloves, into a small metal pot with a lid, then shake the covered pot vigorously for a few minutes. The paper on the garlic cloves will fall right off. (Earlene -- this is what I did, using separated cloves, not the whole heads. Tip: Make sure DH is not napping.  )​
Fill a quart jar within 1 inch of the top with the garlic cloves. (Earlene -- I used only 4-6 heads of garlic and filled the quart jar about 1/3 full of cloves. That's plenty of garlic for me, and the fermentation worked fine.)
Pour brine and herbs over garlic cloves. If you make a smaller batch like I did, make sure there is a little (1/2") of extra brine in the jar so the cloves are covered with liquid.
Cover the jar with a fermentation airlock or a canning jar lid. If you use a lid, be sure to loosen the lid 1-2 times a day, especially for the first few days, to "burp" out any excess gas. Put the jar in a small dish or pan to catch any overflow if you fill the jar full. (I didn't need that with my smaller batch.) There will also be a garlicky odor in the air during fermentation.
Allow to ferment for 3 to 4 weeks at cool room temperature. The liquid will become cloudy white, and that's normal. After fermentation, move to the refrigerator for long term storage. Since this recipe uses whole cloves, I'd recommend letting the garlic mellow in the fridge for a month or two before using it.
Use the fermented garlic exactly as you would fresh garlic.

The taste is definitely garlicky, but milder and sweeter than fresh. I can even eat a small raw piece without burping garlic for hours, unlike fresh garlic. I look at this as an excellent way to preserve garlic for months without deterioration and to make garlic more palatable and digestible. You can also ferment minced garlic, but I prefer the whole cloves.


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## amd

Yummo! Thanks for sharing! I'm adding this to my to do list.


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## earlene

Thank you so much, *DeeAnna*!  I will be doing this with fresh garlic first chance I get.


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## Obsidian

Oh, that garlic does sound nice, I'll have to try with a little. My kombucha is starting to form a film so I guess its doing something. Its been rainy and cold the last few days but is warming today, should kick it into gear.


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> Oh, that garlic does sound nice, I'll have to try with a little. My kombucha is starting to form a film so I guess its doing something. Its been rainy and cold the last few days but is warming today, should kick it into gear.


Sounds like it's right on track.


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## soapygal2

I make Kombucha, Jun, water kefir, and milk kefir.  I have also made ginger bug and Tepache.


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## Obsidian

@Misschief  I need help! My first batch of kombucha didn't carbonate and grew globs of scoby in the bottles, it was also really foggy even after straining. I ended up dumping it out just in case it was bad.

My second batch will be ready to bottle soon and this time I want to do it right. I got good glass bottles with metal lids and fruit for flavoring. I used pure cane sugar instead of white and I'm going to let my brew get more sour before I bottle it.

Here is the problem I'm running into, how to bottle properly? Filter or unfiltered? Add extra sugar or not? If so, how much? If flavoring, juice or fruit chunks? I worry about chunks going bad.


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## Parfumerie

I love kombucha especially homemade, my favorite is oolong tea unflavored but if I do make a flavored one I buy quality juices instead of whole fruit because it's easier to clean the bottles afterwards and you don't get that that slimy pulp in the end product.


----------



## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> @Misschief  I need help! My first batch of kombucha didn't carbonate and grew globs of scoby in the bottles, it was also really foggy even after straining. I ended up dumping it out just in case it was bad.
> 
> My second batch will be ready to bottle soon and this time I want to do it right. I got good glass bottles with metal lids and fruit for flavoring. I used pure cane sugar instead of white and I'm going to let my brew get more sour before I bottle it.
> 
> Here is the problem I'm running into, how to bottle properly? Filter or unfiltered? Add extra sugar or not? If so, how much? If flavoring, juice or fruit chunks? I worry about chunks going bad.



I'm at work right now but, when I'm home, I'll try to answer your questions. What I will say is that your home brew will likely be cloudy. The commercial brands are filtered and sometimes fined to remove all the cloudiness.


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## wickedblonde

homesteaders said:


> I've always used organic raw sugar, but my kombucha is never carbonated, even when I bottle it with ginger or fruit/juice and let it brew longer. Does the kind of tea affect carbonation? I love the carbonated kombucha from the store, but $$$$$.



It's the type of sugar. As I was taught/explained in my class you want the processed sugar ie not raw as the yeast eat that. After they eat the processed white stuff is how/where the bubbles come from.


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## wickedblonde

Obsidian said:


> @Misschief  I need help! My first batch of kombucha didn't carbonate and grew globs of scoby in the bottles, it was also really foggy even after straining. I ended up dumping it out just in case it was bad.
> 
> My second batch will be ready to bottle soon and this time I want to do it right. I got good glass bottles with metal lids and fruit for flavoring. I used pure cane sugar instead of white and I'm going to let my brew get more sour before I bottle it.
> 
> Here is the problem I'm running into, how to bottle properly? Filter or unfiltered? Add extra sugar or not? If so, how much? If flavoring, juice or fruit chunks? I worry about chunks going bad.



I never experimented with flavors.. but no metal once you add scoby/culture!!! It'll get eaten and I vaguely remember my instructor telling us it kills bits of the culture.


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## Parfumerie

Mini scobys in the bottle are really common, I read of one brewer who found a way not to get them by using around 50% juice in the 2nd fermentation but that sounds way too sweet to me so I never tried it.. proper sanitation - cleaning all your vessels with white vinegar and good natural airflow or fanning by hand once or twice a day during primary fermentation will keep your scobys clean and happy it's also important to use clean scoby or just strong booch for your starter I personally don't use scobys at the the start since they form really quickly and are just a cellulose structure for the bacteria and yeast to be near the surface for gas exhange, the more sugar/juice you add the more carbonation you should get but it will also be sweeter unless you let it consume the sugars which would take more time and possibly causing leaks or bottle bombs I like to wrap my bottles in a big beach towel in case it happens.


----------



## Obsidian

wickedblonde said:


> I never experimented with flavors.. but no metal once you add scoby/culture!!! It'll get eaten and I vaguely remember my instructor telling us it kills bits of the culture.



I'll try to find plastic lids for my bottles. For now, I'll put cling wrap between lid and bottle.



Parfumerie said:


> Mini scobys in the bottle are really common, I read of one brewer who found a way not to get them by using around 50% juice in the 2nd fermentation but that sounds way too sweet to me so I never tried it.. proper sanitation - cleaning all your vessels with white vinegar and good natural airflow or fanning by hand once or twice a day during primary fermentation will keep your scobys clean and happy it's also important to use clean scoby or just strong booch for your starter I personally don't use scobys at the the start since they form really quickly and are just a cellulose structure for the bacteria and yeast to be near the surface for gas exchange, the more sugar/juice you add the more carbonation you should get but it will also be sweeter unless you let it consume the sugars which would take more time and possibly causing leaks or bottle bombs I like to wrap my bottles in a big beach towel in case it happens.



Thank you, none of my research mentioned the mini scoby forming. Was quite a surprise when one made it into my mouth. I'll forgo adding more sugar and just see what happens with the fruit juice.

Have any of you noticed a difference in using scoby from different sources?


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## Parfumerie

Obsidian said:


> Have any of you noticed a difference in using scoby from different sources?



I like to continuous brew but I've had to stop and restart a few times, the first couple of times I just bought 4/5 bottles and used that as the starter, it took a couple of weeks to form thick scobys but I didn't mind, I was concerned with receiving a contaminated product since you have to work kind of clean and I wanted to avoid wasting time and resources and vinegar worms.  The last time I thought why not just buy a scoby you're probably being overly cautious so I found a local person who works at one of my favorite coffee shops who was beginning to make it professionally so I thought they must have a clean ethic to sell me one and that batch molded  buut I also did not clean my vessel with vinegar so that could be why it happened although I scrubbed it with dish soap really well.  I'm gonna start making it again soon.


----------



## Misschief

Finally, I have time to get back to this. @wickedblonde , I think that people overthink the process sometimes. Kombucha has been around for a very long time. Cleanliness is important but I, honestly, don't believe everything has to be sterile. My mother-in-law used to have hers growing in an ice cream bucket (way back in the 80's) in a bay window by her kitchen sink. She also had plants in that window. That's not sterile, even though she was a clean freak. Kombucha's been made all over the world and you can't convince me that it was always made under sterile conditions. Certainly, things should be clean but don't overthink it.

@Obsidian    As for metal lids - I would say it depends on the lids. If the lids are lined (the way canning jar lids are), I don't see an issue. We have a local kombucha company that sells theirs in pint mason jars. You just don't want direct contact with metal, especially for the first fermentation. I use a metal canning ring with a #2 basket coffee filter.

Carbonation - you want to seal your second ferment in order to get carbonation. Once I pour my kombucha into bottles for 2F, I tighten them up and leave them at room temperature for a couple of days. Sometimes, I add flavouring, sometimes I don't but I always leave them on my kitchen table until I hear that pfffft when I loosen the caps. 

Sugar - the sugar doesn't really affect the fermentation. It does affect the flavour, simply because different sugars have different (although subtle) flavours. I tend to use plain white sugar, only because it's the cheapest. I use pure cane sugar for my water kefir because that's what it likes and thrives on.

Second ferment - I've already addressed the cloudiness in my last post so we'll move on. Before you bottle, remove the scoby and enough of the liquid to use as starter for the next batch (I make 1/2 gallon at a time so I remove 1 cup for starter). Unless I have a lot of yeasties (stringy floaters or sediment at the bottom), I don't strain mine. I pour my kombucha into a pitcher for easier pouring, leaving the sediment in the jar if at all possible. 

I've started doing my second ferment a little differently recently. Previously, I would put the flavouring (fruit, juice... whatever) in the bottle, then fill with kombucha and seal. Now, I put my kombucha into a fresh 1/2 gallon jar, add the flavourings and seal. I'll let it sit at room temperature for about 2 days, burping it daily to see if it's coming along. At this point, you can also taste it to see if it needs some sweetening or adjusting. Once I like the flavour, I bottle it into smaller bottles and, again, leave at room temperature for a couple of days, burping daily. Once I get that lovely pfffft sound, it goes into the fridge.

Incidentally, I've used frozen fruit in my 2F and have never had an issue with mold. The ph of the kombucha inhibits mold growth. That said, it doesn't always look appetizing having some mushy chunks of fruit floating in the bottles of 'buch. Doing the second ferment the way I do it now eliminates that issue.

Yes, it may, probably will, develop a mini scoby. If you're not squeamish, you can swallow it; it's perfectly safe. If you are squeamish, strain your kombucha before drinking it. Personally, I have no issue with it; my husband does (but he doesn't like kombucha anyway).


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## Obsidian

Thank you @Misschief! I bottled today, lets see how well it does this time. I flavored each bottle individually so I could try different flavors, not sure what I will like.
I have one half gallon jug that I filled last, its only about 2/3 full, will that much empty space be a issue? Next time I'll fill it first.

I didn't bother to strain it this time, figure I'll do that before drinking. I'm not squeamish but I don't want to drink scoby.

What happens if I use really, really strong tea? One thing I don't like about most kombucha is how blad it is. Not very sour, not very sweet with no tea flavor to speak of.


----------



## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> Thank you @Misschief! I bottled today, lets see how well it does this time. I flavored each bottle individually so I could try different flavors, not sure what I will like.
> I have one half gallon jug that I filled last, its only about 2/3 full, will that much empty space be a issue? Next time I'll fill it first.
> 
> I didn't bother to strain it this time, figure I'll do that before drinking. I'm not squeamish but I don't want to drink scoby.
> 
> What happens if I use really, really strong tea? One thing I don't like about most kombucha is how blad it is. Not very sour, not very sweet with no tea flavor to speak of.



Your jug not being full won't be an issue, @Obsidian. The scoby will grow, no worries. If it bothers you, just brew a little more sweet tea and add it to you jug when it's cool. It isn't a deal breaker, though.

Really, really strong tea may result in a more tannic tasting brew. If you like the tea the way you've brewed it, you'll like the resulting kombucha. Let that be your guide. I would say that if you like your tea strong, add more tea to the initial brew; don't let it steep longer.

We have one kombucha brewer here in town who doesn't add any flavourings to her final brew; she does all the flavouring using different teas (i.e. hibiscus and rose, ginger, yerba mate mint).


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## Obsidian

I have bubbles!! The two small bottles are ready to drink, the large bottle is still working. It tastes pretty good, wish it had a bit more flavor, will try some herbal teas next time. Thanks to everyone who walked me through the process.


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> I have bubbles!! The two small bottles are ready to drink, the large bottle is still working. It tastes pretty good, wish it had a bit more flavor, will try some herbal teas next time. Thanks to everyone who walked me through the process.



Yay!!!! Another obsession initiated!


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## amd

Woohoo!

A note on the tea, there is a point where the bacteria won't be able to process all the tannins. The general rule (at least, what my reading has found) is that the most tea bags per gallon to use is 12. I brew right around 9 bags (3 bags green + 6 bags black), like you I want a tea flavor in booch. Generally speaking, it seems most brewers use 3-4 tea bags per gallon (based on most online How To's and FB group chats).

This reminds me... I haven't bottled the batches I made on 5/5... oops...


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## DeeAnna

I have been following your discussion with interest -- I'm learning a lot! 

Your last comment, AMD, about using more tea (up to a point) is something I want to keep in mind when I make my first batch. (I have to drive a ways to get some to use as a starter, and haven't had yet had a chance.) 

The one thing I remember from the two samples I've tried is that neither had much of a refreshing tea flavor. The first (my friend's) was horribly sour and acidic and the other (a commercial product) was sweet-tart with a fruity flavor. Nice, but not much like tea. That is why I was so surprised to learn from y'all that kombucha is made from tea.


----------



## Obsidian

Mine doesn't really taste of tea at this time but I did add lemon juice and ginger for flavoring, next time I will use sweeter flavorings. 
I used 8 tea bags for a gallon, Ill try 12 next and see if it boosts the flavor some. I think I'll stop the fermentation sooner too, see if that helps it stay a bit sweeter. I ca drink it sour but I want a nice balance.


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> Mine doesn't really taste of tea at this time but I did add lemon juice and ginger for flavoring, next time I will use sweeter flavorings.
> I used 8 tea bags for a gallon, Ill try 12 next and see if it boosts the flavor some. I think I'll stop the fermentation sooner too, see if that helps it stay a bit sweeter. I ca drink it sour but I want a nice balance.



Stopping the fermentation just before it gets to the stage you want it to be is not a bad thing at all because it does keep fermenting, albeit more slowly, after it's been bottled and refrigerated.

I use 4 teabags or up to 13 grams of tea. The last couple of batches I've made have been with 8 grams yerba mate, 4 grams white tea, and 1 gram lavender flowers. Then I flavour it with 5 grams of hops in the second ferment and strain them out before bottling. It's really good! (The original recipe calls for the addition of pink grapefruit, which is amazing, but I'm not supposed to have grapefruit... drug interaction.)


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## DeeAnna

Wish me luck. I am following this recipe -- https://www.almanac.com/content/how-to-make-kombucha-tea -- and am starting a 1/2 gallon batch today. Here are the proportions I followed --

6 cups water
5 bags tea (the instructions were a little confusing on how much tea to use, but you guys are saying the proportions can vary, so I decided to use 3 bags of black and 2 of green)
3/4 cup sugar (I just used plain white sugar)
1 1/2 cups starter (I'm hoping Kevita kombucha from the refrigerated case of my local grocery will work)

_edit:_ I forgot to ask -- at what point would you add some thinly sliced fresh ginger? The Kevita stuff I like best is the ginger version, so I'd like to try that as a flavoring. Thanks!


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## Misschief

Add your flavouring after the first fermentation.


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## DeeAnna

Will do. Thank you, Misschief!


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## Parfumerie

DeeAnna said:


> Wish me luck. I am following this recipe -- https://www.almanac.com/content/how-to-make-kombucha-tea -- and am starting a 1/2 gallon batch today. Here are the proportions I followed --
> 
> 6 cups water
> 5 bags tea (the instructions were a little confusing on how much tea to use, but you guys are saying the proportions can vary, so I decided to use 3 bags of black and 2 of green)
> 3/4 cup sugar (I just used plain white sugar)
> 1 1/2 cups starter (I'm hoping Kevita kombucha from the refrigerated case of my local grocery will work)
> 
> _edit:_ I forgot to ask -- at what point would you add some thinly sliced fresh ginger? The Kevita stuff I like best is the ginger version, so I'd like to try that as a flavoring. Thanks!



Does kevita make kombucha?  I'm almost 100% positive that their sparkling probiotic beverages won't make kombucha (if that's all that's available to you, I can mail you a bottle of GT's just pay shipping), and for adding ginger I'd recommend juicing it, some people don't mind the fiber in their beverage but it's kinda gross imo also afaik the more tea the better I'm sure there's a saturation point but I have a friend at work who makes it and he uses somewhere around 64 bags in 2 gal. But he said loose leaf he uses less so I guess that's around 2 bags per cup and his was one of the best I've tried it could've been more but I'll find out exactly and let you know.  

I think you'll wish you'd made a slightly larger batch too but if you're just going to start your culture and then use that as starter for other batches that would be good so I got his recipe:

1.5 gal water
1/4 cup loose leaf tea 
1 cup organic cane juice crystals
Primary fermentation 10-14days
Add 1 more cup sugar and flavoring agents (fruit/ juice)
Secondary fermentation in large sealable jars 7-10 days keep and eye on the pressure you can taste it to see when it's carbonated enough then bottle leave bottles out for a day or 2 to build carbonation then refrigerate.


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## DeeAnna

The Kevita product I used is labeled as kombucha. But I'm an utter newbie at this, so I have no idea if it's watered down or otherwise not the real deal. I'm sure if it doesn't show signs of ferment in the next few days, I'll get a bit of a clue. I've fermented other things -- vinegar, sauerkraut, etc. -- so hopefully that experience will be useful with kombucha.

I live in the rural boonies, and I'm not aware at the moment where I can get a scoby or fresh kombucha from a local source. But I've got a local friend or two who might steer me in the right direction -- I'll ask.

A bunch of the recipes I looked at used the equivalent of 1 tea bag per 2 cups of water. That seemed reasonable for my first batch, but I'm quite willing to experiment. I think Misschief also touched on this topic of how much tea to use -- gotta get back to work or I'd double check on what she said.  It's in this thread...


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## amd

I'm not sure the Kevita has live cultures in it. I've tried using it once to make a SCOBY and it didn't work.


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## DeeAnna

Well, I guess I'm going to find out. I'll letcha know....


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## Misschief

DeeAnna said:


> Wish me luck. I am following this recipe -- https://www.almanac.com/content/how-to-make-kombucha-tea -- and am starting a 1/2 gallon batch today. Here are the proportions I followed --
> 
> 6 cups water
> 5 bags tea (the instructions were a little confusing on how much tea to use, but you guys are saying the proportions can vary, so I decided to use 3 bags of black and 2 of green)
> 3/4 cup sugar (I just used plain white sugar)
> 1 1/2 cups starter (I'm hoping Kevita kombucha from the refrigerated case of my local grocery will work)
> 
> _edit:_ I forgot to ask -- at what point would you add some thinly sliced fresh ginger? The Kevita stuff I like best is the ginger version, so I'd like to try that as a flavoring. Thanks!



Your sugar might be a bit on the high side, DeeAnna, but with the addition of ginger in the second ferment, it should be fine; I use 1/2 cup (1/4 cup palm sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar) for 1/2 gallon of tea. I recommend starting to taste your tea after about 4-5 days, depending on how warm it is where you are. If your Kevita does its job, stop the first ferment when you like the taste or it's slightly sweeter than you want it. The extra sugar in the mix will help with the second ferment.

The last couple of batches I make, I used 1/2 tbsp. gunpowder green tea and 1/2 tbsp. purple tea. After one week, I'm doing my second ferment with pineapple chunks and either fresh mint or basil from my garden, in the same size jar I make my kombucha in, then, after two days or so, I bottle it in individual bottles until it's nice and carbonated. It is SO good!


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## DeeAnna

Thanks for the advice on the amount of sugar and when to stop the ferment. I am really looking forward to enjoying a successful batch -- if not this one with the Kevita, then soon. My delightfully witchy friend De says she might be able to help me find a scoby or some fresh kombucha.


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## Parfumerie

I'm curious how it will turn out since I very much like the taste of the kevitas


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## DeeAnna

Three days into the start of my kombucha adventure. There's no hint, not even a little bit, of any fermentation going on. The mixture looks and tastes like sweet tea. No bubbles, no hint of an acetic acid aroma, no solids forming, zero, nada, zilch.

If I was fermenting pickles or kraut or another lacto-fermented food, given the warmish summer temperatures in my pantry, all kinds of bubbles and interesting odors would be happening by now.

Amd -- thanks for the warning. I think you're right -- Kevitas is a bust as a source of live organisms. Which brings me to wonder -- is this particular product is really a decent probiotic fermented food or is it just a wannabe product to cash in on the popularity of real kombucha? If I'm going to consume fermented foods, I want _all _of the benefits, including the live cultures.  I mean, there was a kerfluffle some years ago -- people were really unhappy that some brands of yogurt were pasteurized so the live cultures were killed. It's not just the beneficial chemicals in fermented foods; it's the presence of the live organisms that is so valuable.


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## amd

I'm not sure the date on this article (I couldn't find a date in the usual places, so maybe it's buried on the page and I didn't see it), but it may shed some light on which brands will work better for starter brews.
https://healthyeater.com/healthiest-kombucha-brands
Based on the article, KeVita also adds stevia into theirs, which is a no-no for brewing (the cultures won't consume it) as well as additional caffeine. Those two additives alone lead me to believe it isn't good to use. If you have other booch choices, look for ones that have fruit juices (GT uses kiwi juice, I believe, instead of sugar in their brewing process for example), or a lower calorie count (50-60 cal).


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## DeeAnna

That's kind of the problem -- I don't have a lot of obvious options, given where I live. This is the land of true-blue Busch Lite and Bud Lite drinkers.  Kombucha is way too crunchy-granola for a lot of the folks around here. But I've got feelers out.


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## amd

I'm a bit farther north than you and I have the same problem (regarding booch and beer)! My sister texted me last night because she had a recipe for beer mustard that calls for a dark beer... she asked me if she should use Ol Mil or Ol Mil Light... bahaha! I wonder what shipping would be like for sending a SCOBY, I'd send you one of mine.


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## earlene

Deanna, do you know of any not-too-far-away health food or natural food STORES? That might be a better source if you can find one.


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## DeeAnna

Dark beer = Old Milwaukee -- seriously? That's pretty funny ... but I know there'd be a lot of people around here who would think the same thing.

There are a lot of microbreweries in my region making good full-flavored beers and ciders, but many folks apparently think beer isn't really beer unless it has "Lite" in its name.

Earlene -- There are a couple of "whole foods" style grocery stores within 1/2 to 1 hour drive -- one in Decorah and one in La Crosse -- but I don't get to either town very often. They're on my list to check out, however.


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## Parfumerie

Craigslist and local mushroom farms/growers are also good places to check


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## Misschief

Parfumerie said:


> Craigslist and local mushroom farms/growers are also good places to check



Mushroom farmers? How do you figure?


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## Parfumerie

All of the ones I know (and I know quite a few) make their own kombucha


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## earlene

Deanna, you can buy Scooby online.   That would be far easier than driving hither and yo trying to find a place that has proper Kombucha or a mushroom farm, etc. 

As to mushroom farms selling Scoby, that is new to me. Monterey Mushrooms has 10 farms across the nation and although I have only been to two of them,Monterey, CA and Princeton, IL, I doubt they sell it. It's not on their website, and I am positive the one in Princeton does not. Mushroom Mills in Iowa doesn't either as far as I can tell. 

Unless one of the lovely ladies here on SMF can figure a way to send you a piece of Scoby, I'd check out an online order from one of the online Kombucha starter sellers easily found with a search engine.


----------



## DeeAnna

Thanks for the suggestion, Earlene -- that's going to be my next step. 

The latest chapter in my kombucha adventure --

No luck so far in finding a local kombucha maker amongst my friends. There's a HyVee grocery in Cedar Falls, Iowa, near the university (U of Northern Iowa), and I learned it supposedly sells local raw (unpasteurized) kombucha. When I stopped there on my way home from visiting my mother in western Iowa, I learned that particular brand wasn't available in the store. I did find a large display of national brands but I just didn't feel comfortable that any of them would work.

So I give up on finding a local source.  After I got home, I got back on Google and learned there is a kombucha supply company in Madison, Wisconsin, (about 2 1/2 hours east of my home). I'm going to mail-order a scoby from them. It will take only a day or two to arrive from that short distance away and I'm pretty comfortable with the idea.


----------



## dibbles

DeeAnna said:


> That's kind of the problem -- I don't have a lot of obvious options, given where I live. This is the land of true-blue Busch Lite and Bud Lite drinkers.  Kombucha is way too crunchy-granola for a lot of the folks around here. But I've got feelers out.


DeeAnna, I think you are near Decorah. Have you tried the co op? If it's still there. Hubby is a kombucha brewer, and I could give you a scoby if there was a way to get it to you. Would it go through the mail without damage due to temperature do you think?


----------



## earlene

Oh, darn, we were just near Madison yesterday!  I would have been happy to stop by.  Oh, but yesterday was Sunday, and they probably would not have been open anyway.


----------



## DeeAnna

I haven't gotten to Oneota coop in Decorah yet ... it's about 35 minutes from me, so not too far, but in the opposite direction to where I usually shop in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. DH checked with People's Food Coop in La Crosse this past weekend, and struck out with them. Oneota might well be more informed and better stocked, but I'm getting weary of hunting. 

Thanks to those who have offered to share their scobys with me. I really appreciate the offer, but I am going to order from the Madison place. They're set up to ship scobys as a routine thing, so know all the ins and outs of shipping these things safely, even in the dog days of our hot Midwestern summer.

Earlene -- Thank you for the offer! I think they're mail order only, however.


----------



## Obsidian

I had some trouble with my brew. I ended having some stomach issues and the doctor said no kombucha until it was resolved so my brew sat for over a month turning into vinegar and growing the scoby. I eventually made a new batch, using the buch vinegar and within a week, it had started to mold and the scoby turned a icky carmel color.

I tossed the whole mess out and tried growing a new scoby with a store bought raw kombucha and it didn't work. The brand I used last time isn't available anymore and all the local stuff is flavored.

I turned to a local yard sale facebook group and within a hour, I had a new scoby and starter tea. It tastes so much better than the stuff I had started. I don't know where the lady got her initial starter but I have high hopes for this one. Using organic tea/sugar and bottled water this time and will take better care of it if I have to stop brewing.


----------



## DeeAnna

That's good to hear, Obsidian! I hope your digestive system is doing better now -- do you think your stomach problems were related to or aggravated by kombucha?

I got my scoby in the mail this weekend and started my first real batch this morning. Saw my friend De by accident on Saturday, and she said she knew a few people who brew kombucha. Wish I'd known that before I bought one. Oh well. If my purchased scoby doesn't work out, I've got options I suppose.


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## Obsidian

I do think my stomach issue was aggravated by the kombucha. I like it pretty acidic, probably way more then it should be. I need to get some ph strips so I don't do it again.

Good luck with your brew. It's a really neat process to watch.
Are you going to flavor yours? I really like using a tea by tazo called passion. Its very hibiscus-y but I'm trying fresh berries this time.


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## amd

I have not done anything with my booch since the beginning of June! I think it might be a winter hobby/drink for me. My last batch was extremely sour (it brewed an extra week or two) so I have been mixing it with juice and using it for cooking.


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## DeeAnna

I've sampled super-sour kombucha and it's not for me. Ewww. I can see why it could be used in place of vinegar in salad dressings and such.

I'm hoping what I've read is something I can learn to do -- that you can control the sourness with the temperature and time of fermentation, as long as a person keeps the temp and time within reasonable parameters. Same thing goes for lacto-fermentation.


----------



## Misschief

Taste as you go. I use a straw to taste after about 5 days. Once I like the taste, I go to the second fermentation, usually with fresh fruit. Right now, my granddaughter and I are really like the rasperry kombucha and the pineapple basil kombucha, made with raspberries and basil from my yard.


----------



## Obsidian

Misschief said:


> Taste as you go. I use a straw to taste after about 5 days. Once I like the taste, I go to the second fermentation



I think part of the problem is I like it sour so I let it ferment until I like it but then it gets too acidic during second fermentation. I'm going to bottle it sooner this time, as soon as it starts to taste sour. Also figured out that citrus juice isn't  good choice for me so I'll stick to sweeter fruit for now on.


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## Obsidian

It's only been a few days since I started my last brew but I went ahead and bottled it today.
It's very lightly fermented, no hint of sour and still tastes like tea. 

Trying raspberry, blueberry, honey and raw sugar. Curious to see which gets more carbonation. I did use raw sugar this batch, next I will use regular white and see if it really does make a difference.


----------



## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> It's only been a few days since I started my last brew but I went ahead and bottled it today.
> It's very lightly fermented, no hint of sour and still tastes like tea.
> 
> Trying raspberry, blueberry, honey and raw sugar. Curious to see which gets more carbonation. I did use raw sugar this batch, next I will use regular white and see if it really does make a difference.



Let us know how it goes. 

Unfortunately, I forgot to bottle my last batch last week. I haven't even tasted it and it's been hot here so I'm expecting sour. I'll use it as starter tea but likely won't be drinking it.


----------



## DeeAnna

It's been 5 days as of today since I started my first batch (I'm not counting the Kevita fail). Yesterday (Day 4) there was no fizz, moderate sweetness, and there was a weak vinegary-tannin flavor and aroma. Today the liquid is only slightly sweet, the vinegar-tannin note is becoming more defined as a taste and smell, and there is a nice little fizz going on. Day 4 was not really interesting to me if someone handed me a glass of it to drink. Today's stuff is definitely more drinkable. I'm curious to see how Day 6 goes.


----------



## Misschief

DeeAnna said:


> It's been 5 days as of today since I started my first batch (I'm not counting the Kevita fail). Yesterday (Day 4) there was no fizz, moderate sweetness, and there was a weak vinegary-tannin flavor and aroma. Today the liquid is only slightly sweet, the vinegar-tannin note is becoming more defined as a taste and smell, and there is a nice little fizz going on. Day 4 was not really interesting to me if someone handed me a glass of it to drink. Today's stuff is definitely more drinkable. I'm curious to see how Day 6 goes.



Keep in mind that the first fermentation won't give you a lot of fizz; fizziness develops in the second fermentation, when you seal the bottles.


----------



## Obsidian

I already see carbonation developing, my last batches took 2-3 days to start fizzing. I don't know if its from the extra sugars or the better SCOBY but I sure hope this one turns out good.

Tasted the unflavored ones with the honey and sugar, the honey has a much better flavor. It completely covered the bitter tannin flavors. The sugar one hardly had any extra sweetness.

@DeeAnna don't let it get too sour before you bottle, it not only gets it fizz then but also continues to sour, just slower. 

Thats why I decided to bottle mine before it really got sour. With my stomach issues, I want to try and keep the acids down.


----------



## DeeAnna

@Misschief -- Based on what you have shared here, I realize the fizz from the first ferment won't last. I just was taking it as a sign that the fermentation was healthy and vigorous.

@Obsidian -- I promise won't let it go too far into vinegar-y-ness. I think it's interesting that the flavor changes so distinctly. 

My lacto ferments continue to evolve in the fridge too. I ferment my sauerkraut for a week or two at room temp, and it has a fairly sharp acidic flavor at that point. Now that it's been in the fridge for about a year, it's still sour, but the flavor is much mellower. It's to die for on a grilled brat.


----------



## Misschief

So, I checked my two week old kombucha after yesterday's market. Surprisingly, it wasn't at all sour; it had a nice light tang to it without being mouth-puckering. I was prepared to use it for starter tea and discard the rest but I bottled it and flavoured it with frozen raspberries. I think it will be a good one.


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## amd

I walked past my 2 month old kombucha, tapped the glass... it snarled at me so I continued on. My mom's booch is doing fabulous though, she is really enjoying brewing it and drinking it. She says it helps her arthritis and her stomach issues.


----------



## Misschief

amd said:


> I walked past my 2 month old kombucha, tapped the glass... it snarled at me so I continued on. My mom's booch is doing fabulous though, she is really enjoying brewing it and drinking it. She says it helps her arthritis and her stomach issues.



LOL  I can just picture that, amd.


----------



## jentlesoaps

I do brew Kombucha. I think I have an over abundance of scobys in a big gallon jar right now that I need to cut up and feed to my ducks, LOL. I used to make mine with the continuous process in a big crock designed for water and it worked really well until harvest season and the fruit flies showed up. Make sure your container is sealed well or they will jump right in with the scoby and ruin your lovely kombucha. Protected well I've got scoby that get up to 4 inches thick and are the size of dinner plates. It's an amazing colony (scoby). My soapy friend Crystal Starr Glen makes soap with kombucha often. She's also on YouTube with me.  I've also tried using it and sometimes substitute kombucha in recipes that I like to use ACV.


----------



## Mara

jentlesoaps said:


> I do brew Kombucha. I think I have an over abundance of scobys in a big gallon jar right now that I need to cut up and feed to my ducks, LOL. I used to make mine with the continuous process in a big crock designed for water and it worked really well until harvest season and the fruit flies showed up. Make sure your container is sealed well or they will jump right in with the scoby and ruin your lovely kombucha. Protected well I've got scoby that get up to 4 inches thick and are the size of dinner plates. It's an amazing colony (scoby). My soapy friend Crystal Starr Glen makes soap with kombucha often. She's also on YouTube with me.  I've also tried using it and sometimes substitute kombucha in recipes that I like to use ACV.


Hi Jentlesoaps,there's no need to discard your scobies! There are many uses for them, they are actually very healthy to eat too. My favourite is scoby -jello. Mixed with a little kombucha it can be blended smooth and then added to a storebought jello or prepare your own with gelatine. It has a lovely effervescent texture to it and is a cure-all kind of food. My friend cures her stomach ailments with it.


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## amd

Well... she's not really discarding them. She's feeding them to her ducks. Ducks need scoby love too! I'm actually taking some over to my crazy chicken lady to see what her chickens think of them.


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## Mara

Yes, chickens like them too, and I feed some to the dogs, because they love it as a treat and it's so good for them, but they don't get all of it, I make sure to keep enough for my jello! lol


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## ulrurunaturals

Obsidian said:


> I'd love to make my own but I like it real sour. The brand I buy almost tastes like it has vinegar in it.
> 
> The brand that is made local is barely fermented with very little flavor. Is there good recipes for a nice sour blend?


The longer you let it brew to more sour "acidic" it gets. I use a recipie of 1 cup of sugar per gallon w 6 tea bags. I use pu er tea I get from a local Asian market uncle Lee's 5.00 for 100 tea bags. also I started my first SCOBY from a bottle of GTS Kombucha and never looked back ever since also you need to make sure you reserve 2 cups of brewed Kombucha per gallon that you want to make.


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## ulrurunaturals

amd said:


> I know there are several threads about kombucha soap, but I'm really curious how many kombucha brewers are in the forum. So who's out there?
> 
> I have been drinking kombucha off and on for 2 years, just started brewing my own about a year ago, taking a small break at the beginning of summer when we moved, and December/January while I was getting my mental poop in a group. I make about 3/4 gallon at a time, because I'm the only one who drinks it at my house.
> 
> Tea: I usually brew mine with black and green tea, but I did do a few batches with oolong that I brought back from a China trip. (I'll be leaving more room in my bag on next trip. That was the best carbonation I have ever gotten!)
> 
> Sugar: I usually use regular old table sugar, but did my first batch with raw sugar just last week.
> 
> Flavors: Mostly plain, but I have experimented a bit with pumpkin, strawberry & rhubarb, and my last batch was strawberry & lime, which is my new favorite. I use my sister's homemade strawberry syrup for the strawberry part. It's too runny to be a decent ice cream sauce, and too rich for panpakes (pancakes), but works well for booch because I don't have to use alot.
> 
> ...and no... I haven't tried to make soap with booch, but it is on my list.


I've acctually found a recipie for kombucha soap.


----------



## amd

ulrurunaturals said:


> I've acctually found a recipie for kombucha soap.



I've made kombucha soap, just sub in the water for booch and use my regular oils. I soap with a low SF to begin with, so any reaction with the lye and booch that would create a higher SF isn't an issue for me.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

amd said:


> I've made kombucha soap, just sub in the water for booch and use my regular oils. I soap with a low SF to begin with, so any reaction with the lye and booch that would create a higher SF isn't an issue for me.


The recipie I found calls for 1oz ground Kombucha SCOBY what does SF mean


----------



## amd

I would be hesitant to use SCOBY - it doesn't grind very well in my experience (maybe you have a better method for grinding). Large chunks could leave your soap open to spoilage, much like large fruit/veggie chunks will do. While SCOBY shouldn't mold, I have had a batch grow mold, so I know it is possible when exposed to contaminants. Adding the SCOBY to soap is changing the environment, so all bets are off it would grow mold or not. I prefer to not invite nasties into my soap, so I would use actual kombucha instead of the SCOBY.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

amd said:


> I would be hesitant to use SCOBY - it doesn't grind very well in my experience (maybe you have a better method for grinding). Large chunks could leave your soap open to spoilage, much like large fruit/veggie chunks will do. While SCOBY shouldn't mold, I have had a batch grow mold, so I know it is possible when exposed to contaminants. Adding the SCOBY to soap is changing the environment, so all bets are off it would grow mold or not. I prefer to not invite nasties into my soap, so I would use actual kombucha instead of the SCOBY.


Thinking of making a kombucha 100% olive oil facial bar just using booch as water. I like making small batches


----------



## amd

100% olive oil will need a long cure. I usually cure mine for a year.


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## ulrurunaturals

Yes I have some I poured in March. Just water etc. Once they are properly cured they'll last forever. I started w olive oil as my first soap.


----------



## Angela Zeigler

I've been making kombucha off and on for about 5 or 6 years. I started with milk kefir and progressed from that. I also ferment water kefir but don't have alot of success with that. However it's a much bigger hit with the rest of my family. They prefer the sweetness to it. I hold off in the summer because I get have alot of failed (forgotten) batches and stick with only making it over the colder months. My venture started very much like my soaping story did. I caught wind of it and couldn't learn enough about it fast enough. Bought everything I could get my hands on and buried myself in books etc. I was driving home from work one morning and on the radio they was talking about probiotics and fermented foods being the solution to the new super bug. After having a very terrifying experience with my son and the H1N1 bug (was sick for a year and in the ER 5 times before I insisted they tested him for it! He was positive. Missed half a school year and was down to under 60# and was skin and bones) I had to learn everything!


----------



## IrishLass

I tried Kombucha for the very first time today. My sister-in-law has been making it on a regular basis for 2 or 3 years now and it was hers that I tried. To be honest, I was reluctant to take a sip after first smelling it, but after she downed a cup of it and pronounced it very good, I bravely took a sip of it and was very pleasantly surprised. It was as fizzy as soda pop and had a mildly sweet, pleasant taste that I'm hard-pressed to describe, but I liked it so much that she sent me home with four 16oz bottles of it. lol


IrishLass


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## amd

@IrishLass just remember to go slow when you're first starting to drink it! I notice that when I start drinking it after a time of not drinking it, that I can only do a few ounces and have to work up to a full bottle. Everyone's body is different, but for me, too much without an adjustment period gives me diarrhea, I constantly feel thirsty, and I sweat a ton... and it stinks! It usually takes about a week or so to get up to drinking half a bottle without the detox affects. My boochy co-worker though, she can drink a full bottle without having to break herself into it. Welcome to the club! Did she send you home with a SCOBY too?

Next week I am going to start brewing again. I've been waiting for a friend to have time to come over - she wants to start brewing too, and she's the type who wants to see the process rather than read it and then try it. The jar of SCOBY waved at me yesterday when I walked by, so I think they've forgiven me for neglecting them for the summer.


----------



## Misschief

My kombucha has been suffering this summer. It's just not doing what it should. I'm thinking of scrapping the whole lot.


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## amd

Oh no! What is it not doing?


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## Misschief

amd said:


> Oh no! What is it not doing?


I've ignored it mostly but the scoby hasn't been thriving this year. I do have a scoby hotel so I do have back up. I just really haven't been motivated to drink it or make it.


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## IrishLass

amd said:


> @IrishLass just remember to go slow when you're first starting to drink it! I notice that when I start drinking it after a time of not drinking it, that I can only do a few ounces and have to work up to a full bottle. Everyone's body is different, but for me, too much without an adjustment period gives me diarrhea, I constantly feel thirsty, and I sweat a ton... and it stinks! It usually takes about a week or so to get up to drinking half a bottle without the detox affects. My boochy co-worker though, she can drink a full bottle without having to break herself into it. Welcome to the club! Did she send you home with a SCOBY too?



Thank you for the heads-up! I suppose I should be thankful that I didn't drink much more than about 1/3 cup worth for my first try then! LOL. So far, I'm not feeling any weird side effects.   




My SIL did not send me home with a SCOBY (I keep wanting to call it a Scooby, lol), because they are being kept at her sister's house at the moment for safe keeping while she gets settled into her new home (she just moved), but it's a good bet that I will be begging at her doorstep for one as soon as she retrieves them. 


IrishLass


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## amd

Misschief said:


> I've ignored it mostly but the scoby hasn't been thriving this year. I do have a scoby hotel so I do have back up. I just really haven't been motivated to drink it or make it.


My mom's SCOBY was not thriving well earlier this summer. She brewed a strong cup of tea with a healthy dose of sugar in it and added to her batch. Perked it right up. I would try that, maybe it just needs an extra dose of food.


----------



## Misschief

amd said:


> My mom's SCOBY was not thriving well earlier this summer. She brewed a strong cup of tea with a healthy dose of sugar in it and added to her batch. Perked it right up. I would try that, maybe it just needs an extra dose of food.


Good idea!


----------



## ulrurunaturals

amd said:


> I know there are several threads about kombucha soap, but I'm really curious how many kombucha brewers are in the forum. So who's out there?
> 
> I have been drinking kombucha off and on for 2 years, just started brewing my own about a year ago, taking a small break at the beginning of summer when we moved, and December/January while I was getting my mental poop in a group. I make about 3/4 gallon at a time, because I'm the only one who drinks it at my house.
> 
> Tea: I usually brew mine with black and green tea, but I did do a few batches with oolong that I brought back from a China trip. (I'll be leaving more room in my bag on next trip. That was the best carbonation I have ever gotten!)
> 
> Sugar: I usually use regular old table sugar, but did my first batch with raw sugar just last week.
> 
> Flavors: Mostly plain, but I have experimented a bit with pumpkin, strawberry & rhubarb, and my last batch was strawberry & lime, which is my new favorite. I use my sister's homemade strawberry syrup for the strawberry part. It's too runny to be a decent ice cream sauce, and too rich for panpakes (pancakes), but works well for booch because I don't have to use alot.
> 
> ...and no... I haven't tried to make soap with booch, but it is on my list.


I do my kombucha with pu erh only


----------



## ulrurunaturals

dibbles said:


> DH brews kombucha. He uses black tea and isn’t very adventurous so no experimenting with flavors. IMO he lets it ferment too long. It’s pretty acidic compared to what I’ve bought.


I've used hops cherry juice apple juice in my second ferment.


----------



## dibbles

ulrurunaturals said:


> I've used hops cherry juice apple juice in my second ferment.


I wish I could convince him to try something new. But he likes it the way it is, and he's the one who makes it so...there you go.


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## DeeAnna

@IrishLass -- You'd better be careful!!!!  These folks will have you making booch before you know it. I just started to make kombucha this summer, thanks to the encouragement and advice from these crazy people. The several batches I made after I got a healthy scoby have all gone well.

I agree with not overdoing it, but everyone is a little different, so what is too much for one person might be fine for another. I don't get any particular digestive upset or physical reaction. What I've found is I enjoy about a cup -- it's refreshing and pleasant -- but it's hard for me to drink any much more than that at any one time. Not sure why. 

I sometimes cut it with an equal amount of plain carbonated water to make a diluted, light drink a bit like an old fashioned switchel.


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## amd

@DeeAnna shhhhh... no one is supposed to know about our plan for world domination until it's too late!


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## Obsidian

I've just about given up on kombucha, I end up dumping more than I drink. For some reason, as soon as I put my bottles in the fridge, the carbonation disappears. 
I thought it was my bottles but my daughter has the nice bottles with the wire closures and hers does the same thing. Any idea whats going on or how to fix it?


----------



## ulrurunaturals

Obsidian said:


> I've just about given up on kombucha, I end up dumping more than I drink. For some reason, as soon as I put my bottles in the fridge, the carbonation disappears.
> I thought it was my bottles but my daughter has the nice bottles with the wire closures and hers does the same thing. Any idea whats going on or how to fix it?


I use the GTS bottles to carbonate. I usually use fruit juice mine carbonate just fine some time they carbonate "too" much. My bottles are 16oz GTS bottles I just rinse and refill. I usually fill the juice just to where it covers the bottom of the bottle then add the fermented Kombucha. Then let it sit out a few days. I don't necessarily refrigerate mine right away .I mean I drink one a day. LOL. Latley I've been drinking my Kombucha from my dispenser vessels with  a stainless steel spigot I bought from amazon. Side note about Carbonating.... It doesn't have to be carbonated to be "drinkable" just cause it didn't Carbonate doesn't mean it's a "ruined batch" it's still consumable. Also be when you put your carbonated bottles in the fridge because it natural carbonation from fermentation the mechanism that ferments goes dormant in the fridge. Maybe leave it out longer during 2nd ferment so it can consume all of the available sugars. The more sugars your Kombucha consumes during the second ferment the more carbonation it will produce. I find that adding hops to the second ferment gives a nice carbonation boost even after being refrigerated. That's been my experience. I'll never buy Kombucha from a store again! It's a very easy process. $3.00 a bottle? Pshhh...the only way I'll buy Kombucha again from store is if I start running out of bottles LOL.


----------



## Obsidian

I was using the GTS bottles too, guess I shouldn't have thrown them all out. I've used fruit puree for second fermentation, they seem to carbonate ok but never very much. Can burping too much lessen the fizz?

I know you can drink it flat but I don't like it, just like drinking flat soda lol. I got a couple flat bottles from DD yesterday, one night sitting at room temp have given enough fizz to make it drinkable but I'd still like a bit more and I'd really like it cold.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

Obsidian said:


> I was using the GTS bottles too, guess I shouldn't have thrown them all out. I've used fruit puree for second fermentation, they seem to carbonate ok but never very much. Can burping too much lessen the fizz?
> 
> I know you can drink it flat but I don't like it, just like drinking flat soda lol. I got a couple flat bottles from DD yesterday, one night sitting at room temp have given enough fizz to make it drinkable but I'd still like a bit more and I'd really like it cold.


OK....do not burp your bottles I never burp my bottles. That's where all of your carbonation is prolly going. WHY!!!!! you want to build carbonation not burp it out. If u are worried about your bottles exploding then leave them out maximum 3 days no burping the. Refrigerate or leave  out longer then refrigerate. BUT without burping. Try fruit juice experiment. Fruit juice is more available for kombucha consumption than fruit pure is. So fruit juice leave out for three days refrigerate then enjoy. See if that makes a difference. Also I've never had a bottle "explode" on me.


----------



## Misschief

One thing you might try, Obsidian... find a plastic soda bottle (Coke bottle or such). You'll only need one. When you bottle your 'buch, fill the soda bottle as well. Leave them to carbonate, without burping. When the plastic bottle is hard, like a fresh soda bottle, your kombucha is ready to refrigerate. Also, remember that, even though they're in the fridge, they will continue to ferment. The longer you leave them, the more carbonation you'll get.


----------



## Obsidian

Well, I was under the impression you had to burp off the excess pressure every day. No wonder I had some failures.
I'll get another batch going and see how it does. Thanks for the advice.


----------



## DeeAnna

The point of the first fermentation is to break down the starting ingredients (sugars, caffeine) and convert them into the ending ingredients (booch) over a longer period of time. The carbon dioxide gas production during primary fermentation is an undesirable thing, because it will eventually poison the critters that do the fermenting as well as build up way too much pressure if you happen to use a tightly closed container.

In the secondary fermentation, you now intentionally want the gas to build up over a short period of time. So you use a closed container, and you don't worry about keeping the microbes alive -- the mother scoby is gone at this point. You wouldn't want to burp, unless the pressure gets unsafely high for the container.


----------



## Obsidian

I completely misunderstood burping. The web sites I was reading said to do it every 2-3 days to release excess pressure but thinking back, I believe that was for newbies who didn't know how fast pressure would build up.
Feel a bit like a idiot lol.


----------



## Misschief

No need to feel like a bit of an idiot. I probably burp mine more than I need to but I do it just to see how much pressure is building. It gives me a good idea of where it's at.


----------



## DeeAnna

I had to think it through too, @Obsidian, so don't feel silly. Or if you want to feel silly, call me silly too! All of the fermented foods and beverages I've made up so far have been the kind that you do want to burp often. So I had to wrap my mind around this idea of a secondary fermentation for kombucha. I mean, why remove the mother scoby, add flavorings and maybe extra sugars, and then let it ferment but NOT burp? Why not leave the scoby in there too? And why do the 2nd ferment for only for a few days? It all sounded kinda crazy at first, and it took a little while for me to puzzle out the reasons.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

Obsidian said:


> I completely misunderstood burping. The web sites I was reading said to do it every 2-3 days to release excess pressure but thinking back, I believe that was for newbies who didn't know how fast pressure would build up.
> Feel a bit like a idiot lol.


No judgment here from me. We are all learning even the professionals they are still learning. Just like soap making Kombucha making is also a process. One I find a bit easier than actual soap making.   Just like in soap making everyone has "thier different process "


----------



## amd

I only have one second ferment that I have to burp: my pumpkin booch recipe. The first time I made it, it blew the tops off all the bottles within 4 hours. Fortunately they were all cork type bottles, unfortunately... the mess! I had booch on the ceiling! I have to do a bait and switch, put the booch in the fridge right away for 1 day, then I can take it out to let it ferment, but still have to burp at least once a day. Sigh. I'm really wishing I had some booch right now.... also curious now that I switched sugars how the pumpkin recipe will do. My F1 is already carbonated, so this may be one that stays in the fridge but ages a bit longer than usual.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

amd said:


> I only have one second ferment that I have to burp: my pumpkin booch recipe. The first time I made it, it blew the tops off all the bottles within 4 hours. Fortunately they were all cork type bottles, unfortunately... the mess! I had booch on the ceiling! I have to do a bait and switch, put the booch in the fridge right away for 1 day, then I can take it out to let it ferment, but still have to burp at least once a day. Sigh. I'm really wishing I had some booch right now.... also curious now that I switched sugars how the pumpkin recipe will do. My F1 is already carbonated, so this may be one that stays in the fridge but ages a bit longer than usual.


Corked bottles will blow everytime.  I usually stick to my GTS Bottles reduce reuse recycle


amd said:


> I only have one second ferment that I have to burp: my pumpkin booch recipe. The first time I made it, it blew the tops off all the bottles within 4 hours. Fortunately they were all cork type bottles, unfortunately... the mess! I had booch on the ceiling! I have to do a bait and switch, put the booch in the fridge right away for 1 day, then I can take it out to let it ferment, but still have to burp at least once a day. Sigh. I'm really wishing I had some booch right now.... also curious now that I switched sugars how the pumpkin recipe will do. My F1 is already carbonated, so this may be one that stays in the fridge but ages a bit longer than usual.


I'd be interested to see what your pumpkin booch recepie is love me some pumpkin spice and pumpkin. I usually stick to my screw topped GTS bottles corked bottles will definitely pop on ya. If you like it raining booch then that's the way to go. I am sure it was an honest oversight. But good to know. I've only had one batch which buldged my GTS tops and that was when I added hops to my 2nd ferment. Go easy on the hops if your including hops in your booch just a bit of FYI. Buldged my tops but no explosion. Wheeew!


----------



## amd

I use corked bottles quite often and tape them down. Usually not a problem, but the pumpkin is a good fermenter so even the tape doesn't hold it. I've used kolsch bottles with the pumpkin recipe and it fountains on me every time (the first time I made the mistake of opening at my desk...) My notes are at home, but it is a combination of pumpkin puree, apple cider, and spices. I'll try to remember to post it when I get home.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

amd said:


> I use corked bottles quite often and tape them down. Usually not a problem, but the pumpkin is a good fermenter so even the tape doesn't hold it. I've used kolsch bottles with the pumpkin recipe and it fountains on me every time (the first time I made the mistake of opening at my desk...) My notes are at home, but it is a combination of pumpkin puree, apple cider, and spices. I'll try to remember to post it when I get home.[/QUOTE
> What does fountain mean


----------



## ulrurunaturals

What does fountain mean


----------



## amd

When you pop it open and the booch explodes out, usually a couple inches above the top of the bottle before it starts falling. This photo shows a mild fountain.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

amd said:


> When you pop it open and the booch explodes out, usually a couple inches above the top of the bottle before it starts falling. This photo shows a mild fountain.
> View attachment 32484


When I put hops in my booch I get lots of fountain i try to take it easy with the hops LOL


----------



## amd

Last week I finally got around to brewing again. My hotel had pretty much dried up (note to self: next time I take 5 months off brewing, put a lid on it.) as had my two batches of brew. The SCOBY on the top were looking pretty rough, as well as being 4" thick, but I was able to get two good SCOBY out of the bottom. For starter I used some plain booch that I had bottled in May that was way too sour and hadn't gotten drunk, I was occasionally adding it into meat marinades. Because the starter was sour, and the SCOBY had been so badly neglected, I brewed with the max tea (12 bags per gallon) and used a combination of corn sugar and raw sugar with a heavy hand (1-1/2 c). I put both SCOBY in this batch to strengthen them up before going into a hotel.

Last night I bottled, it was a bit more sweet and a bit more tea flavored than I usually like it, but it had a lovely booch tang and amazing carbonation, so a few days "curing" and I expect it will be perfect. I'm working this year on finding that "just right" spot for bottling that doesn't leave it too sour after the F2. I left the first batch unflavored to help me judge finding that spot. The second batch I put in was a bit less tea, still the sugar mix but at 1c. I still used 2 SCOBY though because I wasn't quite ready to set up the hotel. I'll have that ready for the next bottling.


----------



## zolveria

I dont make Kombucha I was forced to drink this as a child.. im 47 now and hate the smell of it.. I remember it was so easy to do On the island. all my aunts dranks this..it's an acient thing to us.. lmao... 
all of a sudden evveryone doing it lol.. and all these rules are not needed.. 
mango , guava etc..  It is nice to see everyone experimenting though  




amd said:


> I know there are several threads about kombucha soap, but I'm really curious how many kombucha brewers are in the forum. So who's out there?
> 
> I have been drinking kombucha off and on for 2 years, just started brewing my own about a year ago, taking a small break at the beginning of summer when we moved, and December/January while I was getting my mental poop in a group. I make about 3/4 gallon at a time, because I'm the only one who drinks it at my house.
> 
> Tea: I usually brew mine with black and green tea, but I did do a few batches with oolong that I brought back from a China trip. (I'll be leaving more room in my bag on next trip. That was the best carbonation I have ever gotten!)
> 
> Sugar: I usually use regular old table sugar, but did my first batch with raw sugar just last week.
> 
> Flavors: Mostly plain, but I have experimented a bit with pumpkin, strawberry & rhubarb, and my last batch was strawberry & lime, which is my new favorite. I use my sister's homemade strawberry syrup for the strawberry part. It's too runny to be a decent ice cream sauce, and too rich for panpakes (pancakes), but works well for booch because I don't have to use alot.
> 
> ...and no... I haven't tried to make soap with booch, but it is on my list.


----------



## amd

Well, no "all these rules are not needed" is not entirely true. There is a scientific point where there is too much tea for the kombucha to form. There is a certain amount of sugar needed for food, not enough and the kombucha won't thrive. Your family probably doesn't have to talk about the "rules" or even need to understand the "rules" because this is how their family has always done it and it has always worked. (Kind of like soap, ha!) Sorry you don't like kombucha because of your childhood experience, but this thread is for those of us who do enjoy it and are interested in learning more about making it and sharing our experiences.


----------



## zolveria

Have you tried snakewood (mavi , mauby)  brew.. to me it taste like Kambucha but you all might like it.. you can mix the kombucha with the snake wood also    Tamarind and kambucha make it taste better. I love Tamarind it cuts down the bucha flavor a little


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## earlene

Although I have not found a kombucha tea I like to drink, I still like reading about the process brewers use in the making of the tea.  My SIL makes kombucha tea so I make komucha tea soap for her and also for my eldest son's good friend, but so far I really haven't found any I like the taste of.  I do try a sip each time I open a bottle to get it ready for making soap, trying to find one that might taste good to me.  Maybe one day, I'll find one I like, but so far that hasn't happened. 

Maybe the brewers here can tell me if any comes out not tasting alcoholic?  That's one reason I don't like the taste of my SIL's kombuchas.  Another is carbonation.  Almost without fail, I don't like carbonated drinks in any way shape or form, so wonder if it is always bubbly?  If the answer to both those questions is yes, then I guess I'll never find a kombucha tea I like enough to drink.  But since I have so little experience with it, I just don't know.


----------



## demirhanunlu

I do also use kombucha for making soap. Recommend to every1


----------



## DeeAnna

demirhanunlu said:


> I do also use kombucha for making soap. Recommend to every1



I am very curious about this. Please explain why you like to use kombucha in soap. Do you use the scoby or just the tea? How does it improve the soap?

@earlene -- I read a newsletter with kombucha brewing tips the other day. One of the things mentioned is that the ratio of the bacteria to yeast during fermentation can make a difference in the taste. The yeast converts sugars to alcohol and the bacteria convert the alcohol to acetic acid (basically vinegar). You want the proportions of the organisms to be in balance -- too much bacteria makes a sour drink and too much yeast raises the alcohol content. From what I gather (kombucha newbie here), it's hard to have zero alcohol in kombucha, but the % can be pretty low.

As far as carbonation, my kombucha is flat to only very slightly fizzy. Not remotely as fizzy as soda pop. (I'm still learning about how to add fizz with a second fermentation, and I still don't have that figured out.) I think some commercial brands may add artificial CO2 carbonation (like how soda pop is carbonated) to their kombucha to boost the fizz.


----------



## demirhanunlu

DeeAnna said:


> I am very curious about this. Please explain why you like to use kombucha in soap. Do you use the scoby or just the tea? How does it improve the soap?
> 
> @earlene -- I read a newsletter with kombucha brewing tips the other day. One of the things mentioned is that the ratio of the bacteria to yeast during fermentation can make a difference in the taste. The yeast converts sugars to alcohol and the bacteria convert the alcohol to acetic acid (basically vinegar). You want the proportions of the organisms to be in balance -- too much bacteria makes a sour drink and too much yeast raises the alcohol content. From what I gather (kombucha newbie here), it's hard to have zero alcohol in kombucha, but the % can be pretty low.
> 
> As far as carbonation, my kombucha is flat to only very slightly fizzy. Not remotely as fizzy as soda pop. (I'm still learning about how to add fizz with a second fermentation, and I still don't have that figured out.) I think some commercial brands may add artificial CO2 carbonation (like how soda pop is carbonated) to their kombucha to boost the fizz.


I am drinking kombucha for my gut and i am very happy about it. I have also read lots of papers about kombuchas benefit to skin so i have decided to use it in my soap. 
As far as how i do the soap:
Calculate the water amount in your recipe. Divide it into two and use one half as kombucha and add it during trace. Thats all.


----------



## DeeAnna

Thank you for the explanation of how you use it -- but I'm more interested in _why _you use it in soap. What benefits does it add? I would be very glad if you (or anyone else) would share your personal experience.


----------



## demirhanunlu

DeeAnna said:


> Thank you for the explanation of how you use it -- but I'm more interested in _why _you use it in soap. What benefits does it add? I would be very glad if you (or anyone else) would share your personal experience.


Not very sure about what benefits it adds to soap. Maybe someother person knows


----------



## amd

@DeeAnna you are very right about the balances of bacteria and yeast, and the flavors. Thank you for sharing that with all of us, it's a helpful reminder for troubleshooting our brews. As for kombucha in soap, I compare it to beer soap - it does have a better lather. Otherwise I have seen no differences in the soap itself. Back to brewing, what are you using for sugar? I was struggling to get carbonation until I switched to raw sugar. 

@earlene ask your sister to bottle some kombucha for you to try and ask her to put it in the fridge right away. This should reduce / prevent carbonation as well as reduce the continued fermentation process that creates the alcohol flavor. Most brewers will bottle from the big batch, and then leave it to sit at room temp for several days. This seals off the air which prevents the bacteria from doing their thing (turning alcohol into acid) , but allows the yeast to continue doing their thing (turning sugar into alcohol). By putting it in the fridge it is too cold for the yeast to continue doing their thing at a high rate (they will to some extent, but at a much slower less active rate) and this should reduce some of the alcohol you're tasting.


----------



## DeeAnna

Thanks for your thoughts about kombucha in soap. More lather? What's not to like about that! 

I've been using plain white sugar so far. I'm not overly stuck on carbonation, but I am having fun playing around with flavors. I used some seedless red raspberry jam I made last year to flavor my last batch. That was pretty yummy. Elderberry is on my list to try.

I still consider myself a novice and am still figuring out what tastes good to me -- I think my preferences are changing from more sweet to more tart as I get more experience drinking kombucha.


----------



## Sixfooter

I've still got my first batch doing its thing, maybe next week it will be ready. Going to split the batch and make a Lime/Ginger and Blueberry/Ginger


----------



## amd

Ooooh, both of those sound awesome @Sixfooter I've done blackberry ginger which is one of my favorites.


----------



## soapmaker

DeeAnna said:


> I am very curious about this. Please explain why you like to use kombucha in soap. Do you use the scoby or just the tea? How does it improve the soap?
> 
> @earlene -- I read a newsletter with kombucha brewing tips the other day. One of the things mentioned is that the ratio of the bacteria to yeast during fermentation can make a difference in the taste. The yeast converts sugars to alcohol and the bacteria convert the alcohol to acetic acid (basically vinegar). You want the proportions of the organisms to be in balance -- too much bacteria makes a sour drink and too much yeast raises the alcohol content. From what I gather (kombucha newbie here), it's hard to have zero alcohol in kombucha, but the % can be pretty low.
> 
> As far as carbonation, my kombucha is flat to only very slightly fizzy. Not remotely as fizzy as soda pop. (I'm still learning about how to add fizz with a second fermentation, and I still don't have that figured out.) I think some commercial brands may add artificial CO2 carbonation (like how soda pop is carbonated) to their kombucha to boost the fizz.



Is there room for another newbie on here? I just read the full 9 pages and I'm interested! So that tip is very good, but how do I _know_ if the ratio of bacteria to yeast during fermentation is correct? Is there a good link to read of the basics of kombucha or should I just google. Never know who's right about what you read so an experienced person giving a link would be helpful. Also I have the question of how you know if the bacteria is friendly or if some nasties got in? I used to make milk kefir and I'd get digestive upsets every time. I first thought it was me just getting used to the good bacteria but then one time I got really sick and knew it was from drinking kefir so threw it all out.
ETA  Also I'm concerned about how much sugar is in it. The store bought buch that I drink says 15g of sugar per serving. That's as bad as ice cream! But it doesn't taste sweet, it's tangy and my DH thinks it tastes like vinegar.


----------



## ulrurunaturals

soapmaker said:


> Is there room for another newbie on here? I just read the full 9 pages and I'm interested! So that tip is very good, but how do I _know_ if the ratio of bacteria to yeast during fermentation is correct? Is there a good link to read of the basics of kombucha or should I just google. Never know who's right about what you read so an experienced person giving a link would be helpful. Also I have the question of how you know if the bacteria is friendly or if some nasties got in? I used to make milk kefir and I'd get digestive upsets every time. I first thought it was me just getting used to the good bacteria but then one time I got really sick and knew it was from drinking kefir so threw it all out.
> ETA  Also I'm concerned about how much sugar is in it. The store bought buch that I drink says 15g of sugar per serving. That's as bad as ice cream! But it doesn't taste sweet, it's tangy and my DH thinks it tastes like vinegar.


 I think it's wise to research and find out fo yourself. So that way you know you what works for you.


----------



## Mara

soapmaker said:


> Is there room for another newbie on here? I just read the full 9 pages and I'm interested! So that tip is very good, but how do I _know_ if the ratio of bacteria to yeast during fermentation is correct? Is there a good link to read of the basics of kombucha or should I just google. Never know who's right about what you read so an experienced person giving a link would be helpful. Also I have the question of how you know if the bacteria is friendly or if some nasties got in? I used to make milk kefir and I'd get digestive upsets every time. I first thought it was me just getting used to the good bacteria but then one time I got really sick and knew it was from drinking kefir so threw it all out.
> ETA  Also I'm concerned about how much sugar is in it. The store bought buch that I drink says 15g of sugar per serving. That's as bad as ice cream! But it doesn't taste sweet, it's tangy and my DH thinks it tastes like vinegar.



Hi Soapmaker,

For brewing a safe and tasty kombucha I would always recommend to trust your senses.
Good quality kombucha should smell fresh and clean and should taste tangy and only slightly sweetish.
If it smells in any way unpleasant, sweaty or musty like old socks or even like old cabbage it is not safe to use. It should have a smell similar to yogurt with a hint of apple cider vinegar.
You can tell the balance between yeast and bacteria by the appearance of the brew.
It is the yeast that is responsible for the fizz and you can see it as brown stringy goo and a powdery deposit at the bottom. It can become dominant in hot weather, but usually only in a continuous brew. If you start each batch new, it's more a problem to get enough yeast to get some fizz. So it needs to be warm enough. You can see yest is controlled by temperature. 

To prevent the growth of bad bacteria the trick is to add enough finished kombucha to a new batch as a starter. That way it stays clean and pure. You can add as much as you like, the more you add, the faster it will be finished. You can even keep adding sweetened tea every few days to brew more kombucha in less time.

For each liter (or quart) of tea you need a minimum of 50g sugar. If you use any less than that the culture will starve. I found the ideal amount for a low sugar brew to be 60g per litre. (about 2 ounces per quart). 
Most of the sugar gets converted into acids and scoby-fiber, there is not more sugar left than the sweetness you can taste. Storing the finished kombucha in a bottle in a cool place will mature the brew and make it less sweet without getting too sour. It also gets fizzier by building pressure in the closed bottle.
If you want to add some vigor to your kombucha try brewing it with raspberry leaf tea. The kombucha loves those nutrients and it lends a taste like apple cider.
I got most of my knowledge about kombucha brewing from the book 'Kombucha the Miracle Fungus' by Harald W. Tietze, which I highly recommend to any serious kombucha brewer:  http://www.wise-mens-web.com/book-kombucha.html

Hope this helps! Enjoy the brewing!

Mara


----------



## soapmaker

Much appreciated Mara, thank you. My interest is just now aroused so it will be a while till I start. I want to read more.


----------



## amd

soapmaker said:


> Is there room for another newbie on here? I just read the full 9 pages and I'm interested! So that tip is very good, but how do I _know_ if the ratio of bacteria to yeast during fermentation is correct? Is there a good link to read of the basics of kombucha or should I just google. Never know who's right about what you read so an experienced person giving a link would be helpful. Also I have the question of how you know if the bacteria is friendly or if some nasties got in? I used to make milk kefir and I'd get digestive upsets every time. I first thought it was me just getting used to the good bacteria but then one time I got really sick and knew it was from drinking kefir so threw it all out.
> ETA  Also I'm concerned about how much sugar is in it. The store bought buch that I drink says 15g of sugar per serving. That's as bad as ice cream! But it doesn't taste sweet, it's tangy and my DH thinks it tastes like vinegar.



If the bacteria / yeast ratio is off, you'll be able to taste. If it's high in bacteria it will sour more quickly, have a strong vinegar smell, or even a sulfur smell (also a sign of possible bad bacteria), and won't carbonate very well. Note: not carbonating in itself is not a sign of high bacteria, but in combination with the other attributes mentioned. High yeast is visible - you'll see alot of yeast strands or "silt" - and your booch will taste bitter rather than sour. High bacteria can be treated by fermenting at a higher temp or for less time. High yeast is as simple as cleaning the yeast out of your container and SCOBY.

I can't recommend The Big Book of Kombucha enough. (I think the kindle version is under $10)


----------



## soapmaker

I really appreciate this amd. I think my milk kefir did taste bitter at one point. I just watched a video on you tube today. I thought it was very informative but I will definitely consider the book because I'm sure the video didn't cover everything that could go wrong. There is also the medical evaluation on line that says kombucha does more harm than good. Can't quite believe this.


----------



## demirhanunlu

soapmaker said:


> There is also the medical evaluation on line that says kombucha does more harm than good. Can't quite believe this.


What do you think about what this means?


----------



## soapmaker

demirhanunlu said:


> What do you think about what this means?



I didn't read the article because I would have had to create an account to access it. I'm supposing they may mean for certain people with compromised immune systems or perhaps home brewers inadvertently  introducing bad bacteria.


----------



## beckster51

I haven't read this particular article.  There is medical controversy regarding probiotics/ferments.  There is an indication that in some people, altering the microbiome can be harmful to them.  Since there is as of yet no way to truly analyze a person's microbiome for harmful/helpful bacteria, it's just a crapshoot as to whether or not it will help or hurt you.  All you can do is try it and see how you feel.  As with most things, it is probably a case of all things in moderation until we know more about how to evaluate this.  We are all individuals with unique needs.  As a person with lots of GI problems, I have found that eating and drinking ferments is helpful to me in moderation.  Too much, and I get symptoms; not enough, and I get symptoms.


----------



## demirhanunlu

beckster51 said:


> I haven't read this particular article.  There is medical controversy regarding probiotics/ferments.  There is an indication that in some people, altering the microbiome can be harmful to them.  Since there is as of yet no way to truly analyze a person's microbiome for harmful/helpful bacteria, it's just a crapshoot as to whether or not it will help or hurt you.  All you can do is try it and see how you feel.  As with most things, it is probably a case of all things in moderation until we know more about how to evaluate this.  We are all individuals with unique needs.  As a person with lots of GI problems, I have found that eating and drinking ferments is helpful to me in moderation.  Too much, and I get symptoms; not enough, and I get symptoms.


Such a nice comment


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## soapmaker

Exactly Beckster51! I have gotten much help from probiotics but overdoing it causes the same thing I was trying to get rid of!


----------



## soapmaker

My scoby is growing nicely now. It has been two weeks and I look at it every couple days to see what's happening. It looked like it was 1/4" + and this morning when I looked at it the scoby had sunk to the bottom. Is this normal?  I'm still waiting for my "Big Book of Kombuch" to arrive.


----------



## amd

Yes, that's normal. Mine will typically be at the bottom or middle when I brew a new batch and then move to the top after a few days. I have heard of other people's SCOBY moving away from the top during the brew cycle and they have attributed it to temperature. If it doesn't go back to the top in a few days, it will be ok. A new SCOBY will likely start to form at the top, so you may notice a filmy (I liken it to an odd oily look) appearance so don't panic and think it's gone bad. Give it a few days to a week and you'll see the new SCOBY clearly forming. If you don't have a temp strip on your container, the ones they sell for fish tanks (it's an adhesive strip that stick to the outside of your brew vessel) is extremely helpful for watching brewing temps and if it is temp causing your SCOBY to move.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> A new SCOBY will likely start to form at the top, so you may notice a filmy (I liken it to an odd oily look) appearance


Yes, that is how mine started 2 weeks ago in sweet black tea and kombucha from the store. It grew nicely between 70 & 75 degrees in that time and as I said is now 1/4"+. But just this morning it sank. I tasted the brew and it tastes like vinegar but I wasn't planning to use that for anything but to grow the scoby. I was tempted to start a "real brew" but thought I'd better wait till it grew bigger. Thoughts?


----------



## amd

If it already tastes like vinegar, I would start the new batch now. You'll be using part of the current batch in your new batch, so the more sour it is, the higher the bacteria ratio will be in your new brew and the more quickly it will sour. Not always a good thing. I think 1/4" is plenty big enough to start your new batch with. FWIW, my first SCOBY was probably 1/8" when I did my first batch and have never judged if a batch was ready based on SCOBY thickness. I know brewers who don't even use a SCOBY, they just add the starter tea to their new batch and let a new SCOBY form.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> I know brewers who don't even use a SCOBY, they just add the starter tea to their new batch and let a new SCOBY form.


Well, that's what I did to get my SCOBY. It looks good with yeast strands also, but in two weeks time, I couldn't enjoy drinking the brew. It's very strong.


----------



## Misschief

soapmaker said:


> Well, that's what I did to get my SCOBY. It looks good with yeast strands also, but in two weeks time, I couldn't enjoy drinking the brew. It's very strong.


Use it in soap! Use it as a vinegar replacement. Use it as a facial toner. Use it as starter for your next batch.

I usually start tasting my brew after about a week. Once the flavour is where I like it, I bottle it.


----------



## soapmaker

Misschief said:


> Use it in soap! Use it as a vinegar replacement. Use it as a facial toner. Use it as starter for your next batch.


Yes, this is my first time brewing so I'm learning. It will be used as starter for my 1st batch. Can I just let the rest sit around and use for the above^^^when I'm ready?


----------



## Misschief

soapmaker said:


> Yes, this is my first time brewing so I'm learning. It will be used as starter for my 1st batch. Can I just let the rest sit around and use for the above^^^when I'm ready?


I do... My last batch sat around for months before I did anything with it. Then, I used it in soapmaking, including the scoby.


----------



## soapmaker

I'm just so curious! After it sits around for months is it still good to use for vinegar?


----------



## Misschief

soapmaker said:


> I'm just so curious! After it sits around for months is it still good to use for vinegar?


Yup... it just gets stronger and stronger.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> I can't recommend The Big Book of Kombucha enough. (I think the kindle version is under $10)


Thank you so much for recommending this book! I have my second batch of booch in the bottles for the second ferment. So far I have tried apple ginger, vanilla, avocado, strawberry peach & blueberry, mango and mango ginger. They are all very good except I thought avocado tasted like barnyard so I added some orange juice concentrate and fermented a little longer. Now it's good.


----------



## Obsidian

I gave up on kombucha. I just don't like the mild flavor and low fizz of the homemade stuff. Guess I'm stuck buying store bought if I want a tangy fizzy fix.
Started making yogurt in my instant pot, its a easier, faster and tastier way to get healthy probiotics.


----------



## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> I gave up on kombucha. I just don't like the mild flavor and low fizz of the homemade stuff. Guess I'm stuck buying store bought if I want a tangy fizzy fix.
> Started making yogurt in my instant pot, its a easier, faster and tastier way to get healthy probiotics.


Sorry you didn't have a good experience. Did you try using more tea bags for flavour? and adding juices etc. in second ferment?


----------



## Clarice

@Misschief - blueberry lavender sounds divine  - did you make your own, or is this a flavor you purchase?  Thank you


----------



## Misschief

Clarice said:


> @Misschief - blueberry lavender sounds divine  - did you make your own, or is this a flavor you purchase?  Thank you


I make my own... have been for about 3 years now.


----------



## Clarice

Misschief said:


> I make my own... have been for about 3 years now.


 

WOW!  I am imagining a syrup made of blueberries, lavender, sugar - all of which "marinate" in the refrigerator to meld flavors.  

Am I close?

I make a simple syrup boiled with hibiscus flowers and it is a super yummy addition to lemonade or iced tea.  Gorgeous color too!

Cheers!


----------



## Misschief

Clarice said:


> WOW!  I am imagining a syrup made of blueberries, lavender, sugar - all of which "marinate" in the refrigerator to meld flavors.
> 
> Am I close?
> 
> I make a simple syrup boiled with hibiscus flowers and it is a super yummy addition to lemonade or iced tea.  Gorgeous color too!
> 
> Cheers!


Nope, not close at all. When I bottle the kombuca, I throw in a few blueberries, a few lavender flowers, and seal up the bottles. After a few days on my kitchen table (where I can keep an eye on it), the brew is fizzy and beautifully flavoured. No fuss, no muss.


----------



## Clarice

Can you tell I don't make Kombucha?  hahahahah

I am so intrigued by blueberry lavender that I am actually going to try to make a sugar syrup for iced tea and the like

The only time I made Kombucha it tasted kinda "beer-y" - by that I mean it bordered on alcohol to my taste buds and I don't drink, and did not like that taste at all, so I gave up (perhaps too soon!)  All these flavors you guys are throwing around make me want to give it another go!  

Thanks all!


----------



## Misschief

Clarice said:


> Can you tell I don't make Kombucha?  hahahahah
> 
> I am so intrigued by blueberry lavender that I am actually going to try to make a sugar syrup for iced tea and the like
> 
> The only time I made Kombucha it tasted kinda "beer-y" - by that I mean it bordered on alcohol to my taste buds and I don't drink, and did not like that taste at all, so I gave up (perhaps too soon!)  All these flavors you guys are throwing around make me want to give it another go!
> 
> Thanks all!


If you do make it, go easy on the lavender to start. It can be overpowering if you use too much. You can always add more, you can't take it away.

Kombucha IS a brew and there's always going to be a little bit of alcohol in it. If you're sensitive to it, you'll notice it. The nice thing about making it yourself is that you can stop the process at the point you like, you're not bound by a certain time limit. Once you like the flavour of your brew, botttle it, flavour it, and let it sit for a day or two for the flavours and fizz to develop.


----------



## soapmaker

Misschief said:


> botttle it, flavour it, and let it sit for a day or two for the flavours and fizz to develop.


Here again you are not bound to "a day or two." You have to go by _your _brew and _your_ taste preference. My first brew was on the weaker side and the second ferment in the bottle went for over a week to get the right taste for me. Like @amd said to me: I cannot recommend "The Big Book of Kombuch" enough. @Mara also recommended a certain book which could also be good but I didn't need 2 books.


----------



## Misschief

soapmaker said:


> Here again you are not bound to "a day or two." You have to go by _your _brew and _your_ taste preference. My first brew was on the weaker side and the second ferment in the bottle went for over a week to get the right taste for me. Like @amd said to me: I cannot recommend "The Big Book of Kombuch" enough. @Mara also recommended a certain book which could also be good but I didn't need 2 books.


You're right. As well, I have, and love, "The Big Book of Kombucha". It's an excellent resource.


----------



## Obsidian

soapmaker said:


> Sorry you didn't have a good experience. Did you try using more tea bags for flavour? and adding juices etc. in second ferment?


Yeah, I tried more tea, different brands, different sugars and all kinds of flavors. After a few batches, I realised it just wasn't for me. I wanted a finished product that tasted like kevita


----------



## Clarice

Obsidian said:


> I gave up on kombucha. I just don't like the mild flavor and low fizz of the homemade stuff. Guess I'm stuck buying store bought if I want a tangy fizzy fix.
> Started making yogurt in my instant pot, its a easier, faster and tastier way to get healthy probiotics.



Is the instant pot the one that sort of looks like a cross between a crock pot and a pressure cooker?  

If yes, I have one sitting in my garage and would LOVE to know how to make yogurt in it - can you point me to a recipe?

Thank you!


----------



## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> Yeah, I tried more tea, different brands, different sugars and all kinds of flavors. After a few batches, I realised it just wasn't for me. I wanted a finished product that tasted like kevita


That's disappointing. Glad you like your yogurt. I never heard of kevita, I'll have to look for it. I was hoping to have a kombucha as good as GT's. I know I'm not there yet but I'm pleased to be on my way and what I've brewed so far is good.


----------



## Obsidian

Clarice said:


> Is the instant pot the one that sort of looks like a cross between a crock pot and a pressure cooker?
> 
> If yes, I have one sitting in my garage and would LOVE to know how to make yogurt in it - can you point me to a recipe?
> 
> Thank you!



Yep, its a pressue pot/slow cooker. Check see if yours has a yogurt setting, it won't work if it doesn't.

Cold start yogurt.

1/2 gallon fairlife whole milk or other brand ultra pasteurized. Must be ultra pasteurized.

2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt with live active cultures. Chobani and fage are commonly used.

Optional:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream for extra decedent yogurt.

Add milk and yougurt to pot, wisk together. Add any optional ingredients. Wisk well.

Cover pot with lid, you can use a regular lid or the locking lid that comes with the pot. If using the locking lid, make sure the vent valve is open.
Hit the yogurt button and wait 8 hours for the cycle to complete. Once done, pull the inner pot out, cover and put un the fridge for 8 hours. Enjoy fresh yogurt.

I use all the optional ingredients, it was delicious. I might try honey next time instead of sweetened milk.

If your yogurt comes out too thin, you can strain it. I did have to strain mine. Fairlife supposedly makes thicker yogurt but I can't find it here, use organic life instead.


----------



## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> If your yogurt comes out too thin, you can strain it. I did have to strain mine. Fairlife supposedly makes thicker yogurt but I can't find it here, use organic life instead.



I used to make my own yogurt for years but can't now because I can't tolerate dairy. It doesn't sound like yogurt to me. What would you be straining?


----------



## Obsidian

You put the yogurt in a large sieve lined with coffee filters so some of the liquid can drain off. It makes the yogurt thicker, its what they do to greek yogurt to get it thick.
I can't stand thin yogurt like yoplait so I strain mine.

Are you lactose intolerant? Fairlife is lactose free.


----------



## soapmaker

Yes I understand now. I hope you drink that good whey you strain off. I used to do that to make yogurt "cream cheese." I'm not sure what part of milk upsets me, I've tried lactose free yogurt and it doesn't help.


----------



## soapmaker

We're getting away from booch but something else you can do to get thicker yogurt is add some powdered milk. I forget the amount, I think just a couple tablespoons.


----------



## Misschief

Well, I've just had my first round of mold on my Kombucha. It was a bit of an experiment so I'm not too upset about it. I don't think my starter liquid was quite strong enough (I have two jars of Scoby so I have plenty to experiment with) and the weather's been on the cool side. (and, yes, it's definitely mold)


----------



## amd

Obsidian said:


> 2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt with live active cultures. Chobani and fage are commonly used.


I used to make my own yogurt in the crockpot. My exbf thought it was funny that I bought yogurt to make yogurt. (He was an idiot which is why he's an ex.) @Obsidian have you tried using the yogurt you make as culture for the next batch? I had always wanted to do it but never did, always bought new yogurt. I haven't tried this yet in my instant pot - hubby and the stepkids go through milk way too fast (I used to make yogurt to use up milk before it would spoil because my kids and I do not drink a lot of milk, but we love milk products).

@Misschief I had booch get mold last winter too - discovered that the brand of water I was using had floaties in it (not sure what they were, but they should not have been there), once I switched water brands it wasn't a problem again. What were you experimenting with? Curious cat that I am.


----------



## Clarice

dusting off the box as we speak!  Thank you!


----------



## Obsidian

@amd I haven't used my homemade yogurt as a culture but I plan to once I start making it regularly. You can just freeze some in a ice cube tray.

Ends up I bought the wrong instant pot, mine doesn't have the yogurt setting so I have to borrow my daughters when I want to make some.

I'm going to get a 3 quart pot for yogurt, rice and other small side dishes.


----------



## Misschief

amd said:


> @Misschief I had booch get mold last winter too - discovered that the brand of water I was using had floaties in it (not sure what they were, but they should not have been there), once I switched water brands it wasn't a problem again. What were you experimenting with? Curious cat that I am.



It wasn't anything dramatic, amd. I just used starter liquid in this batch, no scoby. I have a feeling my starter liquid was a little too weak, though. I should have added a little bit from one of my scoby hotels.


----------



## soapmaker

Eww. Definitely mold, misschief. I was pleased with my first 2 batches of booch until we took a two day trip and was drinking GT's on the road. How can we get it like GT's??


----------



## amd

I think GT's has something to do with the kiwi juice they use when fermenting. I believe they use that in place of sugar. Their black tea to green tea ratio will also impact the taste.





I noticed a huge difference in flavor between the commercial tea I get here in the US compared to the tea I got in China (China's tea was better kombucha flavor), so tea source is a factor I think. I have more tea coming from China in 2 weeks, so I'm holding off my brewing until then. I still have my last batch bottled and sitting in the fridge, untouched because it's disgusting. I made the mistake of flavoring with my mom's beet jelly... so not a good idea... I can't bring myself to dump it out though.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> I think GT's has something to do with the kiwi juice they use when fermenting. I believe they use that in place of sugar. Their black tea to green tea ratio will also impact the taste.
> View attachment 36361
> 
> 
> I noticed a huge difference in flavor between the commercial tea I get here in the US compared to the tea I got in China (China's tea was better kombucha flavor), so tea source is a factor I think. I have more tea coming from China in 2 weeks, so I'm holding off my brewing until then. I still have my last batch bottled and sitting in the fridge, untouched because it's disgusting. I made the mistake of flavoring with my mom's beet jelly... so not a good idea... I can't bring myself to dump it out though.



Yes I noticed too that kiwi juice is in all their different kinds in the culture and sugar is not listed. 
I never like to buy edibles from China as their track record in the food industry scares me.
Eww. beet jelly. I flavour each bottle differently. Avocado is disgusting, neither will I do prune juice again.


----------



## AKelly75

I think you all convinced me to hop on the kombucha wagon. My first tasting of the store bought variety several years ago was not to my liking as it was very sour with a lot of carbonation.

Last week, I attended a kombucha class of a colleague who had learned to make soap from me. I tasted hers; it was mild and a little sweet, no carbonation. I wondered if it had actually gone through the fermentation process so I jumped on this forum topic and read from beginning to end.

My friend doesn’t take hers through a second fermentation or add extra flavoring. She uses an unrefined sugar (both of those factors contribute to little/no carbonation, if I understand correctly). After 10 days of the first fermentation, she has a lovely SCOBY and starts the process again or sticks hers in a hotel until she’s ready to make more. 

I will be acquiring a SCOBY (and yes, I still really want to pronounce it Scooby), does everyone send theirs through a second fermentation (or only if they want carbonation)? Also, does the Mother always retire to a hotel and you only use the baby SCOBY for the next brewing batch? I also want to thank everyone for the book recommendation... I will order it before I proceed any farther.


----------



## Misschief

Personally, I like to give it a bit of a second fermentation, just cuz I like a little fizz (I don't drink soft drinks) and I like the extra flavouring. That's the great thing about making it yourself; you can make it the way you want it.

As far as the Mother goes, in the beginning, I was pretty anal about the Scoby and I'd religiously put the mother in the hotel and use just the baby. Now, I'll often put both into the new batch. If your starter liquid is strong enough, technically, you don't even need a Scoby. However, if your starter isn't strong enough, you could be inviting mold (see up thread).

I've cut back quite a bit on my kombucha brewing lately because my grandkids aren't around any more (they both love it!) and I make way more than I can drink by myself. I also have two Scoby hotels that I need to refresh


----------



## soapmaker

I'm enjoying this adventure very much. Like you @AKelly75, when I tasted store booch I wasn't impressed. So I thought I'd get my probiotics somewhere else. Until this thread came up.

 I created my own SCOBY using sweet tea and half a bottle of store booch. (organic, raw). From there I made my first batch. Since the first scoby was only as large around as a wide mouth quart jar it took a while to make 3/4 gallon of booch. But when I did the second and third batches I used all the scobys that were generated thus far. I will soon have to make a hotel. I'm only on my 3rd batch.

 I do a second ferment so I can flavour each bottle differently and see what I like and also get a little fizz. I don't like to swallow air so I only like a little carbonation which gives it a pleasant tingle, not a burning that makes your eyes water! Mine also is a little sweeter than the bought. But there is always a way to remedy what you don't like. Before I could drink any of mine I used the bought and stirred out the carbonation I didn't want and added a touch of stevia. That was delicious.

The book is well worth the price.


----------



## soapmaker

Is there any specific kind of black tea that any of you prefer? I've been using darjeeling as per recommendations from The Big Book of Kombucha. They also list other types that are the best for booch. Orange Pekoe is not mentioned. I'm wondering why. I'm looking for a stronger flavour.


----------



## Misschief

I use a blend of Gunpowder Green tea and a local grocer's (Overwaitea) black tea (similar to Red Rose).


----------



## soapmaker

Misschief said:


> I use a blend of Gunpowder Green tea and a local grocer's (Overwaitea) black tea (similar to Red Rose).


What is Gunpowder Green Tea?


----------



## Misschief

soapmaker said:


> What is Gunpowder Green Tea?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_tea


----------



## MGM

Misschief said:


> I still have to learn when to bottle it for my taste; I tend to let it go too long and I really don't like it when it's too sour. I also make water kefir and it's more popular around here than kombucha; even my husband likes it.



Waaah I keep killing my water kefir grains. I can NOT figure out what's wrong, but I finally had to stop making it as it was too depressing.
Kombucha, which I don't like near so much, I have no problem keeping alive....


----------



## Misschief

MGM said:


> Waaah I keep killing my water kefir grains. I can NOT figure out what's wrong, but I finally had to stop making it as it was too depressing.
> Kombucha, which I don't like near so much, I have no problem keeping alive....


I haven't made water kefir since last summer; I still have some WK grains in my fridge (I think.... if they haven't died by now) and some dried. I may try to revive them later this year but without the grandkids around, I'm afraid I'll be left to drink it all myself, both WK and kombucha.


----------



## reeeen4

soapmaker said:


> Is there any specific kind of black tea that any of you prefer? I've been using darjeeling as per recommendations from The Big Book of Kombucha. They also list other types that are the best for booch. Orange Pekoe is not mentioned. I'm wondering why. I'm looking for a stronger flavour.


I heard or read that using another type of tea other than Black tea can weaken the Kombutcha culture over time and cause more batches to spoil and get mouldy becuase it is weakened since they eat the nutrients from the black tea and therefore are starved from their usual food source. I haven't tried for this reason but would be interested if other people find it doesn't make a difference.


----------



## soapmaker

reeeen4 said:


> I heard or read that using another type of tea other than Black tea can weaken the Kombutcha culture over time and cause more batches to spoil and get mouldy becuase it is weakened since they eat the nutrients from the black tea and therefore are starved from their usual food source. I haven't tried for this reason but would be interested if other people find it doesn't make a difference.


Yes I also read that so for the first several batches I used only black tea. After that I plan to mix black and green.


----------



## soapmaker

Misschief said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_tea


Thanks. That is very interesting. Perhaps Bulk Barn would have that. I'll be looking.


----------



## Ravens Craig Apothecary

I use a variety of teas, with one or two bags of with black or green tee tossed in for strength. Last batch was  rosehip/hibiscus/green tea, and the one going  now is vanilla rooibos/green tea.  I  dont let them get too strong so they end up nice and light, not too fizzy. I f2 with fruit for 2-4 days to get a nice fizz for an occasional change of pace.  I just bought some of the Butterfly pea flower leaf tea to make a pretty blue booch. I am mad for color.


----------



## earlene

I love Gunpowder Green Tea by Numi.  It has a fabulous flavor.  But my new favorite by Numi, is Three Roots, one of their many Turmeric teas.


----------



## amd

soapmaker said:


> I never like to buy edibles from China as their track record in the food industry scares me


What they sell in China is vastly different (in a good way) than what they import here. Black tea typically comes from Asia or Africa.



soapmaker said:


> Orange Pekoe is not mentioned. I'm wondering why. I'm looking for a stronger flavour.


I don't see why you couldn't use orange pekoe tea, it's just a different grade of black tea.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> What they sell in China is vastly different (in a good way) than what they import here. Black tea typically comes from Asia or Africa.


We have a green tea here called Uncle Lee's. It comes from China. I always hesitated because it's so cheap. $3 or so for a large box of 100. How is that possible if it's good quality? I'm not doubting you, just saying my concerns.


----------



## amd

Yeah, like I said... what they import here is vastly different. That's why I get excited about buying tea _in China. _BTW I can get a huge bag of tea in China for 3-4 USD, so the price is cheap but the quality far better.


----------



## soapmaker

Good for you! I don't go there. But I haven't really searched for chinese tea here so there may very well be better tea than Uncle Lee's. I just remember seeing that.


----------



## Obsidian

@Misschief  I want to start brewing again but my scoby has been neglected for months. Its basically floating in vinegar.
How can I go about revitalizing it? I don't want to use it as is.


----------



## soapmaker

I'm not @Misschief but what do you mean by "neglected?" It's ok to be floating in vinegar. Does it have a nice scoby on top?


----------



## Obsidian

Neglected as in I haven't fed it in about 7 months. There is only the old, dark and kinda stringy scoby floating around, no new growth on top.
I'm worried that most of it is dead and want to grow a new one if possible.


----------



## Misschief

I'd go ahead and try it. It might take a few batches to get it back up and healthy but it's worth a shot. That said, I no longer make kombucha. I was making it for me and my grandkids but they've since moved and I don't drink it as much any more.


----------



## soapmaker

Misschief said:


> I'd go ahead and try it. It might take a few batches to get it back up and healthy but it's worth a shot. That said, I no longer make kombucha. I was making it for me and my grandkids but they've since moved and I don't drink it as much any more.


Sad


----------



## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> Neglected as in I haven't fed it in about 7 months. There is only the old, dark and kinda stringy scoby floating around, no new growth on top.
> I'm worried that most of it is dead and want to grow a new one if possible.


Yes I'd try a small batch to get a good scoby going then use that scoby with starter liquid to make a larger batch


----------



## Obsidian

soapmaker said:


> Yes I'd try a small batch to get a good scoby going then use that scoby with starter liquid to make a larger batch


How much is a small batch? A quart? I've only made kombucha a couple times and I'm not very good at it. Much like a child, I need someone to hold my hand lol


----------



## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> How much is a small batch? A quart? I've only made kombucha a couple times and I'm not very good at it. Much like a child, I need someone to hold my hand lol


I'd start with a quart, yes. See what happens.


----------



## Obsidian

Misschief said:


> I'd start with a quart, yes. See what happens.


Perfect, thanks


----------



## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> Perfect, thanks


Let us know how, or if, it turns out.


----------



## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> How much is a small batch? A quart? I've only made kombucha a couple times and I'm not very good at it. Much like a child, I need someone to hold my hand lol


I agree with @Misschief, a quart is good.  I'm curious to see what happens.  You know to use a tightly woven cloth for a cover? It needs air.


----------



## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> How much is a small batch? A quart? I've only made kombucha a couple times and I'm not very good at it. Much like a child, I need someone to hold my hand lol


Hand holding available!


----------



## Obsidian

I ended up using two quarts. I'll let you know how it goes.
Yes, I know to keep it covered. I use a coffee filter.


----------



## amd

@Obsidian I know you've already started, but if you don't see signs of life, do extra strong tea and extra strong sugar. The yeasts will need alot of food to get started again (sugar) and the bacteria will need to stay balanced (stronger tea will do that). You probably won't want to drink these first few batches  I recently revived a guy who had been in the fridge for 2 years.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> @Obsidian I know you've already started, but if you don't see signs of life, do extra strong tea and extra strong sugar. The yeasts will need alot of food to get started again (sugar) and the bacteria will need to stay balanced (stronger tea will do that). You probably won't want to drink these first few batches  I recently revived a guy who had been in the fridge for 2 years.


Although according to The Big Book of Kombucha having it in the refrigerator is a worst case scenario.  They recommend never putting it in the fridge. Glad if you could revive it.  I would have started over completely.


----------



## Obsidian

@soapmaker @amd  well, it went bad and has mold all over. I'm starting over with some store bought booch


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## Yooper

I just saw this but I'm a kombucha maker (even did a seminar on it last year, and served it at HomebrewCon).   I can try to help those who have questions.


----------



## amd

soapmaker said:


> Although according to The Big Book of Kombucha having it in the refrigerator is a worst case scenario. They recommend never putting it in the fridge.


The Big Book of Kombucha is a great reference... but I have found a lot of ... well... not so sound advice. Keep in mind that many brewers start with storebought kombucha, which is kept in the refrigerator section. Storing a SCOBY in the fridge isn't much different. It needs a bit more coddling to bring it back than a SCOBY stored in a hotel, but it isn't a lost cause.



Obsidian said:


> well, it went bad and has mold all over.


Ewww. It was worth a try though.


----------



## mishmish

I would love to start making kombucha again: I stopped because of an article I read about some people making themselves sick with homemade kombucha because their scoby became contaminated with wild yeast. Then I had a new donated scoby grow maggots (I kept it covered so the eggs must have been laid before I got it) and I got discouraged.


----------



## Obsidian

Yooper said:


> I just saw this but I'm a kombucha maker (even did a seminar on it last year, and served it at HomebrewCon).   I can try to help those who have questions.



I'll happily pick your brain. One reason I stopped making booch is I could never get a flavorful end product, the carbonation was lacking too.

Once its ready to bottle, I just can't figure out how much of what to add. So many instructions say add fruit and/or sugar but not how much or in what form.
I usually just add smashed fruit, maybe 1/4 cup per 16oz bottle and it just doesn't add any flavor.
I'm always disappointed that there isn't any tea flavor left either, its usually just sour fermented flavor, sometimes a little alcohol.

The carbonation seems to completely fizzle out once its put in the fridge. I'll be using proper bale top bottles next time, hopefully that helps.


----------



## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> Once its ready to bottle, I just can't figure out how much of what to add. So many instructions say add fruit and/or sugar but not how much or in what form.
> I usually just add smashed fruit, maybe 1/4 cup per 16oz bottle and it just doesn't add any flavor.
> I'm always disappointed that there isn't any tea flavor left either, its usually just sour fermented flavor, sometimes a little alcohol.


Not the person your questioning but I'll tell you my experience. I never thought mashed fruit gave any flavour either, only colour and carbonation. Also chopped fresh ginger root gave no flavour. I second ferment mine in a 1 1/2 liter jar and in that I put (approx.) 1/2 c. Kiju juice. My favourite is Mango Orange. I also add a rounded teaspoon of organic ground ginger. Believe me it has flavour!


----------



## amd

Obsidian said:


> I'm always disappointed that there isn't any tea flavor left either, its usually just sour fermented flavor, sometimes a little alcohol.


If it's sour you may be 1st fermenting too long, try backing off a day at a time. Also watch temps. I had mine in a warm spot in the house, and I think it was too warm because it would go sour quickly and had zero carbonation. That's typically a sign that the SCOBY isn't balanced - there's more bacteria than yeast. I moved mine to a cooler spot in the house, and added just a bit more sugar to encourage the yeast. I've always brewed with max tea amounts, so I didn't mess with that. You can also try mixing up the types of tea - I had really good tea flavor using half black, half green mix. I would try a bit more sugar for a batch or two, in addition to adjusting temp, and ferment time, see if that straightens it out.



Obsidian said:


> Once its ready to bottle, I just can't figure out how much of what to add. So many instructions say add fruit and/or sugar but not how much or in what form.


That was one thing that I really the Big Book of Kombucha for, is that it has very clear ratios and recipes for flavoring. Just for that the book was worth the price I paid. My sister does a lot of canning (she has actually had her products tested because she sells) so I use quite a bit of her jams and syrups for flavoring. It's a bit less cumbersome to add 1 tbsp jam to a bottle and get good flavor than mashing up fruit. Plus the benefit of the extra sugar improves carbonation. Have you tried adding a bit of sugar to your flavoring to improve the carbonation? The yeast will still be active, so in a well sealed bottle if you give them a bit of sugar (especially if your brew is sour) will give them something to work with to create carbonation. Even a bit of apple juice - like a tbsp or two - will help the yeast.


----------



## Obsidian

Can anyone recommend a company to purchase a new scoby from? I got mold again. Going to sterilize my jar but I'm giving up.on growing my own.


----------



## amd

Obsidian said:


> Can anyone recommend a company to purchase a new scoby from?


Try Cultures for Health, or Kombucha Kamp. If you have a fairly decent sized city, you might be able to find an herb shop - not sure. I know we have a store here that sells herbs, teas, crystals, and she does Kombucha, but that might be particular to herself as it is a local "home grown" biz.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> I've always brewed with max tea amounts, so I didn't mess with that.
> 
> That was one thing that I really the Big Book of Kombucha for, is that it has very clear ratios and recipes for flavoring. Just for that the book was worth the price I paid.


@amd what is your opinion on maximum tea amounts?  Strange you mention very clear ratios for flavouring in the Big Book of Kombucha. I really liked that book but as far as their ratios for flavouring, I couldn't taste much. That's why I went to ground ginger instead of chopped fresh ginger root. I love all the ideas for flavouring but I use them for ideas and adjust to suit our taste. 
Always wanting to learn more, I am wondering if you're willing to tell me what you found in that book that's "not so sound advice?" Because I didn't know a thing about kombucha, so I took their advice to be the voice of experience. Information and misinformation. How are we to know who to believe?


----------



## amd

I don't have an "opinion" on maximum tea amounts, I found several sources that all recommend the same usage rates, and the recommendation not to exceed. Too much tea will put the SCOBY out of balance, so this advice makes sense to me.

I didn't think it was strange that I mentioned the books ratios, because they do very clearly say "use this much." I don't find that strange. Obsidian had commented that she had difficulty finding recipes that say how much to add, and BBoK says how much to use. I haven't had problems with flavoring following their recipes, but taste is subjective. I also have a sensitive nose, so I may be able to taste their flavors better while others with less sense of smell may not.

It's been several years since I read the book, and as I have found with other books by people who also sell ingredients and supplies, their advice is geared toward you buying their wares and buying them often. This was how I read their book compared to a significant amount of time spent reading other sources. Sorry I can't give specifics (the book said this, but these sources said that), as I said it's been a few years, but I do remember some conflicting advice, and further research showed me that there are easier/better ways to do things. It probably also helps that I live with a beer brewer, and am part of our local beer brewing club [while there are differences between beer and booch, many of the principles are the same, and many shared their experiences and knowledge of booch]. I'm not an expert by any means, but I have read alot, done alot, and had to correct alot of my own brewing mistakes. Some of those mistakes happened following the BBoK. This of course, is my own personal experience, and while BBoK is a good starting point, I would not make it my only reference. I've found this true for many things - sourdough (which I've just started my journey on), soapmaking, and raising children  There is no one definitive guide, but with a bit of research and sometimes trusting your own intuition, you'll end up with results that are pleasing and can be repeated successfully. (Although raising children still has me a bit stumped. Hopefully by the time the grandchildren arrive I'll have it figured out.)


----------



## DeeAnna

Another thing if you want to find a local scoby is to ask your friends, advertise on Craigs List or Facebook Marketplace, or check local "want ads" online or in a community newspaper.

I bought a scoby from The Kombucha Shop in Madison, Wisconsin. I later learned a friend makes kombucha and would have gladly given me a scoby if she'd known I wanted one. That was a little embarassing. 

I can second Kombucha Kamp and Cultures for Health, but would add The Kombucha Shop to the list too. They did a good job with my order and the scoby performed very well. Their home page -- The Kombucha Shop What I bought -- The Kombucha Shop


----------



## Obsidian

I did put up a iso on the local FB marketplace. I have one lady respond but she is the same person I got my last scoby from and I really didn't like what it produced.
Hopefully someone else local will respond, if not, I'll check the suggested pages. 

Unfortunately, there are no places around here that would have kombucha supplies.


----------



## soapmaker

amd said:


> I don't have an "opinion" on maximum tea amounts, I found several sources that all recommend the same usage rates, and the recommendation not to exceed. Too much tea will put the SCOBY out of balance, so this advice makes sense to me.
> 
> I didn't think it was strange that I mentioned the books ratios, because they do very clearly say "use this much." I don't find that strange. Obsidian had commented that she had difficulty finding recipes that say how much to add, and BBoK says how much to use. I haven't had problems with flavoring following their recipes, but taste is subjective. I also have a sensitive nose, so I may be able to taste their flavors better while others with less sense of smell may not.
> 
> It's been several years since I read the book, and as I have found with other books by people who also sell ingredients and supplies, their advice is geared toward you buying their wares and buying them often. This was how I read their book compared to a significant amount of time spent reading other sources. Sorry I can't give specifics (the book said this, but these sources said that), as I said it's been a few years, but I do remember some conflicting advice, and further research showed me that there are easier/better ways to do things. It probably also helps that I live with a beer brewer, and am part of our local beer brewing club [while there are differences between beer and booch, many of the principles are the same, and many shared their experiences and knowledge of booch]. I'm not an expert by any means, but I have read alot, done alot, and had to correct alot of my own brewing mistakes. Some of those mistakes happened following the BBoK. This of course, is my own personal experience, and while BBoK is a good starting point, I would not make it my only reference. I've found this true for many things - sourdough (which I've just started my journey on), soapmaking, and raising children  There is no one definitive guide, but with a bit of research and sometimes trusting your own intuition, you'll end up with results that are pleasing and can be repeated successfully. (Although raising children still has me a bit stumped. Hopefully by the time the grandchildren arrive I'll have it figured out.)


I certainly hope that I didn't offend you by using the word opinion. A better way would have been to ask what you have found you like to use. I know that too much tea will put the scoby out of balance so I have been leery to increase although I see other references that use more. I'm sure if we talked face to face you also would see that I'm benevolent and meant no harm by saying "strange." I meant interesting because I'm fond of BBoK and you, not so much, and the part you like is the part I change! Such is life. I also do things easier and better but thought it was a great ref. book. I trust my own tuition a lot.  As far as raising children, I hate to disappoint you but if you're like me you won't have it figured out by the time grandchildren come either By then you just have to do what the mother says.


----------



## Lin19687

We have a very active CL here in Boston.  I almost ALWAYS see this on the Free section on Craigs list


----------



## Obsidian

I'm going to try one more time to grow a scoby before buying one. I found unflavored, raw kombucha and bought new tea/sugar in case what I had was contaminated.
Sterilize the heck out of my jar and boiled my water instead of just heating it in the microwave.


----------



## Nostalgicgranny

Try using a different jar.  With canning food if a jar spoils you aren't supposed to use the jar again.  Boil the water for at least 10 minutes to kill any germs. And also consider doing it in a different room. There may be some rogue mold spores in that area. Obviously you wouldn't see a spore. Make sure your utinsels are sterilized too. I don't make this but I've done plenty of fermenting and stuff. That's what I would do.


----------



## amd

Obsidian said:


> Sterilize the heck out of my jar and boiled my water instead of just heating it in the microwave.


Oh my! Yes! You need to get that water boiling. I use spring water and have a designated tea kettle just for my kombucha. I let the tea kettle whistle, and then sit for 5 minutes before I pour into the container with my tea. I use about half the water heated for steeping, remove the tea, add the sugar to dissolve, then add the remainder of the water to cool it down so I don't wait forever before I have to add my SCOBY and starter liquid. Also, make sure you are using spring water and not distilled. Beer brewers don't use distilled water, so I follow my husband's advice on that.


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## Obsidian

I don't think I've ever boiled the water before. Whatever I did, it seems to be working.

Its been pretty cool here the last few days but it finally warmed up and my brew is making bubbles on the surface and starting to form filmy spots. Its smells nice a tangy too.


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## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> I don't think I've ever boiled the water before. Whatever I did, it seems to be working.
> 
> Its been pretty cool here the last few days but it finally warmed up and my brew is making bubbles on the surface and starting to form filmy spots. Its smells nice a tangy too.


Good for you! I have a propagating mat wrapped around the primary brewer to keep it upper 70s or 80 because my space is cool. But to get my first scoby I put it on an upper shelf where it was warm. It's so satisfying to see it working and smelling right! And very hard to let it alone long enough to do a good job in the next step. At least for me.


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## amd

Obsidian said:


> Its been pretty cool here the last few days but it finally warmed up and my brew is making bubbles on the surface and starting to form filmy spots. Its smells nice a tangy too.


Sometimes the starter that you buy at the store will make a difference! Thinking good thoughts about your new "house guest", lol.


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## Obsidian

I have a nice, happy baby scoby ready to start its new job.
I just got the tea to brewing, should be cool enough to assemble in 3 hours or so.
Really glad it worked this time, now to get the second fermentation nailed down and I'll be good to go.

What kind of tea/sugar do you all use? My sugar is just organic pure cane and the tea is red rose black. I was thinking about trying a english breakfast but I don't know if it really matters.


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## Misschief

Obsidian said:


> I have a nice, happy baby scoby ready to start its new job.
> I just got the tea to brewing, should be cool enough to assemble in 3 hours or so.
> Really glad it worked this time, now to get the second fermentation nailed down and I'll be good to go.
> 
> What kind of tea/sugar do you all use? My sugar is just organic pure cane and the tea is red rose black. I was thinking about trying a english breakfast but I don't know if it really matters.


I used a variety of teas but predominantly Gunpowder Green tea. I preferred the flavour to that of black tea.


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## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> I have a nice, happy baby scoby ready to start its new job.
> I just got the tea to brewing, should be cool enough to assemble in 3 hours or so.
> Really glad it worked this time, now to get the second fermentation nailed down and I'll be good to go.
> 
> What kind of tea/sugar do you all use? My sugar is just organic pure cane and the tea is red rose black. I was thinking about trying a english breakfast but I don't know if it really matters.


Same about sugar. As far as tea I use half organic gunpowder green and half organic black tea. I started with bags but now buy loose leaf. Better tea, better for the environment.


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## Obsidian

I bottled my first batch and this time I didn't let it get sour, just lightly fermented. I didn't add any flavoring either, just a little extra sugar to boost carbonation.


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## soapmaker

Obsidian said:


> I bottled my first batch and this time I didn't let it get sour, just lightly fermented. I didn't add any flavoring either, just a little extra sugar to boost carbonation.


Oh, yum. Good for you. I have been adding smashed fresh picked wild black raspberries in 2nd ferment and it is so delicious! The raspberries are growing all around us. They are seedy so they are perfect for flavouring kombucha because I strain it.


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## Obsidian

Maybe I'll pour the finished kombucha over smashed fruit. I do need to go get raspberries from gramma. I have huckleberries and soon blueberries.


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## soapmaker

That would taste good. But I like it to ferment the fruit for a few days to give a more complex flavour and some carbonation. Your extra sugar will add fizz.


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