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.
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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
Well-Known Member
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 "
A
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
Well-Known Member
Corked bottles will blow everytime. I usually stick to my GTS Bottles reduce reuse recycle
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!
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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
Well-Known Member
ulrurunaturals
Well-Known Member
What does fountain mean
A
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
Well-Known Member
A
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.
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
Well-Known Member
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
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
A
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
Well-Known Member
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
Tamarind and kambucha make it taste better. I love Tamarind it cuts down the bucha flavor a little
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.
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
Member
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
Member
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.
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
Member
Not very sure about what benefits it adds to soap. Maybe someother person knows
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