Just getting into Kombucha

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BillyGHusk

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and have a couple of quick questions:

Other than flavor differences is there any reason to use specif types of tea, Black vs. Green vs. Yerba maté.

Also, are there reasons not to add fruit before bottling? Seems like you could get more flavor if you have the fruit in the "primary" as well.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Tim
 
Since the kombucha "mother' or "scoby" is a living thing that is moved from jar to jar or in same jar with more sugar tea added, it might not grow well or it might get infected by fruit in the "primary" . Also keep it covered by a nice tea towel or paper towel held down tight- fruit flies love the stuff and will lay eggs in the mother, then ya have to start over. You do not need to do a "secondary" to make it fizzy, many people like it flat, even tho it is not really, flat, flat.
Since the "secondary" is just to make it fizzy by capturing the co that the yeast is putting out and not to make alcohol, you really do get quite a bit of flavor from adding just a few pieces of fruit/ginger etc.. to the bottle... The secondary is usually only about 3 to 6 days and then you put it in the fridge so it is nice and cold to drink. Now I have had a finished "secondary" in the fridge for over 5 months before drinking(lost two bottles in the bottom of the fridge) and the flavor was just as nice as the ones that I drank at one week in the fridge.. But more fizzy- it erupted out and all over the sink!:D

There is a small amount of alcohol in kombucha but not enuf to really tell, but for folks who are sensitive they might be able to tell it is there... About the same amount as what is in root beer if you ferment the fizz naturally.

And just in case I didn't say- Scoby refers to "symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast" lol The real reason that big live mushroom is called a mother or scoby-- it just sounds better!:D Mine in the summer would also "breath":eek: it was just the CO coming up and moving the mother up and down , but it can be kinda creepy- I even named mine--It was Minnie the mother... You will also get kind brown looking swirls of stuff in the liquid, it is safe to drink, but I was kinda creeped out by it and usually strained my into the glass...

As for teas- I have used green, black, and a mix of green and black and even used white a couple of times, but I prefer the mix of green and black flavor wise. I have read about folks using the Roosbi(sp here it is a red tea) and having good luck.
Scoby likes the caffeine in tea so I don't use de-caf.
 
i've read that any teas with artificial flavorings (ie-orange, chai, berry) are bad for the yeasts and may kill them off.
 
Has anyone tried using instant tea and cold water?

yep. not as good as normal tea. as far as cold water, you'll want the tea room temp before you 'pitch' anyway if that's what you were referring to.
 
Thank you for the reply. I was concerned about stray bugs in the water if it wasn't
boiled. Cold water could traumatize the SCOBY, is that what you mean? I think you
are right and I will likely continue to boil. I appreciate your feedback.
 
Thank you for the reply. I was concerned about stray bugs in the water if it wasn't
boiled. Cold water could traumatize the SCOBY, is that what you mean? I think you
are right and I will likely continue to boil. I appreciate your feedback.

i was actually referring to the opposite, as too warm of water would damage the scoby. cold water might shock some of the yeast/bacteria into dormancy, but they'd wake up when it returns to room temp. i definitely wouldn't worry much about stray bugs, as that is pretty much what a scoby is anyway. :mug:
 
Hi Guys,

I posted a response a while ago on another thread, but I thought I'd respond to this one as well. I've been brewing kombucha for over a year, I've made some observations and a few adjustments I'd like to share with you. I love to bend the rules to find out WHY others tell me "don't do that", so bear with me:

First, though kombucha is traditionally brewed with black tea, you can use most any kind of tea; caffeine, decaf, or even herbal. Avoid oily herbal tea mixes. I personally prefer kombucha brewed with green tea and not black (tastes better to me.)

(Note: all temperatures are in Fahrenheit)

Second, I used to boil the water for 10 minutes to sanitize it, but I found that green tea (the kind I use) tastes better when the water is heated to 180 degrees and not boiled. Since I'm making a gallon or so, the water will stay that way longer than the amount of time it takes to sanitize.

Third, I use 1 and a half cups sugar per gallon of water. I usually add it before the water gets to temperature- say, around 160 degrees or so, so that it will dissolve faster, then stir until it disappears. As for the tea- I use 6 average-sized tea bags per gallon of water. I let it steep for 20 minutes after remving the pot from the heat. The purpose of the tea is not what you think. It just brings the pH to an ideal level for the kombucha "SCOBY" (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) to thrive and consume the sugar.

Finally, I cover the pot with its lid and let it sit overnight to let it cool. I've let the pot sit 24 hours before with no problem. When you're ready, just pour in a 20 oz bottle of unpasteurized kombucha (G.T.'s is a good choice, Kombucha Wonder Drink is pasteurized), then transfer the mixture to a glass container. cover the container with a tea towel (linen napkin like used in restaurants) and secure with a rubber band.

The first batch takes about 10 days to mature at about 75-80 degrees. My kombucha has lived in temps as low as 60 degrees or so, but it develops slower. Just keep it at whatever your room temperature is and you should be fine.

When it is mature, you can either drink and replace as you go, or you can bottle it, hold back 2 cups reserve per gallon (plus the "mushroom" that forms), and start another batch. I mix mine with fruit in a Vitamix then bottle in beer bottles. It will get fizzy after a couple of days, then you should refrigerate or else kaboom.

Note: unlike brewing beer which needs to be handled with surgical cleanliness, kombucha is pretty aggressive and most foreign buggies pretty much leave it alone. But be clean anyway to avoid headaches and possible mold.
 
and have a couple of quick questions:

Other than flavor differences is there any reason to use specif types of tea, Black vs. Green vs. Yerba maté.

Also, are there reasons not to add fruit before bottling? Seems like you could get more flavor if you have the fruit in the "primary" as well.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Tim

I have been brewing kombucha for a few months now and I find that a second ferment without the mother in a sealed container produces more carbonation. Also, this is a great time to introduce different flavors such as fresh grated ginger root. Do not put this in with the scoby, it is too potent and has it's own culture. After your kombucha has a tart flavor, put it in a large sealed jar, I used a five quart. Add a tablespoon of fresh grated ginger and a good slice of organic pineapple. Give it four days and taste it. I'm still experimenting but this is the best kombucha I have ever brewed! Tell your friends!
Also, I must say that after the few days when I bottled it after I took out the pineapple and strained it, it lost the sweet pineapple flavor and much of the ginger flavor so try it in that time period it really is awe some! I use organic black tea btw just to avoid any oily crap. I love my scobys.
 
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