Kombucha wine

Hello! So I'm about to start my very first continuous brew cycle. I'm really excited! I'm a seasoned single stage Kombucha brewer, but I've never done continuous before. If that's not enough, I got this crazy idea to make Kombucha wine by adding champagne yeast to the second stage fermentation process. My question is what's the importance of using an airlock? I never used one before (with swing top beer bottles. They got pretty fizzy.) But now I'm wondering if adding yeast to the second stage ferment necessitates an airlock. Basically, If I don't use an airlock will I have a lot of exploded bottles on my hands?

Any guidance would be appreciated!

That just sounds like kombucha with extra yeast in it. What are you doing to make it wine like? Wine is generally fermented fruit and the alc. content of it is way higher than kombucha. That being said if you aren't adding extra sugar you should be fine bottling as you've been doing as the yeast can't ferment more sugar than there is available

You're right, I'll be adding sugar as well, maybe some ginger. And I've confirmed I'll need an airlock for this. Apparently this process can get explosive. After the regular kombucha ferment, you pour your brew into a 1-5 gallon container with more sugar and yeast and a airlock. Let it sit for two weeks or when you see bubbles moving through the airlock. Bottle it and let it sit for an even LONGER time (three months or more). Then you have Kombucha wine? Kombucha champagne? Beer? It's a very fizzy alcoholic drink that supposedly tastes lovely. Anyone tried this before?

sherfumarcus said:

You're right, I'll be adding sugar as well, maybe some ginger. And I've confirmed I'll need an airlock for this. Apparently this process can get explosive. After the regular kombucha ferment, you pour your brew into a 1-5 gallon container with more sugar and yeast and a airlock. Let it sit for two weeks or when you see bubbles moving through the airlock. Bottle it and let it sit for an even LONGER time (three months or more). Then you have Kombucha wine? Kombucha champagne? Beer? It's a very fizzy alcoholic drink that supposedly tastes lovely. Anyone tried this before?

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I think with these directions you will only get bottle bombs.

Personally I don't like this idea. I've never tried this so it could be good but it kinda sounds like a hippy's take on like prison hooch to me, generally fermenting large amounts of sugar is not the most awesome tasting kind of drink. But I looked into it and people make it so it must be alright.
I don't think 2 weeks is long enough for the secondary if you're going for a wine like alc. content, the stuff I read suggests more like 5 weeks. Other than that you're plan seems to be good. I hope it works out well for you and you get an awesome beverage. You should post your results, I'm interested to see how it comes out.

An airlock is used to prevent oxidation during your fermentation process & it will safely expel the gas that is created during your secondary fermentation. I have heard horror stories of people doing secondary ferments of kombucha or even kefir water in glass mason jars & they leave them unattended, tightly sealed for days on end...only to have the container explode. Use of an airlock should prevent this in happening.

HappyHerbalist has a good overview of secondary fermentation and making kombucha wine:
http://www.happyherbalist.com/second stage fermentation.htm

Have fun.

I think it will work yall! I'm excited to try it.

If I do get bottle bombs I can always send them as gifts to the inlaws.