Ginger Beer Plant Questions

Anyone know if you can use Ginger beer plant to carb other types of soda? Or how to go about making more GBP from the grains I already have?

This information was orginial posted by dinnerstick credit where credit is due.


This site refers to GBP as SKG or Sugar Keifer Grains


http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

Regarding Growth-Rate of SKG SKG that I have cultured over the years, including many individuals who culture SKG, have observed a fluctuation regarding growth rate of SKG. I have observed growth increase to vary between 7% to 220% increase by weight at 48 hours. However, if the sugar solution with other added ingredients, and more importantly, with the addition of a very small amount of sodium bicarbonate and eggshell, if the solution ingredients are kept constant, including the amount SKG used and the fermentation time is kept to 2 days per each batch, then growth increase can be expected to remain reasonably constant between 90% to 120% per each batch of water kefir. On the other hand, milk kefir-grains increase at a reasonably constant rate when cultured in fresh milk. Many individuals including myself, have found a great potential for SKG to cease propagation, and remain non-propagable, when cultured in water with low mineral content. More so with activated charcoal filtered water. The outcome is mostly observed as a slow deterioration in growth over time, which at a point, becomes irreversible. At this point, SKG acquire a light brown film over the surface of each grain, and the grains lose the typical transparency of good growing [propagable] grains.

Although there are many factors to consider, the important one being the type of sugar and water used, duration of fermentation including sugar/water percentage. SKG do not appear to grow well, and in most cases growth ceases altogether over time, when cultured in a sugar solution prepared with purer forms of water, such as distilled, demineralised or activated carbon filtered water [Brita filtered water e.g.] etc. Leaving SKG in the same sugar-solution for longer than 3 days over many batches and in warmer conditions, has an adverse effect regarding growth-factor of SKG. Lack of essential nutrients and energy source due to over fermentation, is a cause for problems, if starvation happens over an excessive number of proceeding batches.

From what I've been reading, yes you can use GBP to make other drinks.

To reuse your GBP screen it out using a fine mesh strainer when you transfer your beer to bottles.

Also the GBP should grow as you use it.

Oh great I didn't know that SKG is the same as the GBP. Time to try it out myself!

Mine dosen't increase. I dunno why. I'd like to grow up enough to make several gallons at a time. I really dislike force carbing my soda.

Hi there,
I had a similar question and was wondering if there is any more insight. I just ordered my first GBP online, and am waiting excitedly... In the meantime:
- I noticed that a lot of on-line DIY recipes use a ginger+yeast based started for various drinks, beyond ginger beer. Is this just a spin-off of GBP clones?
- even with GBP, whats the point of using it with other drinks? is it the taste of the plant versus yeast?

Thanks!