Carbonation trouble

So this is technically our second batch. We let the first ferment a little longer than our taste buds preferred, a bit vineagary, so we backed it off this time and it tastes good, right around 3.0 pH and bottled in swing tops. To take a step back, we are fermenting in a 2-gallon jar. The first go round was about 1 gallon of tea, the second go round we filled the jar. Both fermentations seem to have gone fine. When it came to bottling, I removed the SCOBY and transferred to my bottling bucket to make it easier for bottling. I know we are getting some of the yeast/SCOBY 'bits' in with the bottle, but we are having a hard time getting them carbonated. We are using StarSan and this last time the transfer may have been a little harder than it should have been entering the bucket. I tried to add ~1/4 teaspoon of sugar to help add a little extra food to kick off the carbonation process, but didn't seem to have much luck. Any thoughts on some tips to help get these things carbed?

What temperature are you letting the bottles carbonate at? Do you put the bottles in the fridge to let them carbonate?

They sit at room temp or a little under, low 70s. Usually let them sit for 3-5 days before putting in the fridge for 24 hours

I live in Maine so cooling down the buch without a fridge is no problem. But often times placing the bottle in the fridge will decarbonate the buch. There is an article with solutions to this on the kombucha Brooklyn website. Is there any way you can not refrigerate.

I may be confusing with beer brewing, but in general, when any liquid off gases CO2, it collects in the head space since it is less dense. Refrigerating helps dissolve the CO2 back into the liquid. I think the problem I am having is it is not regenerating CO2 while it is as room temperature.

Try making a simple syrup (1oz of sugar dissolved in 1oz water per gallon) and distribute evenly amongst your bottles right before bottling your tea. Adjust up or down from there depending on your desired effervescence, but be careful for bottle bombs.

How long it takes to carbonate will depend on a number of things, but your room temperature will be a huge factor. I've had some carb up in just a few days, others took over a week.

You can also add a few ounces of 100% juice (I like grape or apple) to each bottle, and use the sugars in the juice to carbonate and flavor the booch at the same time.

I added a quarter teaspoon of sugar to each bottle this time to see if that did anything. We are trying to avoid the juice because we like the "original" flavor of the kombucha. I definitely think I see left over yeast particles in the bottles, but it's a lot harder to know whether it is viable.

Might just need more time. What kind of bottles are you using?

Swing-top

I have great luck with swing top. I currently have 9 swing top bottles all ready. Again I would recommend keeping at room temperature. Have you noticed any baby scobys growing in the bottle? That's how I know mine is carbonating well.