2nd Ferment Problems

[Deuerling]

Brand new to Kombucha brewing but i like to think I'm well read. I've researched all the FAQ's and problems with 2nd fermentation but can't find an answer to my problem.

1st batch of 1st fermentation produced a great SCOBY, a sinker probably due to my poking a prodding, but a fantastic looking SCOBY none the less. I bottled the 1st batch after 21 days with a PH just under 3. All six bottles produced almost ZERO carbonation after 10 days of F2. I attributed this to the 6 bags of Acai green tea i used to brew the bucha with or me not stirring the brew before bottling.

Sooo, 2nd batch I used 14 bags of black tea and 1.5 cups sugar for my gallon container and stirred the brew after taking out my SCOBY and 2 cups starter for this batch. I've got 6 bottles on days 2 of F2, 2 with lemon/ginger, 1 with 1/3 cup mashed up kiwi, 1 with some Sambozan Acai juice, and 2 plain that I added 1 tsp sugar to. Just checked the KIWI as i assumed that would be close to finishing and nothing, nada, zip. What am i missing here? I moved to NJ from FL but the heaters in my apartmrnt are great so it stays around 72 inside. I think this might be a little cool so can I wrap the bottles with my heating mat I use on the gallon vessel for 1st ferment? Where are my bubbles at?!?

Thanks to anyone with any help.

 

[hottpeper13]

I had the same issue when using juice concentrate, my norm is to (14 bottle batches) make a sugar solution of 140g sugar and 400ml of water,heat in wave till sugar is dissolved. I add 1/2 tps Penzys # 1 china crack freeze dried ginger and 30 ml of the solution per 16 oz easy cap bottle. Put on heat mat at 80* for 5 days then in the fridge. I'm enough ahead that they sit there for 2 weeks and become crystal clear and pour with a 1" head that gose away very quickly. See how I did that sour beer mention? The longer you can wait the more bite the ginger has. And yes I've used all forms of ginger and this is the best,just glad their only 4-5 miles away! In my opinion the fruit juice just made it more sour,so I only make ginger now. Honey is good too if you don't want to make a solution but just maybe the hot liquid releases some ginger goodness so I'll continue.

 

[Tyler B]

I have no idea what the issue is but if it was me, I'd measure your fruit additions by weight and try to calculate how much sugar was added to each bottle. Then you have a reference point for future batches to work with. For example, "with lemon/ginger" or "some sambozan acai juice" and even "1/3 cup of kiwi" might be hard to predictably replicate, tweak, adjust, etc.

Hopefully I don't come across as being rude. I've had similar head scratching issues and these are the steps I've started taking to work towards remedying them.

 

[Deuerling]

I have no idea what the issue is but if it was me, I'd measure your fruit additions by weight and try to calculate how much sugar was added to each bottle. Then you have a reference point for future batches to work with. For example, "with lemon/ginger" or "some sambozan acai juice" and even "1/3 cup of kiwi" might be hard to predictably replicate, tweak, adjust, etc.

Hopefully I don't come across as being rude. I've had similar head scratching issues and these are the steps I've started taking to work towards remedying them.

Not at all. The kiwi was the only one that started fizzing up. SO you mean just keeping an exact ratio for reference? I wasn't sure it was the fruit additions, or lack thereof, that was the problem. I was hoping it was just some other underlying problem that i was overlooking.

thanks for the help,

Jon

 

[Tyler B]

Yeah. So for example if 1/3 cup of kiwi weighs 60 grams and you got no carbonation, next time try 90 grams.

You could even take it a step further and try to calculate how much sugar you added. For kiwi, Google says there is 9g sugar in 100g kiwi. So you added 5.4g sugar with your 60g kiwi addition.

Just try to keep detailed records so that you have notes to compare for the next batch.