Hey guys! First batch! Quick question!

[Jupsten]

I have been brewing beer for about 5 years now. Decided because it’s too hot where I’m at to brew, and I don’t have any sort of temp control, I’d try my hand at some kombucha. Really glad I did. Just bottle my first batch after growing my own SCOBY. And it tastes great!

I did a blueberry kombucha based on a recipe I found online. 1/2 gal batch called for 1/2c frozen berries, 1 tbsp sugar (which is what has me a little concerned) 1/2c water.

So I doubled the recipe because I had a gallon of tea, but only did 1.5 tbsp of sugar. I got nervous.

My concern is that maybe I shouldn’t have added the sugar. The tea was a bit carbed when I grabbed it out of the fermenter. Again, I’m a beer guy. Im not used to any kind of carbonation when I go to bottling. Let alone adding anything into the bottle. But, i stirred in the berry reduction. Didn’t get any berries in the bottles. And it is going at it now. Should I worry about bottle bombs?!

Thanks for any help. Obviously it’s too late now. But just wanna know if it’s gonna sound like Iraq in my house in a night or two...

 

[stillcolo]

I have never had a Kombucha bottle bomb but it is possible. I think you will be ok. But will probably have a few gushers!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Generally speaking, gushing may occur with over 3.5 volumes CO2 and bombs may occur over 4 volumes CO2.

For 1 gallon that hit a maximum of 75°F after fermentation, 4 volumes CO2 requires about 49g of sugar.
https://www.morebeer.com/content/priming_sugar_calculator

Sources online indicate that 1 cup of blueberries contains around 15g of sugar.
1.5 level Tbsp of granulated sugar is roughly 18g.
If the kombucha was still fermenting the initial sugar at the time of bottling, the remaining unfermented sugar would add carbonation as well.

Assuming all the initial sugar already fermented and all the sugar in the bottle ferments, it'll be at 3 vol CO2 -- rather fizzy but not in gushing territory.

Welcome to HBT!

 

[Jupsten]

Thanks all! After 48 hrs, the suspense was killing me. So I chilled one and cracked it open. No gusher. Not quite as carbed as I want them to be. Probably gonna give em 48 more then toss em in the fridge. Tastes great!