Questions

[NaturallyCaffeinated]

Hi there,

I've just started brewing kombucha, and I had a few beginner questions.

1) First is a question about store bought bucha. I left a few bottles of a green algae variety on a large windowsill for a few hours. It wasn't a particularly sunny day, but it was next to a large window. After that, I moved them to a better location out of direct sunlight for another 24 hours (trying to get them to be a bit more carbonated, as this brand tends to run flat). After that I put them in the fridge. Think they are okay to consume?

2) So I'm brewing my own at home, and I decided to use white tea. Does anyone know how well white tea seems to carbonate?

3) During the second fermentation, do airtight bottles matter for safety? I was just going to reuse the store bought screw-on cap bottles. But, I was wondering if the growler-like bottles with those air tight caps would be better. I want to flavor them, but I am a little worried about potential spoilage. Additionally, would letting them second-ferment with a little sugar, then flavoring with fruit, then refrigerating, be a good method? Or stick with brew, flavor, 2nd ferment, fridge?


Thanks a lot.

 

[chyna]

Re #3 - if you want carbonation, you need air tight bottles and when I started out, I reused the bottles with screw tops and Mason jars. These were actually more convenient for adding things like pineapple and mango spears and stalks of rhubarb. I only added sugar with the rhubarb. Most fruits have enough sugar in them for a second fermentation. I let any second fermentation sit out in a warm 70•+ for 3 days, then refridgerate. When the screw tops wear out, you'll find the flip tops are great but not as easy to add and remove whole fruit from.