Thank you very much for your input, I'll try the suggestions for my next batch. And I have also heard that oils do negatively impact the SCOBY. So I'm a little hesitant to try earl gray though.
I'm farily new to Kombucha brewing and have been experiementing with it over the past 4/5 months. I do not have a problem with carbonation (I've actually casued a whiskey bottle filled with kombucha to explode from sheer pressure). However, when my batches finish they have a heavy vinegar taste...