Recent content by snarf

No, a bubbler is not required.

If you let the kombucha ferment until all the sugar is gone, it's pretty sour. That's why most people bottle before it gets too acidic. Personally I let my kombucha ferment for a bit longer than is usually recommended and then bottle in champagne bottles (without adding sugar). The brew takes a...

It's hard to tell from that picture. They kind of look like bubbles (and not mold) to me...

Some beer bottles are pretty sturdy, while the glass in some others is pretty thin. Depending on your method, it's probably best to avoid the thinner ones!

In my 15 gallon batches I either used 1 small scoby or none at all. IMHO the starter is much more important than the scoby...

Yes, indeed it does! That's why it's usually recommended to refrigerate the bottles after a couple of days, if you use this method.

@kingofpoland: It's perfectly fine to ferment in (good quality) stainless steel. @boochy: I've done a couple of 15 gallon batches (but not in a keggle). Just add a good amount of starter (I would go for something like 2 gallons) and let the brew do its thing. Big batches take a bit longer...

It's A method, not THE method!! Note that doing this in glass bottles is a sure recipe to get some nice bottle bombs... Personally I prefer to ferment my 'booch like a fine champagne: I bottle when there's very little sugar left and then keep the bottles (at room temperature!) for several...

It sounds to me like you're making bottle bombs. That's probably not the best advice to give...

You also need tea!

I put my finished kombucha in champagne bottles. That way I can store the stuff indefinitely.

Since the fermentation process is aerobic, I think it's quite different from that of (sour) beer...

Most of my kombucha is unflavoured. Sometimes I do a second fermentation with fruits (strawberries, cherries, raspberries, etc.) before bottling, though.

I've kept bottled kombucha (handled and bottled correctly) for 3+ years, and I've noticed that it changes very little over time. The flavors mellow out a bit, but don't seem to break down or disappear that much.

Looks pretty normal. I don't see anything that could be wrong with it.