a few questions

[2ball]

1. I am unclear what the scoby does for me. The cup of my last kombucha tea will culture my new batch with out the scoby. What does the scoby do for me?

2. What does using black tea, or any tea do for me? it will culture with just water?

3. Does anyone add live probotics supplements to the tea and let them culture? Is it ok to do this?

4. Are the side effects to drinking too much Kombucha? sometimes I feel tired, bloated or full after drinking 16 to 32 oz of kombucha? is it the tea doing that?

 

[Fire Me Boy!]

The SCOBY will speed up the fermentation. Yes, if you cultured with starter tea it will eventually make its own. Using a SCOBY will speed up the process.

From what I've read, the SCOBY feeds off the sugar and caffeine. Supposedly, low caffeine teas are not effective and will eventually starve the SCOBY. Water will not work.

Not me, re: adding cultures. There's plenty in the tea once it ferments. More isn't better.

On the subject of more not being better, everything I've read says not to consume more than 16 oz. per day of kombucha. Eight is plenty. You could be consuming too much. If you're new to kombucha, you should cut back to 4 oz. per day and work up to 8-16.