I've gone through 3 batches of kombucha so far and each one has been a disappointment. The first batch I put in some screw on cap bottles after the second fermentation and learned that they weren't air tight (my mistake). The second batch I filtered to get the little scoby out and then put it back in the same swing top bottle I used for the second fermentation. When I filtered it the kombucha was very carbonated to the point that I can to let the bubbles settle before continuing to pour but in less than a day all the carbonation was gone. On my third batch I had the same problem. Kombucha is super fizzy during the second fermentation but after I filter it and put it in the fridge all the fizziness leaves almost immediately. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
Loosing carbonation after second fermentation
- Thread starter 23scadoo
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When you pour it into the bottle, you "lose" carbonation just like you do when you open a soda. To counteract that, add a bit of fermentable sugar (like 1 tsp of cane sugar, or some honey, etc) or some fermentable fruit juice. Keep at room temperature a few days, until carbonated. I use a plastic soda bottle for a "tester" so my bottles don't explode. If you don't do that, you should carefully check them by burping one and seeing how they are. Then, once carbonated, put them all in the fridge at that point.
I hope that helps!
One thing that I forgot to mention is that after the first fermentation (about 3 weeks) as one big gallon batch, I put the kombucha into the individual bottles and add flavoring, fruit juice most of the time, and keep it on the counter for an extra 7 days so there is some sugar to help with fermentation during that time. During those 7 days I burp the bottles about every 12 hours or so. After the 7 days, I pour it through a mesh filter to get the little scoby out that has formed and pieces of fruit if I used fresh fruit, funnel it back in to the bottle and then into the fridge.
I tried something different with one of the bottles that I had on my counter that was on it's second fermentation. Instead of pouring it through a filter to get rid of the new little scoby I fished the scoby out of it and put it in the fridge. That seems to have made a huge difference. It seems that pouring it through the filter was causing it to fizz up quite a bit and then it would fizz up again when being poured back into the original bottle. I think that doing this was causing the kombucha to lose its carbonation.
As you've discovered, burping the bottles releases c02, and then straining causes all of the c02 to be released, resulting in a flat kombucha.
I don't burp the bottles (I use a plastic "tester"- so when the plastic soda bottle gets hard I put them all in the fridge) and I don't strain or otherwise mess with the bottled kombucha. After sitting in the fridge for a few days, things drop to the bottom and I decant the kombucha into a glass. I don't add fruit and things to the bottles, though- only juice or honey, etc. I hate pieces of stuff like ginger and fruit in my bottles. I add ginger/fruit/whatever before I bottle, then strain to the bottle and add the fruit juice or honey, etc. BUT if I did have that crud in my bottles, I would simply strain into my glass when serving and not decarbonate the kombucha.
You'll get a system that works for you figured out. I've been doing this a LONG time, and I like the way I do it but it was trial and error for a while.
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