New here! I have a few questions:)

[scobydo]

I'm new to brewing kombucha, I'd say I'm probably on about my 10th batch and it's going really well! I'm really dialing in my ratios and each batch is better and more carbonated than the last. I've even blown some lids due to extreme carbonation!

My scoby is thick and (as far as I can tell) in very good health. My questions are: how often should I reduce its size, and how much scoby do I actually need for 12L batches?

I haven't reduced the size of my scoby at all up to this point, but I reckon I'll need to do so soon. I assume I'd just peel a little off the bottom and continue to let it do it's thing?

This is how big it is currently:

The brown area is just a thinner section that always gets air bubbles stuck under it, pushing it out of the tea. Since it's not submerged the new scoby doesn't grow on it - no mould or anything though! I've also changed the size of jar it's been living in a couple of times which has given it an uneven shape. As far as I can tell she's a healthy gal!

Cheers!

 

[simonmcconico]

I've been playing around with ditching my scoby each time I do a new batch and letting a new one grow from the starter liquid. I think the larger it is the quicker the turn around, so if you don't mind a little lag time, you can always toss it and grow a new one

 

[hunter_le five]

I peel off all but the bottom few layers every batch, and throw them away.

I know some folks just throw away the whole scoby every time. Most of the fermenting bugs are in the liquid starter tea, so the pellicle isn't really all that necessary.

 

[Fire Me Boy!]

I peel off all but the bottom few layers every batch, and throw them away.

I know some folks just throw away the whole scoby every time. Most of the fermenting bugs are in the liquid starter tea, so the pellicle isn't really all that necessary.

So... You pull off the top layers? Those are the newest ones.

 

[hunter_le five]

Meh.

 

[simonmcconico]

I think the bottom layer is generally the newest? I don't know that it matters though. If you are splitting it, just split it where it's easiest and toss half.

 

[snarf]

I think the bottom layer is generally the newest?

No, the top layer is always the newest.

 

[Fire Me Boy!]

I think the bottom layer is generally the newest? I don't know that it matters though. If you are splitting it, just split it where it's easiest and toss half.

If you always take the top layers, eventually it'll be weak and have no oomph left.

 

[hunter_le five]

If you always take the top layers, eventually it'll be weak and have no oomph left.

1.5 years, still plenty of oomph here.

Most of the fermenting yeast/bacteria are in the starter tea. I fail to see how which end of the SCOBY I trim makes a bit of difference.

 

[Fire Me Boy!]

1.5 years, still plenty of oomph here.

Most of the fermenting yeast/bacteria are in the starter tea. I fail to see how which end of the SCOBY I trim makes a bit of difference.

YMMV. Just what I've read online and in books.

 

[hunter_le five]

YMMV.

True as always.


There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding kombucha, in books and on the intertoobs. I suspect because there is very little good scientific study on the subject, so we're left with trying to parse anecdotes and wild-ass assumptions from people with a poor understanding of biology from actual, good advice.

It turns out contact with stainless steel won't cause all the microorganisms to shrivel up and die while screaming curses in your name. And no, you don't need a SCOBY (referring to the little pellicle, not the actual culture swimming around in the starter tea) to make kombucha. Etc etc.

 

[simonmcconico]

A weaker culture from discarding part of the scoby usually just needs more time. If you are making kombucha regularly, just replicate the same thing every time and it will be consistent. I toss the scoby each time and it's fine. I use a bit more of the starter tea for the microbes though so it has enough bacteria in there to get it going quickly.

 

[WarmGas]

Yeah, that voodoo about not using stainless steel is just so much bovine fecal material.

 

[GregP507]

This has been my experience as well. My first batch took more than a week to properly ferment, but now it happens in less than a day.

My explanation is that the new strain is perfectly adapted to your recipe, and develops much faster than the original scoby. I use a few ounces from the last batch to inoculate each new batch.

 

[GregP507]

Yeah, that voodoo about not using stainless steel is just so much bovine fecal material.

There are many formulas for making stainless steel. It's difficult to say which metals are interacting with which strain of the fungi.

 

[snarf]

..., but now it happens in less than a day.

Really?? That's extremely fast! Are you sure you're making real kombucha?

 

[GregP507]

Really?? That's extremely fast! Are you sure you're making real kombucha?

I'm quite sure. I used to buy the commercial bottled brands (Synergy etc.) and I'm familiar with the taste and effervescence level. In fact, when you fail to keep them refrigerated, and let it warm up to room temp for a few hours, it foams excessively when you empty the bottle, and the sweetness of the sugar is gone.

From this I am able to judge when my batch is just about right, and that's when I refrigerate it, to slow fermentation to the minimum.

As with the commercial bottled drink, the fermentation is very rapid when you allow it to sit at room temperature for a few hours. I believe mine behaves in exactly the same way, given the right match of the fungi strain to the composition of the drink.

 

[Erika]

I have ordered my Kombucha starter kit, while I'm looking around to find a few answers and I found this forum. Maybe some of you are experts and will be able to answer a few of my questions.
1) Should one be careful ho much Kombucha will drink on a daily basis ? ( Is there a limit?)
2) Should water intake be replaced totally by Kombucha ? ( I drink close to a gallon of water a day)
3) Is there anything I should know before I start ?
Thanks in advance

 

[WarmGas]

I have ordered my Kombucha starter kit, while I'm looking around to find a few answers and I found this forum. Maybe some of you are experts and will be able to answer a few of my questions.
1) Should one be careful ho much Kombucha will drink on a daily basis ? ( Is there a limit?)
2) Should water intake be replaced totally by Kombucha ? ( I drink close to a gallon of water a day)
3) Is there anything I should know before I start ?
Thanks in advance

Kombucha contains glucuronic acid which your liver produces for de-toxifying purposes. Drinking kombucha therefore, helps in pulling toxins out of your body and they are then eliminated via the bladder and large intestine. This process may cause people to feel off when it begins. This is why it is suggested to start off drinking kombucha slowly, maybe a cup at first and see how you feel. Then you can increase consumption. I drink lots of it all day long and feel great, fwiw.

Yes, due to its diuretic properties I just mentioned you should also increase your water intake to help flush out toxins, especially in the beginning. I drink both water and kombucha all day and don't really experience any discomfort, fwiw - again.

Lastly, kombucha has been around for over 2,000 years - one of natures longest clinical trials!

Enjoy.

 

[Fire Me Boy!]

Most everything I've read says drinking 8-16 oz. of kombucha per day is plenty. More can cause your body distress. And don't forget that buch is mildly alcoholic, so you probably don't want to go drinking a gallon of it.

 

[ericbw]

Too much would prob upset your stomach.