Second ferment/carbonation issues

[kluse]

I'm using the same basic recipe: 1 gal water, 2 c raw kombucha, 8 tea bags, 1 c sugar, SCOBY.

I let that sit until it tastes right and then I bottle it.

The first 2 times, I used GT Synergy bottles with resealable tops I bought online. I added about 3-4 oz of fruit juice (cranberry and mango) to the bottles and let them sit. I also bottled one in a plastic bottle so I could feel when the carbonation built up and know when to put them in the fridge. The plastic bottle seemed to tighten, so I refrigerated them (1 batch took 7 days, the other 3-4). No carbonation when I drank them cold.

This last time I bought grolsch-like bottles because I read that GT may have changed the bottles and the new threading didn't give a tight seal. I stewed up some frozen berries and added sugar to it, strained it, and cooled it. I used 3-4 ounces of this as flavoring for the second ferment. I also bottled one plastic bottle. Last night, the plastic bottle was tight (and slightly misshapen) so i refrigerated them. This morning I tried both a glass bottle and the plastic bottle - absolutely no carbonation.

Help please!

 

[theDREWery]

Cold liquids don't give up dissolved CO2 as readily as warmer ones. Try letting one come up to room temp and see if it's carbed then.

Your recipe and carb process looks solid to me, but I don't do a lot of carbonated kombucha myself, so you may want a second opinion.

When I've used plastic bottles to check carb levels on cider and homemade soda, I've always filled to just shy of the neck, and then squeezed all the air out before capping. I've gotten under carbed bottles when I don't do this. That's just what I've done in the past, maybe someone else has a better way to measure.

 

[Hawgwild]

Try adding a little sugar directly to the bottles during second fermentation. I generally add a teaspoon or so then a little of the new brew and shake the bottles a few times to dissolve the sugar. Add flavoring then fill on up. The yeast will still eat up the sugar during second fermentation. You might try adding 3-4 whole berries or raisons to each bottle. Raw fruit seems to help with carbonation.

If you feel you are not getting a good seal on the bottles you might cut some small squares from a freezer bag large enough to overlap the botttles then screw on your caps.

 

[kluse]

Thanks. I'll try taking one to room temp and see how it is. I'm also going to add sugar to one and see how that works.

 

[Fire Me Boy!]

Just cracked my first ever bottle of home brewed buch. It promptly shot fizz to my ceiling and across the room!

LOL

The couple of swallows I salvaged tasted very good, though.