Some questions f1

[Kzibell086]

This is my first brew(s) so i have many questions.

I started 4 one quart jars on the first of december, a 1 gallon bin started on the first, and a three gallon bin started on the 11th. I’m doing this for an individual project outside of school and only need the scoby.

I’m pretty open minded so i wouldn’t mind learning to like kombucha, but that is not what i need help with today.

1) It’s been 26 days, how can i be sure the kombucha is concentrated enough that i can use it as starter for larger batches? I never had store kombucha so i don’t have a comparison.

2) i don’t have a picture so i’ll try my best to describe it, but the three gallon bin was started with 2 scobys (not ideal for growing a smooth scoby but iv learned that now). There is a relatively full scoby i’ve the entire top. Near the middle, the scoby is an almost perfect white but extrudes from the line of tea. is this normal, i have sterile gloves i use when working with things like this and it feels like normal scoby, it’s just as malleable or and squishy.

3) I had the idea recently to grow flat scobys on plant flates, can this work?

Recipe used is 8 black tea bags, 2 cups starter, 1 cup sugar per gallon.

 

[RPh_Guy]

SCOBY means Symbiotic Culture Of Yeast and Bacteria.

So, the yeast an bacteria are floating around all throughout the tea, with some stuck in the film at the top, some all throughout the liquid, and some in the bottom as sediment.

The film is called a pellicle, and is not at all necessary when using the SCOBY culture to ferment a new batch of kombucha.

how can i be sure the kombucha is concentrated enough that i can use it as starter for larger batches?

What you mean to ask is: How can I be sure the SCOBY has propogated enough that I can use it as a starter for larger batches?

It's not a simple answer. If the first fermentation was fast and healthy, it's ready and you could pitch that entire 1 gallon batch as the starter for maybe 20 gallons with no problem.
If it's unhealthy for some reason (due to any number of possible problems), it still can be used, but lag time and fermentation time may be extended.

Kombucha production is very forgiving, so pitching too small of a culture almost certainly won't ultimately be a problem, particularly if you take certain precautions to prevent mold growth.

i don’t have a picture so i’ll try my best to describe it, but the three gallon bin was started with 2 scobys (not ideal for growing a smooth scoby but iv learned that now). There is a relatively full scoby i’ve the entire top. Near the middle, the scoby is an almost perfect white but extrudes from the line of tea. is this normal, i have sterile gloves i use when working with things like this and it feels like normal scoby, it’s just as malleable or and squishy

I think I covered this above. The appearance of the pellicle does not make any difference whatsoever. You can throw it in the trash and your SCOBY culture will be fine.

3) I had the idea recently to grow flat scobys on plant flates, can this work?

Do you mean plant flats? I doubt you will get a thick pellicle that way, and it wouldn't necessarily be any more smooth.

Hope this all makes sense.
Welcome to HBT!

 

[505-Brewer]

SCOBY means Symbiotic Culture Of Yeast and Bacteria.

So, the yeast an bacteria are floating around all throughout the tea, with some stuck in the film at the top, some all throughout the liquid, and some in the bottom as sediment.

The film is called a pellicle, and is not at all necessary when using the SCOBY culture to ferment a new batch of kombucha.

What you mean to ask is: How can I be sure the SCOBY has propogated enough that I can use it as a starter for larger batches?

It's not a simple answer. If the first fermentation was fast and healthy, it's ready and you could pitch that entire 1 gallon batch as the starter for maybe 20 gallons with no problem.
If it's unhealthy for some reason (due to any number of possible problems), it still can be used, but lag time and fermentation time may be extended.

Kombucha production is very forgiving, so pitching too small of a culture almost certainly won't ultimately be a problem, particularly if you take certain precautions to prevent mold growth.

I think I covered this above. The appearance of the pellicle does not make any difference whatsoever. You can throw it in the trash and your SCOBY culture will be fine.

Do you mean plant flats? I doubt you will get a thick pellicle that way, and it wouldn't necessarily be any more smooth.

Hope this all makes sense.
Welcome to HBT!

“SCOBY means Symbiotic Culture Of Yeast and Bacteria.”

Then wouldn’t it be called a
SCOYB?
[emoji12]

 

[RPh_Guy]

Hah, you got me there.

Why does "Of" get a letter, but not "And"?
SCOBAY?? SCYB?

Calling them "symbiotic" is also a bit of a stretch. The yeast don't really benefit from the bacteria.
It's just a yeast and bacteria culture (YAB) each doing their own thing.

 

[Kzibell086]

Wow. I think i’m going to like being apart of this community.

 

[Kzibell086]

It's not a simple answer. If the first fermentation was fast and healthy, it's ready and you could pitch that entire 1 gallon batch as the starter for maybe 20 gallons with no problem

Is there any certain period of time i can wait to ensure the concentrate it concentrated enough to make another batch with?

edit* i felt confident one of the 27 day old quart jars was far enough along, so i divides around 2 cups of it into 4 quart jars. I also ordered 4 large hotel food trays that are pretty deep.

 

[RPh_Guy]

When talking about increasing the number of microbes, microbiologists using the word "propogate". Concentrate isn't the right word here.

The microbes don't really follow a calendar. However, if you provide good growing conditions (warmth, oxygen, appropriate amount of sugar, etc), then it should reach a maximum cell count within maybe 3 weeks.

Some yeast like Saccharomyces and Zygosaccharomyces and bacteria like Lactobacillus are fast growing and propogate in a couple days. Other microbes like Brettanomyces, Pediococcus, and Acetobacter are slower under these conditions and may take several weeks to reach maximum.

 

[505-Brewer]

Hah, you got me there.

Why does "Of" get a letter, but not "And"?
SCOBAY?? SCYB?

Calling them "symbiotic" is also a bit of a stretch. The yeast don't really benefit from the bacteria.
It's just a yeast and bacteria culture (YAB) each doing their own thing.

Good Point!
I’m in for SCOBAY........Or SCOYAB!

 

[hottpeper13]

My booch tastes the way I want, and makes successive batches in around 21 days at 74*. If fermented around 80*(I don't like the flavor when fermented higher) it's done in 14 or so days. What I mean by done is it has reached 2.85 pH which is where I like to go into bottle priming. What i'm saying is get it where you want it then measure the pH make notes and repeat.

 

[Kzibell086]

Well i now know that i let it go too long after tasting it!

It’s weird too think 12/1 i had 2 bottles plus a cup starter fluid and now i have 7 quarts going, 3-1 gallon jars, and a 3 gallon tub. Wow this is fast.