The 'Bucha that God forgot.

[Felonius_Punk]

Hello, friends:

I first came to know the drink when I was on assignment in Portland, OR. I initially assumed it was merely the fetid byproduct of a well-worn sock left out in the ceaseless drizzle, fetishized by the eager hippie populace. But a brief relationship with a genuine and local wide-eyed flower child turned me on, and since then I've been tuned into the beverage. Unfortunately the good, salt of the earth people in my current location have never heard of it; an attempt at describing it to a local grocer met with the same success as an attempt late in my youth to confess my peculiar attraction to bondage to my local priest. In both cases I knew my perversion would have to go underground.

So, possibly in violation of some arcane corollary of the Mann Act, I obtained two bottles of GT's brew, and took it upon myself to propagate the strain. I did it by the book, and hid the concoction in the darkest reach of my apartment, lest I lose the few friends I've been able to make. This was in June. For reasons better left unsaid, it is only now, on a night in late August, with the blinds closed and the curtains pulled, that I have brought my creation back into the light.

Behold:





It appears to be dormant. Menacing, but, for the present at least, inert.

My question: is it salvageable? Perhaps even drinkable? It's been a beastly summer, and the brew has probable reached an internal temperature of 80 degrees on many days. I do not know how to proceed. Obtaining more store-bought starters is currently too risky.

I defer to your wisdom.
-FP

 

[vacax]

It will be far too acidic to drink. Just make a new batch, use the SCOBY and some of the liquid for a starter and you can be drinking it in a week or two.

 

[ftlstrings]

It will be far too acidic to drink. Just make a new batch, use the SCOBY and some of the liquid for a starter and you can be drinking it in a week or two.

Agreed! (unless you like to drink vinegar) I have a 5 gallon batch that go to hang out in my new basement for a coupla months after my recent move. Gonna have to scrap much of this and brew up 4 gallons of fresh tea.

~M~

 

[Halfdrunkhero]

I know this is crazy after the fact but the whole vinegar-y content of a combucha is really personal preference. If you try a batch that's been going a while and you like it, you're in the clear. Additionally, I've had wonderful results with cutting especially vinegar strong 'bucha with various fruit juices upon bottling. So long as you keep it cold or drink it within a week or two you should be shiny. Orange juice and 'bucha at 1-1 ratio had rave reviews among all who tried it.