Ok the starter is made. Now we wait.
Kombucha-thoughts on making it
- Thread starter The Knize
- Start date
SCOBY seems to be growing along. Still pretty thin at this point. I don't see any mold which is probably the only thing that could go wrong. If you've ever grown a SCOBY from scratch before, did you just leave it in the original tea that you innoculated, or make a new batch after a few weeks? If the liquid is really acidic (I have not tried it yet), would it be advisable to transfer the SCOBY to a new sweet tea mix with a cup or so of the original liquid?
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- #23
I transferred it to fresh tea with a good bit of the original liquid after awhile, just as you suggest.
So I transferred. Fresh tea, about half of the original liquid and the thin SCOBY that formed. I couldn't get it flat since it was so thin. I just decided to mess with it again today. I should have left it alone. At this point, I have 2 very thin SCOBYs. I gave what I had a taste. Its actually pretty darn good.
Now does the SCOBY need to be flat and floating on the surface? I tried to get them both flat, but they kind of both balled up and one sunk.
I'm thinking at this point I probably still need to let what I have go almost to vinegar. At that point, whatever SCOBY combo I have should be potent enough to turn a batch of tea in at least 2 weeks.
I've got a few swing top bottles around. I may bottle a little and see if it carbonates.
Now does the SCOBY need to be flat and floating on the surface? I tried to get them both flat, but they kind of both balled up and one sunk.
I'm thinking at this point I probably still need to let what I have go almost to vinegar. At that point, whatever SCOBY combo I have should be potent enough to turn a batch of tea in at least 2 weeks.
I've got a few swing top bottles around. I may bottle a little and see if it carbonates.
- Thread starter
- #25
I do not know the answers to those particular questions. I suspect that you are doing great. I tend to let the scoby-s I am using sort of pile up. Not all of them float. But I would say they are all thick and tend to grow to such large proportions as to take over the whole container.
Not at all sure you need to let anything go to vinegar. Not sure it hurts though. Just so long as the SCOBY keeps getting bigger, as I am sure it will. I think what you really would need to worry about is mold. But it sure does not sounds like you are having any problems with that.
Not at all sure you need to let anything go to vinegar. Not sure it hurts though. Just so long as the SCOBY keeps getting bigger, as I am sure it will. I think what you really would need to worry about is mold. But it sure does not sounds like you are having any problems with that.
Thanks. I'm sure everything is going fine too. The main reason I decided to "mess" with it last night was just to check for mold. The taste I took was exactly like any other commercial Kombucha I've bought. I'm going to let it go for a few more days as it was still a little sweet, then bottle a little over half the batch.
I hope I can get a nice SCOBY going to be able to trade my neighbor some bottles for her awesome looking Sauerkraut.
I hope I can get a nice SCOBY going to be able to trade my neighbor some bottles for her awesome looking Sauerkraut.
I've been making continuous brew Kombucha for about six months now. The scoby will end up floating to the top. If not a new one will grow.
Here's what I do. Boil water in a stainless pot. Not sure of quantity but the pot is perfect for my glass keg o'bucha. Once boiling I add 1.25c of white sugar. Let it dissolve. Then ~10-12 T of loose black tea. Let steep till it's to a point where I can pop it in the fridge for a bit to cool to room temp. Then after it's room temp. I strain the tea & I carefully pour into my glass keg.
Bottling.
Sanitize my Grolsch swing tops. I normally use a iodine based sanitizer. Then a quick rinse with filtered water. Then I take a funnel and pour some organic juice into the bottle. Then top off with bucha. I go to about 1" from the top. Seal up and pop in basement for a week. Then I test one for taste and carbonation. If all is well I pop in my mini fridge until ready to drink I get very awesome kombucha every time.
Also, note... I bottle every Sat/Sun... So, the Komucha and the mama scoby are strong enough to get through the first ferment. Then I wait a week on the second ferment, which is for the introduction of flavor and carbonation.
I'll post picks in a bit.
Bottling.
Sanitize my Grolsch swing tops. I normally use a iodine based sanitizer. Then a quick rinse with filtered water. Then I take a funnel and pour some organic juice into the bottle. Then top off with bucha. I go to about 1" from the top. Seal up and pop in basement for a week. Then I test one for taste and carbonation. If all is well I pop in my mini fridge until ready to drink I get very awesome kombucha every time.
Also, note... I bottle every Sat/Sun... So, the Komucha and the mama scoby are strong enough to get through the first ferment. Then I wait a week on the second ferment, which is for the introduction of flavor and carbonation.
I'll post picks in a bit.
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My kombucha keg
The sanitizer I use
I fill with juice up to about here, or to the "R"
Freshly bottled bucha!
Yummy bubbly Kombucha
The sanitizer I use
I fill with juice up to about here, or to the "R"
Freshly bottled bucha!
Yummy bubbly Kombucha
Thanks for the pics and description. I homebrew beer as well, so I have a huge thing of Starsan sanitizer. Best most effective sanitizer ever. The plus side is that it doesn't stain like the iodine based ones.
This experience has been so good, I want to start home brewing. Any suggestions? If so pls shoot a pm
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Sure thing. I'll put together a PM for you. There is a small group of homebrewers in the Speakeasy section too. Wouldn't hurt to start a thread there.
Thanks, mate.
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- #34
Seems like a great system, Matt. I just throw in some fruit pieces, usually previously frozen Trader Joe's stuff, for flavoring, but your approach probably creates a much more highly flavored brew with real secondary fermentation.
You say you are doing a continuous brew. How much of that keg do you think you draw off and replace every week? (I happen to use that same keg.)
You say you are doing a continuous brew. How much of that keg do you think you draw off and replace every week? (I happen to use that same keg.)
Just an update. The kombucha is going great. I've got the first batch bottled. I didn't do any juice this time, just the raw kombucha and a bit of simple syrup to prime the bottles. None of has had a chance to carbonate. My wife has been chilling the bottles and drinking it because she likes it so much.
- Thread starter
- #36
I was thinking about this thread earlier today and was wondering how it was going. Thanks for the report.
I am terrible. The last batch I set up has been sitting there for months so is unusable. I would want to run another batch and dump it before using the SOCBY for a batch I would want to drink.
I am terrible. The last batch I set up has been sitting there for months so is unusable. I would want to run another batch and dump it before using the SOCBY for a batch I would want to drink.
I love Kombucha tea. Unfortunately I can't get it here. I used to drink the GT predominantly when I was in America. I will be following this thread.
I also got some kefir grains from a neighbor yesterday. First batch is on the counter now
- Thread starter
- #39
Kefir is great, too. Just as easy to do and faster. Another thing I seem to be too inconsistent about in order to keep going.
Thats going to be my problem with Kefir. We don't really drink that much milk. We rarely buy it, and when we do, its usually for baking. Kefir finishes in about 24 hours. I'll likely drink more kefir than milk. If I kept it on a continuous brew, I'd have it piling up in the fridge faster than I could consume it. My wife is lactose sensitive, so she probably won't drink much.
I like mixing unsweetened/unflavored kefir with orange juice. We don't seem to keep in the house consistently either.
I like mixing unsweetened/unflavored kefir with orange juice. We don't seem to keep in the house consistently either.
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