Kombucha

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by vli1127

Can a recovering alcoholic drink this stuff since there is alcohol produced from the fermentation process?

from google searches:

"Is the alcohol in Kombucha a potential problem?
We have no experience or observations in regard to alcohol. It is known that Kombucha tea has about 0.5% to 1% alcohol as do some fruit juices such as apple juice. Harold Tietze in his book KOMBUCHA, THE MIRACLE FUNGUS observes that Muslims and Buddhists drink it without concern. "Recovered alcoholics do not have to fear the small amounts of alcohol." The Salvation Army is using Kombucha to help alcoholics."

Though there is alcohol in it, it is normally so low that commercial producers can sell Kombucha as "non-alcoholic". You can expect less than 1% by volume alcohol content.

[vli1127]

Originally Posted by cindy_cfids

from google searches:

"Is the alcohol in Kombucha a potential problem?
We have no experience or observations in regard to alcohol. It is known that Kombucha tea has about 0.5% to 1% alcohol as do some fruit juices such as apple juice. Harold Tietze in his book KOMBUCHA, THE MIRACLE FUNGUS observes that Muslims and Buddhists drink it without concern. "Recovered alcoholics do not have to fear the small amounts of alcohol." The Salvation Army is using Kombucha to help alcoholics."

Though there is alcohol in it, it is normally so low that commercial producers can sell Kombucha as "non-alcoholic". You can expect less than 1% by volume alcohol content.

Thanks, I tried googling but got lost.

[Zenngrl]

I just wanted to tell you all how much I appreciate your help, whether it was direct help or just past posts that I read that led me to start brewing my own kombucha.

I am three bottles in to my first batch and I seriously would never want to go without it.

I skipped two days, didn't want to make the trek to WF and my first batch wasn't ready, I was cranky, I didn't go potty like I was on the KT, I didn't sleep well, I was tired in the afternoon.. this is day two of having my Kombucha back and I'm feeling SO MUCH better.

This is some seriously miracle elixir. If I could just convince everyone to try it for 3-4 days so they could see the difference. All my family and friends are sort of freaked out by the thought of growing fungus/yeast.

So again, THANK YOU!!! And happy brewing to everyone!

[pepperette]

Has anyone thought about or tried store bought sweet teas for brewing? If so, how did it go? Just wondering as sometimes my decant day and late evenings coincide, and getting a gallon of premade sweet tea could be a big help. Or can I decant and the next day make the tea and add it when cooled?

[BikerAng]

Originally Posted by cindy_cfids

I'm going to be away from the house next week, could we make arrangements to send the scoby when I get back (IF needed)? I don't want it sitting out in the sun.

Cool, thanks for the tips! I'll just drain, add some sweet tea, then add the starter tea back on top. I'm just taking out about 16 oz every 2 days, but it's starting to get warmer here so I may do it every day? This is fun to experiment with!


Cindy - sure, just PM me when you get back with your shipping information and I mail one out (if you need one).

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by pepperette

Has anyone thought about or tried store bought sweet teas for brewing? If so, how did it go? Just wondering as sometimes my decant day and late evenings coincide, and getting a gallon of premade sweet tea could be a big help. Or can I decant and the next day make the tea and add it when cooled?

I saw them do it on youtube (redneck KT something like that). I'd think it would be cheaper, probably less preservatives and whatevers to do your self. Next day, week, month all works and is fine. You could make extra & keep in refrig. or make a concentrate to keep in refrigerator and add to bottled water.

[metqa]

Originally Posted by cindy_cfids

I saw them do it on youtube (redneck KT something like that). I'd think it would be cheaper, probably less preservatives and whatevers to do your self. Next day, week, month all works and is fine. You could make extra & keep in refrig. or make a concentrate to keep in refrigerator and add to bottled water.

Hey, making a concentrate sounds like a neat idea! It would take up less space.

[cindy_cfids]

One lady on another forum says she cold brews in refrigerator even. Just throws tea bags in water & lets it sit. I don't know if she includes sugar or not with the tea bags.

[pepperette]

Originally Posted by cindy_cfids

One lady on another forum says she cold brews in refrigerator even. Just throws tea bags in water & lets it sit. I don't know if she includes sugar or not with the tea bags.

I wonder if you can cold brew with loose leaf tea?

[Kamalam]

Originally Posted by Zenngrl

I just wanted to tell you all how much I appreciate your help, whether it was direct help or just past posts that I read that led me to start brewing my own kombucha.

I am three bottles in to my first batch and I seriously would never want to go without it.

I skipped two days, didn't want to make the trek to WF and my first batch wasn't ready, I was cranky, I didn't go potty like I was on the KT, I didn't sleep well, I was tired in the afternoon.. this is day two of having my Kombucha back and I'm feeling SO MUCH better.

This is some seriously miracle elixir. If I could just convince everyone to try it for 3-4 days so they could see the difference. All my family and friends are sort of freaked out by the thought of growing fungus/yeast.

So again, THANK YOU!!! And happy brewing to everyone!

I know just how you feel - it is such a wonderful feeling doing something right for yourself. And that the KT is delicious to boot... what good luck!

Just think of yourself as the Kombucha Ambassador with your friends and family. I bet before six months to a year there will be converts!

[Kamalam]

My only concern with brewing ahead of time and refrigerating is just how long it would take the temperature to come back down to room temperature. My guess is a long time. Maybe if you did a concentrate, then add room temperature or even slightly warm water would help...

On the other hand, making the tea and simply placing the pot in a cool water bath isn't that much work. I think the scoby likes it slightly warm and fresh. (This is me doing a scoby mind meld... Of course you can trust I got this knowledge first hand. )

[JoSkids]

Originally Posted by pepperette

Has anyone thought about or tried store bought sweet teas for brewing? If so, how did it go? Just wondering as sometimes my decant day and late evenings coincide, and getting a gallon of premade sweet tea could be a big help. Or can I decant and the next day make the tea and add it when cooled?

Nope, I would worry about HFCS.

I usually decant and add tea the same day - I do this by brewing a strong batch of tea (use the same amount of tea bags with half the amount of water that I would normally use) While warm, I add the sugar stir untill dissolved. Then I add ice water to the warm tea. Brings it to "room" temp almost immediately. Takes no time at all.

I have an overabundance of kombucha (yes, there is such a thing) at the moment. I used all my bottles and I am not likely to drink many by the next time I would have to bottle again so I have left my scoby's in their jars in about 2 inches of brew. When I am running low on kombucha I will add more sweet tea to my scoby's and start brewing anew...

[pepperette]

I have been rereading this thread, and am amazed at how far we have come. From never having drank kombucha to continuous brewers! Funny how things progress.
I would like to hear from some that were putting off making their own, like SashimiMark, Moonius (, and others like LaurieRobo, oyvey, etc., to name only a few. Chime in folks and tell us what you are doing in the world of KT brewing!

[Kamalam]

Here's a conundrum...

Further FIZZ ?? :

When we added lemon and little sugar to our 2nd ferments, they were FAB. It didn't taste overly sweet, the fizz was good - not overflowing - but good. I think if we would have left it longer, it could have been better. The biggest bottle scobys ever formed in those bottles (yeah, getting a mouthful of *that* was fun, lol).

But the bottles where we just put a piece of ginger.. no fizz at all. The taste was great, but no fizz!

So I'm wondering if (a) we are bottling too late (even though we are trying to be better about this and bottle when there is more of a sweet taste); or (b) our brew is so strong that regardless of the sweetness factor, it simply needs a bit more sugar to keep fermenting in the bottle.

Thoughts my kombucha peeps?

[pepperette]

I noticed that when I diced a chunk of ginger and squeezed it a bit I got more fizz. This last time I grated it and did not have as much fizz, though the taste was more refined than with the chunks. I think it's a case of YMMV with all the other factors figured in. But I have never added extra sugar to the 2nd ferment, so I might try that if I continue using chunks.

[DoradoDave]

Are there any gout sufferers out there who have tried this brew????? And what result? I do not need another addiction but would like some help with gout.

tks in advance.

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by Kamalam

Here's a conundrum...

Further FIZZ ?? :

When we added lemon and little sugar to our 2nd ferments, they were FAB. It didn't taste overly sweet, the fizz was good - not overflowing - but good. I think if we would have left it longer, it could have been better. The biggest bottle scobys ever formed in those bottles (yeah, getting a mouthful of *that* was fun, lol).

But the bottles where we just put a piece of ginger.. no fizz at all. The taste was great, but no fizz!

So I'm wondering if (a) we are bottling too late (even though we are trying to be better about this and bottle when there is more of a sweet taste); or (b) our brew is so strong that regardless of the sweetness factor, it simply needs a bit more sugar to keep fermenting in the bottle.

Thoughts my kombucha peeps?

I vote for (a) bottling late or (c) it needs more second fermentation time at room temperature.

An influx of sugar activates the yeast and guarantees fizz fast. Not adding sugar is going to take more time for the bubbles to be noticeable. If you can taste the sweetness that should definitely be an indication of sugar level.

I use plastic bottles and I know how some feel about using plastic bottles, but I would suggest you use one (even if you never drink it) and you can feel the carbonation levels building up. You fill the bottle and it's pliant as time goes by it's still pliant, then one day it's hard as a rock (it's ready) because the pressure has built up enough to expand the bottle. I've used the old cranberry or grape juice bottles and filled with KT when all my other bottles were filled and let them ferment for a month. The grape juice bottles (they were half gallon bottles) became round like bowling balls. I had left no airspace in any bottles but it created air space, lots of it.

You said you were going to start leaving air space in your bottles, I bet that's where the big bottle scobys were. Leaving air space allows the bacteria to continue thriving. Yeast don't need air to be active, but the bacteria does.

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by pepperette

I noticed that when I diced a chunk of ginger and squeezed it a bit I got more fizz. This last time I grated it and did not have as much fizz, though the taste was more refined than with the chunks. I think it's a case of YMMV with all the other factors figured in. But I have never added extra sugar to the 2nd ferment, so I might try that if I continue using chunks.

I'd highly suggest fermenting your ginger before adding it to KT for an even more beneficial probiotic brew. This is a countertop brew:

The Culture has beneficial lactobacilli : make from scratch. Dice fresh ginger root into tiny cubes - put a tablespoon of it into + a mason jar 3/4 full of water, along with 2 teaspoons white sugar. Every day for a week, Add another 2 teaspoons each sugar and ginger , at which time it should become bubbly with a pleasant odor. If it gets moldy, dump it and start over.

[pepperette]

DoradoDave
I just googled it, and there is research supporting, and denying, the helpfullness of kombucha to diseases like gout, arthritis, MS, etc. Like most things, you can try it- just remember to drink as much regular water as you do kombucha, as it detoxifies the body and those toxins need flushing out. If after, say, a few bottles, you feel better, you might think about home brewing for $$ reasons alone. They do recommend you start out with 2-4 ounces iin the morning on an empty stomach to start the day. You can read articles on its use on many of the links posted throughout this thread.
HTH

[pepperette]

cindy- after the week, will it keep in the frig if you don't use it all? Or should you use what you need and dump the rest and make a new batch?

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by DoradoDave

Are there any gout sufferers out there who have tried this brew????? And what result? I do not need another addiction but would like some help with gout.

tks in advance.

no personal experience - KT is listed as a home remedy for gout at mamaherb.com & reviewed & recommended by 8 out of 8 people with gout.

16 out of 16 recommended lemon juice there though for gout - Take 250 ml of Lemon Juice thrice daily for at least 1 month. The symptoms of Gout are resolved in a month.

I'm betting lemon juice is just more common, both are acidic.

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by pepperette

cindy- after the week, will it keep in the frig if you don't use it all? Or should you use what you need and dump the rest and make a new batch?

I'm assuming you're asking about the ginger culture (don't dump anything lol)?
The Culture has beneficial lactobacilli : make from scratch. Dice fresh ginger root into tiny cubes - put a tablespoon of it into + a mason jar 3/4 full of water, along with 2 teaspoons white sugar. Every day for a week, Add another 2 teaspoons each sugar and ginger , at which time it should become bubbly with a pleasant odor. If it gets moldy, dump it and start over.

It takes a week to create the culture. I'm assuming you can either but it in frig or continue adding water & 2 teaspoons each sugar and ginger for the next batch.

This was to make Lacto-Fermented Soft Drinks and he suggests that it’s best to use at least a cup per gallon, but KT has it's own bacteria and yeasts so it doesn't require the lactobacilli to be dominant to control pathogenic bacteria & yeasts.

[pure_radiance]

My reflux/GERD seems to be worse since I started drinking it a few days ago...I've stopped now cuz I am in terrible pain and can't eat very much. Help! Anyone else find it a lot worse? I thought it is supposed to help!

Thanks!

[pure_radiance]

Originally Posted by pepperette

I wonder if you can cold brew with loose leaf tea?

Yes, I am doing some right now using loose Thai tea.....

in this contraption....

Toddy Coffee Maker, Toddy Maker, Cold Brew Coffee Maker, Low Acid Coffee, Healthy Coffee

I use it for coffee too!

You could use an ice tea jug with the spout....fill about a 1/3 with water....add the loose tea.....let it sit about 10 mins, then gently add more water till it's full....do not stir or swish about the tea......it will then stay floating at the top.....let sit about 12 hrs....then drain and filter thru a coffee filter....or tea strainer.....voila!!

[Kamalam]

Originally Posted by cindy_cfids

I vote for (a) bottling late or (c) it needs more second fermentation time at room temperature.

An influx of sugar activates the yeast and guarantees fizz fast. Not adding sugar is going to take more time for the bubbles to be noticeable. If you can taste the sweetness that should definitely be an indication of sugar level.

I use plastic bottles and I know how some feel about using plastic bottles, but I would suggest you use one (even if you never drink it) and you can feel the carbonation levels building up. You fill the bottle and it's pliant as time goes by it's still pliant, then one day it's hard as a rock (it's ready) because the pressure has built up enough to expand the bottle. I've used the old cranberry or grape juice bottles and filled with KT when all my other bottles were filled and let them ferment for a month. The grape juice bottles (they were half gallon bottles) became round like bowling balls. I had left no airspace in any bottles but it created air space, lots of it.

You said you were going to start leaving air space in your bottles, I bet that's where the big bottle scobys were. Leaving air space allows the bacteria to continue thriving. Yeast don't need air to be active, but the bacteria does.

Lordy... hold the phone. How long do you 2nd ferment your bottles? What we've been doing is fermenting 2-3 days in the cupboard, drinking immediately, or transferring to the fridge and then drinking within a week, tops.

It sounds like you are letting your bottles go much longer than that! If so, that would explain why our fizz factor is lower - we aren't giving it enough time(?)!

[pepperette]

pure- I use a 3" mesh tea strainer when I brew the tea. That would probably do as well for cold brew, I guess.

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by Kamalam

Lordy... hold the phone. How long do you 2nd ferment your bottles? What we've been doing is fermenting 2-3 days in the cupboard, drinking immediately, or transferring to the fridge and then drinking within a week, tops.

It sounds like you are letting your bottles go much longer than that! If so, that would explain why our fizz factor is lower - we aren't giving it enough time(?)!

Sorry, no wonder you're having such a problem with fizz lol yes, time is the main ingredient. Now I'll only give a batch a week in the bottle (and I've been told I'm STILL not being patient enough - not giving it enough time) before I rebottle with grape juice but I brew to the point of sugar free and I'm sure my second ferments lack enough sugar most times and can't imagine them ever obtaining fizz.

I don't have refrigerator space, I usually drink my KT warm, I should refrig at least one I guess lol. It's cooler there than here, I did have a batch ready in 2-3 days BUT I added sugar AND it was 90F those 2 factors give fast yeast reaction. I wouldn't get that reaction without sugar either. When it was cooler here, I had to wait 5-7 days for my first bottle to be ready. I drank a bottle every day but none had fizz for a week. That's why I bought the 5 gal brewers (before I snapped to continuous brewing concept). With batch brewing in cooler temps, it was 2-3 weeks brewing & 1+ week in bottle, so it could take up to a month to have my first bottle with fizz. We've got brew times down, but unless you add sugar, only time will give you full second fermentation and even at 90F it still takes minimum of 5 days.

That's what I couldn't understand why in the world you were cutting your bottling production. I had a month's worth (8 gallons) of bottled KT sitting out doing a second ferment, before my scobys went on strike.

[Kamalam]

Holy Crap, Cindy... I'm so glad I asked this question... now I understand why you were questioning our decision to limit our bottling production.

Geez. I mean... GEEZ.

You made a commment I want to ask about: you said you sometimes bottle a second time with grape juice. So after sitting in a bottle for a week, you would pour that 2nd ferment into *another* bottle with the grape? Or do you just pour some grape into the bottle and let it sit again...

Just wondering why you wouldn't bottle your 2nd ferment with the grape to begin with... Or maybe I'm not understanding you?

[cindy_cfids]

Originally Posted by Kamalam

you said you sometimes bottle a second time with grape juice. So after sitting in a bottle for a week, you would pour that 2nd ferment into *another* bottle with the grape? Or do you just pour some grape into the bottle and let it sit again...

Just wondering why you wouldn't bottle your 2nd ferment with the grape to begin with... Or maybe I'm not understanding you?

Until you asked that, I never thought too much about it, I guess adding grape juice to the bottles would make more sense and no that's not what I did, but will do in the future I *guess* I thought it wouldn't get mixed in properly or something, no friggin clue lol.

I didn't bottle it the first time with grape juice, because I was still learning and I really wanted to learn the basics before starting adding stuff. It didn't occur to me to just add to the bottles I would open it up dump the contents add in grape juice & rebottle. I don't have refrig space so didn't want to open a great big bottle of grape juice (I have concentrates now, thanks to pepperette) unless I had a batch big enough and single batches were never big enough, I guess that's why I rebottled, to mix the old with the new plus the grape juice, but your way sounds much better. Thanks!

Kam, you've never let a bottle sit for more than 3 days?? Even when you didn't have fizz? Please don't tell me Dave's instructions said 3 days was enough lol I thought I had told you that IF you don't have fizz after a week add grape juice. (Even doing it YOUR way lol) My first big batch was 25% grape juice. I added cranberry juice to one batch & still no fizz after 2 weeks, so I reopened all the bottles, mixed the old with the new added grape juice and rebottled all.

[Kamalam]

Hell no, I never let a bottle sit longer than 3 days!

I can't remember what Dave (growl) instructed... And for some reason, your comment about waiting a week went right over my head. Newbie nervousness I guess!

And may I just say... I'm so glad I got you to think about your bottling process. Glad to help, lol.

Hey, when do you leave to help your stepmom (which, btw, sounds like a very loving thing to do...). Will you have any Internet access???