Kombucha

[metqa]

I've been reading more and I think the key is to add the ginger afterward, where I'm not as concerned about the scoby growing or fermenting properly. Ginger is a potent antibiotic and that's scary for my scoby. I've heard that the Synergy drinks are flavored with juice after the ferment so at least for the ginger I'll go that route.

Hey Lisabinil, do you make Kombucha?

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by metqa

I've been reading more and I think the key is to add the ginger afterward, where I'm not as concerned about the scoby growing or fermenting properly. Ginger is a potent antibiotic and that's scary for my scoby. I've heard that the Synergy drinks are flavored with juice after the ferment so at least for the ginger I'll go that route.

Hey Lisabinil, do you make Kombucha?

Not yet I am a recent kombucha convert and am enjoying the Synergy drinks tremendously. I just ventured into my own yogurt making cause I got a yogurt maker for Christmas. Might be something I will try though since I am loving the taste of kombucha.

[DiamondDeb]

OK, I have a question. Does Kombucha lose it's "good stuff" if it is sitting out, open for hours? I like to have some in the afternoon/evening when I am at work but what happens is I am so busy I don't get more than a sip or two & I end up drinking it after work. Have all the good germs flown the coop by then?

[DiamondDeb]

Originally Posted by lisabinil

Not yet I am a recent kombucha convert and am enjoying the Synergy drinks tremendously. I just ventured into my own yogurt making cause I got a yogurt maker for Christmas. Might be something I will try though since I am loving the taste of kombucha.

I'm addicted to the Synergy ones, too. I really don't have the room to make my own here. I plan to get a new job that will allow me to get a house with a real kitchen and then I won't have any excuses...

[metqa]

Originally Posted by DiamondDeb

OK, I have a question. Does Kombucha lose it's "good stuff" if it is sitting out, open for hours? I like to have some in the afternoon/evening when I am at work but what happens is I am so busy I don't get more than a sip or two & I end up drinking it after work. Have all the good germs flown the coop by then?

Lemme show you something. . . . Click on the thumbnail picture and count how many scobys are in that bottle. That's what happens if you don't drink it, the little germies don't go anywhere, they just keep growing!!

I think I'm gonna try to fish these out and start a single bottle operation with a bottle size scoby in each bottle and it's own flavor.

The worst thing would be you 'contaminate' it but it should be so acidic that nothing else will want to grow between the time you sip it now and the time you polish it off later that evening or the next day. It doesn't last that long around me.

[DiamondDeb]

Thanks Metga! It tastes fine this way. I drink it much faster when I'm not working.

Really fascinating stuff...

[DiamondDeb]

How do you get the scoby out of the bottle?

I will probably have fun & scare my friends with these when I finally start making it.

[metqa]

Originally Posted by DiamondDeb

I'm addicted to the Synergy ones, too. I really don't have the room to make my own here. I plan to get a new job that will allow me to get a house with a real kitchen and then I won't have any excuses...

If you have room for a gallon size pickle jar, you can make your own Kombucha. You could even just use mason jars. I was thinking of taking one of my bottle mini scobys out (if I can) and putting them up in individual mason jars to make just a quart of Kombucha for BF and other friends of mine. It'd be a great small scale adventure.

Imagine. A lone Quart Size mason jar on the counter, with a scoby floating at the three cup line and ripe kombucha beneath. It's time to harvest, so you brew up two cups of sugar sweetened tea, let it cool, pour off two cups of Kombucha and pour in the two cups of sweet tea, cover it back up with it's cloth and band and let it brew again while you enjoy your two cups of heaven over the next two days (or longer is you are just starting out) Hey you could even use the mason jar ring to hold the cloth on. It's on the outside so no metal contact with the beverage inside.

Do you have room for a mason jar? I'll send you an itty bitty scoby if you need!

[metqa]

Originally Posted by DiamondDeb

How do you get the scoby out of the bottle?

I will probably have fun & scare my friends with these when I finally start making it.

Hey Diamond!! Y'know I haven't actually tried to get it out yet. I'm thinking, Crochet Hook?

It wasnt' supposed to grow there, it was supposed to have been drunk up. But I forgot about it and next thing I know there are three of them in there!!!!

My real scobys are in wider jars with wide mouths that I can reach into if I need.

[DiamondDeb]

Originally Posted by metqa

Hey Diamond!! Y'know I haven't actually tried to get it out yet. I'm thinking, Crochet Hook?

It wasnt' supposed to grow there, it was supposed to have been drunk up. But I forgot about it and next thing I know there are three of them in there!!!!

My real scobys are in wider jars with wide mouths that I can reach into if I need.

lol... Are scobys sturdy? Maybe a hook would work if they don't fall apart easily.

[metqa]

Originally Posted by DiamondDeb

lol... Are scobys sturdy? Maybe a hook would work if they don't fall apart easily.

Oh yeah, they are tougher than they look. I'd not wanna have to chew on this thing for dinner, I'll tell ya!!! They don't slide apart or fall apart so much as they resist and then RRRRRIP!! They sometimes stitch themselves together so if you want to separate a scoby from it's newer growth sometimes you gotta tear it apart.

i've tried spearing one with a wooden skewer and almost couldn't get the skewer loose again!
ETA: hehe, that was one of my bigger scobys not the little one. the big one is about 12 inches across . . .

[DiamondDeb]

Originally Posted by metqa

If you have room for a gallon size pickle jar, you can make your own Kombucha. You could even just use mason jars. I was thinking of taking one of my bottle mini scobys out (if I can) and putting them up in individual mason jars to make just a quart of Kombucha for BF and other friends of mine. It'd be a great small scale adventure.

Imagine. A lone Quart Size mason jar on the counter, with a scoby floating at the three cup line and ripe kombucha beneath. It's time to harvest, so you brew up two cups of sugar sweetened tea, let it cool, pour off two cups of Kombucha and pour in the two cups of sweet tea, cover it back up with it's cloth and band and let it brew again while you enjoy your two cups of heaven over the next two days (or longer is you are just starting out) Hey you could even use the mason jar ring to hold the cloth on. It's on the outside so no metal contact with the beverage inside.

Do you have room for a mason jar? I'll send you an itty bitty scoby if you need!

Oh, thank you for offering! ...I really mean it when I say I haven't got room. I have barely enough space to stick my coffeemaker. I'd have to create some space.... Maybe on top of my microwave? Might that work?

[DiamondDeb]

Originally Posted by metqa

Oh yeah, they are tougher than they look. I'd not wanna have to chew on this thing for dinner, I'll tell ya!!! They don't slide apart or fall apart so much as they resist and then RRRRRIP!! They sometimes stitch themselves together so if you want to separate a scoby from it's newer growth sometimes you gotta tear it apart.

i've tried spearing one with a wooden skewer and almost couldn't get the skewer loose again!
ETA: hehe, that was one of my bigger scobys not the little one. the big one is about 12 inches across . . .

Oh, I keep imagining how my friends will react upon seeing a big scoby-filled jar sitting here. Makes the idea irresistible.

[metqa]

Originally Posted by DiamondDeb

Oh, thank you for offering! ...I really mean it when I say I haven't got room. I have barely enough space to stick my coffeemaker. I'd have to create some space.... Maybe on top of my microwave? Might that work?

Omagosh! Where'd you get that cute light bulb smiley? Oh, never mind, I see the link. We need that in our smileys library, seriously. That and one with a devil horns.

Y'know, I think on top of anything would work. Now that I think about it, you don't need to waste valuable counter space with something that spends 98% of it's time just sitting there. So an out of the way space where it won't be disturbed or knocked over , or even seen would be fine ( so long as there is adequate air circulation and no danger of mold.) You'd just need a tight weave cheese cloth, or even better , unbleached cotton Duck Cloth, and a wide tight rubber band to keep out any mold spores, or dust or bugs.

I actually keep mine on a shelf that I don't need to get to very often. So yeah, it doesn't have to be on the counter, it's just a fun viewing spot to freak out guests. I've got junior scobys in a pickle jar, and I never see them except maybe once every couple of weeks when I reach to the back of the shelf and check on 'em.

[JoSkids]

[COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]I was slightly hesitant to try Kombucha, but I was figuring that I wasn't totally hating ACV, how bad could this be - the flavors we the most appealing. So when I went to Whole Foods the other day I decided to get some, but I couldn't decide which flavor I wanted more so I bought 4 flavors

Oh my fabulous! I really liked the guava and the mango ones the best. The others all kind of tasted the same - but still tasty!

Wish I could afford to buy it more often. Might venture into making it myself, but that scares me a bit.

Are there other benefits to drinking it than just for the probiotics?[/COLOR]

[metqa]

Originally Posted by JoSkids

[COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]I was slightly hesitant to try Kombucha, but I was figuring that I wasn't totally hating ACV, how bad could this be - the flavors we the most appealing. So when I went to Whole Foods the other day I decided to get some, but I couldn't decide which flavor I wanted more so I bought 4 flavors

Oh my fabulous! I really liked the guava and the mango ones the best. The others all kind of tasted the same - but still tasty!

Wish I could afford to buy it more often. Might venture into making it myself, but that scares me a bit.

Are there other benefits to drinking it than just for the probiotics?[/COLOR]

You mean besides tasting like awesome yumminess, and helping with digestion, and giving your day a pep, and making the world seem more colorful and being a nice non alcoholic alternative to champagne, and Helping to curb heartburn, and . . . . .

Don't be afraid. I'm up to my ears in Scobys if you wanna give 'er a try. the only thing you'd loose, if it didn't turn out, would be a few batches of tea and sugar, and you weren't using that sugar for anything else anyway . . . were you???

[metqa]

Seriously, You boil some clean water, dissolve the sugar, steep the tea bags, let it cool, the put the scoby into it, or pour it into the scoby jar. Add some starter tea that came with the scoby( or vinegar if you don't have starter tea) Wait a week and taste. if it's good drink it, if it's not wait another week and taste. Repeat!

Easy Peasy!

[LaurieRobo]

OMG - I miss my BOOCHA!!!!

I have had to take an unexpected week+ trip to my parents in Florida... leaving my brewer home it was almost ready - I should have way potent stuff when I get back...

I think today when out running errands - I NEED to find some GT's to get me through... Guess I should google a bit to see if I can find anything...

Anyone from central east coast FL (Vero Beach) know where to buy GT's - I'm in serious withdrawal!!!!

[metqa]

Maybe a Trader Joes, or an Earthfare. Look Up Earthfare Health Food Store.

[LaurieRobo]

Originally Posted by metqa

Maybe a Trader Joes, or an Earthfare. Look Up Earthfare Health Food Store.

I went to GT's - strike 1 - store out of business... there is another store ~1.5 miles - they weren't open yet when we went out, that will be my next stop... I'll try the 3rd if needed. I can also try Publix??? Not sure but up north, our Stop & Shop just started selling it.... I'm on a mission right after I eat lunch!

Where there's a will there's a way!

[pepperette]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]They have pre-made kombucha at Whole Foods? I have been wanting to taste this, but not enough to go through the making process in case I didn't care for it. I guess that goes on the list for next weekend and the foray to WFs.[/COLOR]

[JoSkids]

"You mean besides tasting like awesome yumminess, and helping with digestion, and giving your day a pep, and making the world seem more colorful and being a nice non alcoholic alternative to champagne, and Helping to curb heartburn, and . . . . .

Don't be afraid. I'm up to my ears in Scobys if you wanna give 'er a try. the only thing you'd loose, if it didn't turn out, would be a few batches of tea and sugar, and you weren't using that sugar for anything else anyway . . . were you???"

[COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]You're too funny Metga!

Pepperette, yes, Whole Foods has a couple of kinds, but I was looking for Synergy - which is what I bought - Yum! It's in the refrigerated drink section by the deli (at least in my store)

TJ's has some too?![/COLOR]

[LaurieRobo]

Strike 2 - It's gonna be a long week if I can't find boocha

Off to see if there is a Whole Paycheck in a 50 mile radius of here

SOL on the Whole Foods... I have to drive to Orlando tuesday to pick my sister up at the airport.... Last resort I guess if I can't find any before then... SIGH - I'm not liking this one bit!

[metqa]

If you find it you better buy a case, all the trouble you are going through.

Hey Pepperette, I've heard of people making a one bottle batch. they just leave a little bit of boocha in the bottle they bought and just added sweet tea to it. and then they drink right from the same GT bottle a week later and repeat. I figure I wasn't patient enough to wait one whole week for just one bottle.

OH I can see it now, a whole assembly line of one bottle brewing. with Labels, M T W Th F Sa S on each bottle, as you drink one bottle you just fill it again from the family sweet tea pitcher and tomorrow you pick up the next bottle. By the time you get back to the first it's ready to drink again! Genius!

[pepperette]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]That would mean I'd have to buy....sugar! There hasn't been real sugar (granulated type as opposed to in frankenfoods) since, let me see--
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1993 [/COLOR]

[LaurieRobo]

I so had to get over the actually buying white sugar thing... however, it is SOOOO worth it for the outcome!!!!

Originally Posted by pepperette

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]That would mean I'd have to buy....sugar! There hasn't been real sugar (granulated type as opposed to in frankenfoods) since, let me see--
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1993 [/COLOR]

[metqa]

When I bought sugar for the tea, I was astounded at how big the bags were! I was like what would you need all of this for, My Goodness! Some people buy a new 5lb bag every week!

[pepperette]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Maybe a box of the cubes instead of a bag? Just how sweet does the tea have to be? And can it be decaf? Enquiring minds want to know![/COLOR]







.

[metqa]

3 quarts of water
1 cup of refined White sugar
6-7 bags of black, green, white, or a blend ( water decaffed if you prefer, chemically decaf could hurt the scoby, or you can buy regular and dip the bags in hot water for 30 seconds before adding to the sugar water to make you tea. 30 seconds of hot water removes most of the caffeine )

That's the basic recipe for the tea.

[pepperette]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"]Tea bag tea!
How about instant???[/COLOR]




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