Kombucha Brewers?

enbloc

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I'm gathering supplies/equipment/SCOBY.
Should have everything together in 1 week.

Anyone currently brewing "booch"...?

Tips?

Thanks,
~Enbloc
 
I used to. I didn’t get all crazy technical or traditional with it.
I would keep about 8oz or so of leftover kombucha after drinking of bottling it.
Boil up a quart of water. Add 8 tea bags. 1 cup of sugar.
Add 2 quarts plus about 3 cups of cold water to cool it all down. Toss in the scoby and the leftover cup of kombucha.

Let that sit till it reaches the level of fermentation that you like and start drinking of bottling.

I did learn that if your brew gets a little too acidic just cut back on how much you save to put in the new batch. You just need a little bit of acidity to keep the bad bacteria from growing.
 
Thanks Michael. Any thoughts on drinking it after the first fermentation and forgoing the second fermentation all together?

Going for the probiotics and the fizz is secondary concern...

~Matt
 
Thanks Michael. Any thoughts on drinking it after the first fermentation and forgoing the second fermentation all together?

Going for the probiotics and the fizz is secondary concern...

~Matt
You’re welcome.
AFAIK the second fermentation is just for the fizz.
When you bottle the kombucha you lose a lot of fizz. The secondary makes up for that and keeps it all in the bottle.

I always drank it by ladling out of the jar and it doesn’t lose much fizz like that.

My buddy that gave me the scoby likes to do a secondary fermentation with a little fruit juice to add some flavor to the basic batch.
 
Started my first batch today. Adding another facet to my fermenting edification.

Received a very healthy SCOBY from The Kombucha Company: The Kombucha Company | Crafted with Texas Rainwater

I am also going to try a couple of hard buch recipies. I guess it can get as high as 5%-10% ABV.

The thing is huge and thick. Other SCOBY's that I looked into just looked pathetic...
1624669097694.png1624669077885.png

Looks just like this stock photo...

1624669720321.png
 
I ferment vegetables in quart jars, mainly for the health benefits of promoting active gut bacteria. I plan on doing kombucha next. My local gourmet food store has a starter kit on their shelf I was going to use.
What kit are you using?
Where did you get it?
Yeah, I'm tired of adding pills and supplements to my growing list of crap I take. That's why I decided to go the kombucha route. I have been doing home fermented sauerkraut and it tastes much better than even the organic raw brands at the store. Much, much better.

The kit I used for the kombucha is pictured in post #6 above. I did an ass-ton of research and it is by far the best.

~Enbloc
 
the apotheosis of our kombucha experience was about 2 years ago when my kid got a bottle like that, and it was fermenting closed for i think too long - 3 weeks or so, and i think wife used a bit too sugary content - so, he opened the cork lock and the thing exploded into the freshly painted ceiling - we had a paint job done may be 3-4 months before that. whole bottle content went straight up and into the ceiling 7 ft above the central island. i had to run quickly for a towel to wipe it all off the paint, spray with water and wipe again - fun.

we all still remember that. :)

still, it is all about the balancing of the duration and amount of sugar to get just right amount of gas in the product, not too much, not too little - fun while it lasts, but, the aftertaste gets old eventually.
 
wife was doing it for quite a looong while, then we got tired of it - of the taste. make sure to protect the mushroom from the little fruit flies.
and get a set of bottles like that:
View: https://www.amazon.com/Swing-Top-Glass-Bottles-Kombucha/dp/B01DM1J6I0
I am using a bandana and large rubber band to keep the flies out and limit exposure to airborne molds and other detrimentals.

I tried a GT's Watermelon Wonder and a Golden Pineapple, and both were outstanding. There are knock-off recipes on youtube than I'm told "Nail it."

Already got the swing-top stopper bottles too.

Thanks for your input Paul.

~Enbloc

1624815228479.png 1624815355376.png
 
the apotheosis of our kombucha experience was about 2 years ago when my kid got a bottle like that, and it was fermenting closed for i think too long - 3 weeks or so, and i think wife used a bit too sugary content - so, he opened the cork lock and the thing exploded into the freshly painted ceiling - we had a paint job done may be 3-4 months before that. whole bottle content went straight up and into the ceiling 7 ft above the central island. i had to run quickly for a towel to wipe it all off the paint, spray with water and wipe again - fun.

we all still remember that. :)

still, it is all about the balancing of the duration and amount of sugar to get just right amount of gas in the product, not too much, not too little - fun while it lasts, but, the aftertaste gets old eventually.
Ouch!
 
I am using a bandana and large rubber band to keep the flies out and limit exposure to airborne molds and other detrimentals.

I tried a GT's Watermelon Wonder and a Golden Pineapple, and both were outstanding. There are knock-off recipes on youtube than I'm told "Nail it."

Already got the swing-top stopper bottles too.

Thanks for your input Paul.

~Enbloc

View attachment 496451 View attachment 496452
asked wife - she says bandana or any heavy thread cotton cloth will not work well, you need a cheesecloth.
something like that.
View: https://www.amazon.com/Olicity-Cheesecloth-Unbleached-Straining-Reusable/dp/B07TWQ7P4R

she also asked if i want a new batch, i said - no. :)
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. It is appreciated!

I put this here in the "Survival Forum" because it is an entry-level technique for brewing and fermenting and a healthy alternative to pills (many from China, or at least some components.)

Its history goes back at least to 200 B.C. (in China of all places) and laughs in the face of Father Time...


1624815790353.png
 
I'll grab some and double up on the bandana until it arrives. Thanks Paul... And Mrs. Paul!
the thing she is on now is an ancient method of bread making - with a 'zakvaska' rye sourdough. it does not use any yeast at all, only a specifically maintained sour culture she needs to 'feed'.

great stuff, but, time consuming.
 
the apotheosis of our kombucha experience was about 2 years ago when my kid got a bottle like that, and it was fermenting closed for i think too long - 3 weeks or so, and i think wife used a bit too sugary content - so, he opened the cork lock and the thing exploded into the freshly painted ceiling - we had a paint job done may be 3-4 months before that. whole bottle content went straight up and into the ceiling 7 ft above the central island. i had to run quickly for a towel to wipe it all off the paint, spray with water and wipe again - fun.

we all still remember that. :)

still, it is all about the balancing of the duration and amount of sugar to get just right amount of gas in the product, not too much, not too little - fun while it lasts, but, the aftertaste gets old eventually.
Brew anything for long enough and you'll have an explosion story. A friend once had a case of mead go off in the trunk of his car. Now, he'll only transport in a cooler, on ice.
 
Bottled up first Kombucha batch. tasty and lightly fizzy. Will be leaving unflavored for now and no second ferment.
6 16oz bottles into the fridge and 16 ounces starter tea and SCOBY for next batch.

Cost in ingredients: Under $3.89/ batch. (65 cents per bottle)
Best Price per 1 16 oz bottle if found was $2.50 for GT's Kombucha @ Market Basket.

Only problem I'm having is finding the difference in Nutritional and Probiotic values for F1 vs. F2 home-brewed Kombucha...

Did find this...

1625430986174.png
 
Last edited:
Big Batch Kombucha Kegged.

I've been brewing Kombucha at home for about 4 years.
I brew big batches. 5 Gallon batches and keg it. (I also brew beer...)

Here's my process for a 5 gallon batch:

25 to 35 bags of organic green tea
5 cups organic cane sugar

1. In a 6 quart stock pot bring 3/4 to 1 gallon water to boil. Then shut off.
2. When water stops "bubbling". Put in tea bags. Cover, stir halfway through steep.
3. Set timer for 15 minutes.
4. Clean/sanitize 7 gallon fermenter bucket.

After timer goes off.

5. Dump cane sugar into fermenter bucket.
6. Remove tea bags and press bags with 2 serving spoons, one slotted one not slotted to get out all tea.
7. Dump tea into fermenter bucket and give quick stir.
8. Refill pot with cold water, dump in fermenter, and stir. Repeat until bucket is at 5 gallons.
9. Dump in Blob (Scoby) and it's container* contents.
10. Cover with old sheer curtain and secure with 1/8 elastic cord with a cord lock around top edge of fermenter bucket.
11. Store in basement with heater band and wrap insulation around fermenter bucket.

Should be ready 3 to 4 weeks. I keep the fermenter bucket temp at 80F.

12. Using a racking cane, rack (siphon) the liquid from fermenter into 5.5 gallon corny keg.
13. Remove Blob from fermenting bucket and shove** Blob back into Blob container. Dump residual liquid from fermenting bucket into storage container. Top off storage container with cool water tighten lid, store in refrigerator.

14. Put Keg in refrigerator***.
15. Connect Keg of Kombucha to CO2 line at 8 to 9 PSI and purge any air from keg with pressure relief valve

Kombucha will chill down in 12 hours. Be lightly carbonated in 24 hours and Fully carbonated in 3 to 4 days.


Notes:

I drink a 12 oz glass of Kombucha in the morning and 1 to 2 after work.

With a Keg system I get 50 to 52 glasses out of a 5 gallon batch.

A week AFTER I kegged the Kombucha, I start another batch fermenting. I have let batches ferment as long as 6 weeks. Same results as if were 3 to 4...



Have to make another batch this weekend. Can post pictures if it's Ok with Enbloc.

^^^ Sorry about wall of text... Cheers All!


* - I keep my Blob (Scoby) in a 1 gallon glass container.
** - When Blob (Scoby) gets to big for container. Rip in half and toss half into compost heap. (I heard you can eat them. [thinking])
*** - I use a Keezer. A chest freezer with a Ink Bird temp control set at 34F --> it's a chest refrigerator.
 
Great post @BigEd . Thanks for the contribution!

Couple of quick questions...

~Do you second ferment and add flavorings or consume straight (raw?)
I am partial to the cider-like taste of raw kombucha.

~Do you brew the kombucha for health benefits, or do you just enjoy the flavor?
For me it's a little of both.

~How long will a scoby last between batches in ideal conditions?

Thanks again,
~Enbloc
 
Great post @BigEd . Thanks for the contribution!

Couple of quick questions...

~Do you second ferment and add flavorings or consume straight (raw?)
I am partial to the cider-like taste of raw kombucha.

~Do you brew the kombucha for health benefits, or do you just enjoy the flavor?
For me it's a little of both.

~How long will a scoby last between batches in ideal conditions?

Thanks again,
~Enbloc
I know this wasn't directed toward me. But is there a difference in flavor between commercial kombucha and home made brew?
 
I know this wasn't directed toward me. But is there a difference in flavor between commercial kombucha and home made brew?

I like my kombucha better than the GT's brand which gets a lot of national praise. It is much sweeter than mine also. So, much healthier for homebrewed...
~Enbloc
 
I know uv light can be an issue for prebiotic life. I assume home brew is more active for gut bacteria?
It can be, so I brew it in a dark area that has a lot of air exchange.

I'm not sure of the probiotic count, but I can only assume that homebrewed has more due to lack of factors that may kill off the critters... but not sure.

The rapid and healthy growth of the SCOBY is a clear indicator that it is full of good microflora...
 
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