Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Mine hasn't ever really gotten carbonated with the second ferment. :shrug3 I'm just putting them in mason jars with some whole fruit (usually blueberries). We still drink it.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

mine hasn't either.. :sigh I even put candy ginger in it... :pout

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I have had it get a bit fizzy before, but not anything like soda is.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Mine gets as fizzy as I would expect a naturallt fermented beverage to be without adding pressure :shrug
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Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I am loving mine. I did almost two weeks in the gallon jar, then put a half inch of fruit juice (some strawberry-kiwi, some wild berry) in the bottom of medium sized mason jars to sit for another week. I don't really remember how carbonated soda is, as I never really liked it to drink it, but mine is about as fizzy as sparkling grape juice and pretty much what I expected. My next batch going on now I have two gallons brewing and my scoby is ginormous :) I'm going to do grape juice this time because the strawberry-kiwi is a little too puckery for me. Wild berry is nice though.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Hmm...I never use juice for my kombucha...only whole fruit. Maybe I should try that instead. I wonder if I could use pink lemonaid...:shifty

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Mine is anywhere from flat to sparkling water when it comes to carbonation. I haven't found much rhyme or reason to it.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I have for that juice is more likely to be carbonated. I also found the less air there is in the jar the more likely it is to be carbonated. I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I brew my kombucha on a shelf right beside a window. Maybe that helps too, I have no idea though.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

That's a good point about the air! One I filled almost right to the top because it was the last of it, and it practically exploded all over the counter as soon as I twisted the ring off to open this morning.. the pressure actually pushed the seal of the can up to let out the fizz and liquid. I would probably be careful filling it TOO full because of that, actually.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Do you guys think these bottles would be good for the second fermentation?

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Perfect!

If you know of a beer drinker, it's cheaper to buy Grolsch beer in those kinds of bottles.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Looks like our first batch of Kombucha turned out fine :)
:jump :dance :woohoo :jump2

Now I just gotta find good ph strips to test it before I drink it since I'm nursing, I want to be careful.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Can you explain the ph strips?

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Sure. I want to test the pH to be sure it is in a safe range. Too acidic could bring on acidosis, but too alkaline could let bad bacteria grow. For a normal, healthy adult it probably doesn't matter so much, but if nursing or pregnant, some recommend that you test it at least. Food Renegade (blog) talks about it. I don't have the link right here and I'm on my phone, but if you google kombucha, nursing, and Food Renegade then you'll probably be able to find it. Some people don't rec. drinking it at all if nursing or pregnant, and some say you should test the pH when you are starting out even if not nursing or pregnant. I've seen different safe ranges. Another site that I saw it on was Kombucha Kamp. HTH!

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I'm on the second process for my first kombucha batch now. Can I use canning jars with metal lids?