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

organic cane sugar, organic english breakfast tea, boiled filtered tap water, and the countertop :bag should I sterilize the crock between brews? I cover it with a tea towel.
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What amounts of each did you use?

I would switch to plain Lipton tea.
What else is on your counter? What's the temp? Any electronics nearby? Kombucha, as a living thing, doesn't thrive near EMF.

Don't ever wash your glass brewing jar unless you take a break or need to start over due to mold.

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Rubberband?

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

It's next to an outlet, so occasionally electronics. Rubber band yes.

Didn't know it was so sensitive!
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Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Are there problems with rubber bands?

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

no you just need one on to keep out the lil buggies! also isn't english breakfast tea really earl grey tea? i could be wrong but i thought it was, and i know you can't use earl grey tea. i would also wash the cloth that you are using to cover it really well in hot water in case the mold is in that

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

oooooooooooooh, good point about the electrical!!! I would have never thought of that.

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

me either! Good thing I'm keeping it on a countertop in a room where we don't often use electrics!!

ETA: I just checked on my baby... and it's making one! (a baby) Last time, it did not look like it did. I brewed correctly, but I wondered if it was stressed from being cut to send to me, and also from the trip. It looks much better today!!!

I'm sharing the Kombucha love with anyone willing to hear it. . .

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

English breakfast is not Earl Grey, but Lipton is less expensive anyhow.

:pout I was excited to get brewing again.
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Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I brew mine in the spare bedroom closet

chamomile won't work will it? my store has been out of my organic black tea :(

No, only real tea. Lipton is low pesticide.

You can use 50% green tea but I highly recommend using 100% black tea (Lipton, orange pekoe, darjeeling, etc) until you really have the hang of it. In my climate, green tea invites mold because it takes longer.

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

I had 1 black tea bag left so I did a "mini" batch just to keep a black tea scoby, then I did a bigger batch with 1/2 lipton, 1/2 organic green just to experiment.

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

i have mixed green and black before

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

Ì think my kombucha went "too long". It looked ready 2 days ago (again heat issues at play here) and I said Nooooo, I'll let it go the week and we'll see.... and last night i couldn't stand it anymore because the smell was getting more and more acidic.

I tasted it last night and it's definitely different!!! I went ahead and bottled it in the fridge. Got a new brew going on the counter... IF DH won't drink it, and the kids react like I do, is there something else we can do with the tea to make sure we use it?

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

you can make salad dressing out of it...or use it on your hair...I think there are a lot of different uses for it. or just mix it with juice..