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

I wouldn't put them next to each other.

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

Thanks to a wonderful GCM :heart , my SCOBY arrived today! I thought for sure it'd arrive frozen solid, but it's just really cold, no ice crystals or anything. We'll see in a couple weeks how it turns out, lol. DH is on the hunt right now to get me a larger jar. The one I had was not as big as I thought it was.

And wow, is it ever difficult to find BLACK TEA. I was just at the Superstore, thinking they'd have basics. Millions of boxes of green or orange pekoe (sp?) from all kinds of brands, lots of specialty herbal blends, and some black with flavours in it, but I must have combed over every box for fifteen minutes trying to find just plain old black. Eventually got some, ha.

Tea is brewed. Just waiting on DH, and then it's SCOBY time :rockon

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

Orange pekoe is a variety of black tea. So is darjeeling.

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

ya..Lipton is black

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

Good old Red Rose tea is black tea, I believe. Also, do you have a Bulk Barn up there? They have several selections of bulk black tea. I buy a black chai tea that is great for kombucha.

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

I didn't see this until now. My :twocents is that kombucha is over a thousand years old. Women have been drinking it a loooooong time. Most modern people think it's some fringe thing that hippies brew in their bathtubs. People died in the last few years from drinking pasteurized milk and raw spinach but those aren't on any lists. I think it's really beneficial. I've been drinking it since 2007 and giving it to all my kids after 10 months of age. Everyone needs to do what they think is best, though.

---------- Post added at 10:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:58 PM ----------

I've only made grape a few times, I use grape juice for the second ferment. When I make lemon, I use juice, too.

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

Home brewed kombucha is a little controversial. As with any natural remedy, your body may not respond to it well. My opinion is listen to your body and you'll be fine.

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

No, there aren't any bulk stores up here. Red Rose is the one I got though :) Not too terrible of a price either.

I did see a few "black chai" teas too. I thought that meant some spice or herb was added. I am so ignorant about tea, lol. So that would be okay as well if I can't find the Red Rose again in the future?

---------- Post added at 10:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 PM ----------

Ya, I thought I would see lots of Lipton, but the only one they had with that name was an organic lemon one. Strange.

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

Personally I don't use any spiced or flavored teas but some do. Definitely don't use Earl Gray, the bergamot will kill your SCOBY.

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

Yeah, you can try different flavors of black tea. I've had good results with chai tea.

It was mentioned elsewhere in this thread, but don't use Earl Grey tea. The oil of bergmont in it will kill a scoby. <----- Ha! Lisa beat me to it!

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

What is it supposed to smell like? Mine has brewed for 6 days so far, and if I go up near it, it's STRONG smelling. It looks great, a baby scoby is forming happily away, and I'm not worried, but the smell is a bit overwhelming, haha. When I add the fruit, will it help tone down the smell, or will it lessen over the next week before I bottle it with the fruit? I'm not familiar with hard cider or wines or anything, so I just want to make sure this type of power scent is okay! Kinda like ACV, actually. Is that a good sign? :)

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

that is pretty normal. you can taste it if you want.

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

A sour, ACV smell is a good sign. It will get stronger. Doing a second ferment with fruit will tame it a bit. The acidity is what keeps mold away.


I don't follow all her rules and whatnot, but this is a decent site. http://www.laurelfarms.com/how_to_make_kombucha.html

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

The link won't open for me. :impouting

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

try removing the spaces perhaps...

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

It opened for me yesterday but not today. Maybe the site is down?

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

I would have no issues drinking it while breastfeeding BUT if I was just starting, I would start low and slow, like 1/4C a day and no more for about 7 days and then increase a little. The reason being that Kombucha is a detoxifier and it will release toxins from your body...and you don't want to send them all to your baby in a big storm. If I was already drinking it before pregnancy/breastfeeding, then I would just keep on drinking without concern. :)

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

It won't open for me, now, either. I think the site is down.

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

SCOBY growing help please!

I'm growing a SCOBY from a bottle of 100% raw Kombucha (Food Renegade's directions). It smells right (vinegar like) and a thin SCOBY has formed on top :). My question is, it looks like it's way above the liquid now (like a centimeter). Is this normal or will it dry out like that? It does appear to be actually on top of very large bubbles. I think you aren't supposed to mess with it, but I did tilt it side to side to get it to touch the liquid, but setting it back down looks the same. Is there anything I should do? I think it's about an 1/8" thick. I wanted to grow it to maybe 1/3" before brewing my first batch of Kombucha:cool

TIA!

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

it is fine. Just leave it alone!

mine still isn't getting carbonated.. :hissyfit I dislike batches like this.

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?

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

I have but I always place wax paper or plastic wrap over the jar before adding the lid. The acidity will eat the metal.

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

Thanks. That is what I heard so I appreciate the tip. I started saving my GT bottles but I don't have enough yet.

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

I do. :yes My kombucha isn't actually touching any part of the lid, so :shrug3

I've got some in the second ferment right now in my new bottles that I linked above. I'm hoping it will help with the fizziness factor. :eyebrows

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

:poke Karisa, have you tried using juice yet?

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

No, not yet. I'm hoping these new bottles help with the fizz that way.