[Soliloquy]

Originally Posted by Havilah

Do you brew in a bowl? Where'd you find a rubber band that big? That sounds like a much better plan.

I brew in a gallon jar--the size of the mouth is about 6 inches in diameter, I'd guess, maybe a bit more. I buy them at the farm where we get raw milk. I also use them for storing grain.

Originally Posted by Blue Savannah

Is it safe to use herbal tea? I always thought it wasn't. . .

It is safe but my understanding is that you have to use black tea for the SCOBY to make glucorionic acid, which is one of the main health benefits. If you use herbal tea, you won't get nearly the same health benefits. During the fermentation, almost all the caffeine (as well as sugar) is chemically converted.

Originally Posted by Lady TS

I read somewhere that you should use a glass container that hasn't been washed with dishsoap.

So, can I use my suntea container then? It's definitely been washed with dishsoap.

I've read that, too. I use all-natural dish soap and dishwasher detergent and I use it on my kombucha utensils all the time. It's fine. If you use a mainstream dishwasher detergent, then it has chlorine bleach in it and it will leave a residue that could kill your SCOBY. You can use a natural dish soap or vinegar and water. If you've ever used conventional soap, just rinse really, really, really well.