Kombucha Q&A

[BeccaOH]

There is an old thread here with kombucha recipe, links, and chat, but I thought I'd start a fresh thread.

Brewing/fermenting is all new to me. Seems a bit complicated and scary. I just started Kombucha brewing this month. I grew a scoby using a bottle of GT Kombucha from the health store ($4). It looks good and healthy. I followed advice from a combination of info both on SS and by Googling, but everyone seems to have their own methods.

I just finished my second brew and a new scoby has started to grow from the first. I have that batch double fermenting now with pomegranate juice and berries. Need to steep some more tea and get a new brew going.

My questions today:
1) Does anyone use a jar with spigot (like an ice tea jar) for continuous fermenting?
I read about that here , which seems like a good idea if I get into drinking the brew regularly. So far I do think I liked it best 7 days fermented and lukewarm out of the brewer bowl. I do need to buy a jar just for brewing, but I'm having trouble finding a suitable large glass jar. Can't even find a glass sun tea jar in stores.

2) How do you store your scoby, if you take a break from brewing or go on vacation? When do you refrigerate a scoby, if ever?

3) When do you take a baby scoby from the original scoby? How do you store it and for how long? When do I start giving scoby away?

4) My house is probably around 75 degrees now where I'm brewing (air-conditioner on). Will winter temps around 65 be a problem for the brew? I put it on a shelf in the "library/piano room" that we keep closed up.

Thanks.

 

[TanksHill]

I am glad you started this thread. I was just thinking of starting some.

 

[miss_thenorth]

There is an old thread here with kombucha recipe, links, and chat, but I thought I'd start a fresh thread.

Brewing/fermenting is all new to me. Seems a bit complicated and scary. I just started Kombucha brewing this month. I grew a scoby using a bottle of GT Kombucha from the health store ($4). It looks good and healthy. I followed advice from a combination of info both on SS and by Googling, but everyone seems to have their own methods.

I just finished my second brew and a new scoby has started to grow from the first. I have that batch double fermenting now with pomegranate juice and berries. Need to steep some more tea and get a new brew going.

My questions today:
1) Does anyone use a jar with spigot (like an ice tea jar) for continuous fermenting?
I read about that here , which seems like a good idea if I get into drinking the brew regularly. So far I do think I liked it best 7 days fermented and lukewarm out of the brewer bowl. I do need to buy a jar just for brewing, but I'm having trouble finding a suitable large glass jar. Can't even find a glass sun tea jar in stores.

2) How do you store your scoby, if you take a break from brewing or go on vacation? When do you refrigerate a scoby, if ever?

3) When do you take a baby scoby from the original scoby? How do you store it and for how long? When do I start giving scoby away?

4) My house is probably around 75 degrees now where I'm brewing (air-conditioner on). Will winter temps around 65 be a problem for the brew? I put it on a shelf in the "library/piano room" that we keep closed up.

Thanks.

1. Yes, I just bought a jar at Costco tha holds 3 gallons and it has a spigot. I have just been using this for a month. It seems to work ok. I had three 1-gallon jars on the counter before that I rotated. I am still using on on the counter as well as the spigot jar.

2. We don't go on vacations, so can't help you there. I would assume you would keep it in the fridge. See number 3.

3. I usually take the new scoby every new batch or every other batch. I give it to my chickens--they love it. I don't store any, since I have several batches going at the same time. But I have kept one int ehfridge before with a little sweet tea for a while, in a ziploc baggie.

4. NO, in colder weather, it just might take a bit longer to ferment. My house is 65 in the winter also, and alot colder at night (58) If it is taking longer, just start another batch so you have more rotating, so wome is alwasy ready.

 

[Damummis]

Thanks for this thread. I was just looking at my bowl of extra scobies wondering what I was going to so with them. Chickens!!!
Can any other animals eat them?

 

[valmom]

Ooh, that reminds me- 7 days, gotta go make some more tea!

 

[big brown horse]

If you don't like the stringy things in your drinking cup, I read that you can line the bottom of the spigot-jug with clean glass marbles about an inch thick.

 

[freemotion]

1. I did the continuous brew spigot thing and stopped. My spigot developed a scoby and clogged. I also didn't like the sugar....I am very sensitive to sugar and will get some health concerns and gain weight like crazy.....that was in a continuous brew. I like the sugar all fermented out. I got glass gallon jars at WalMart. They are called cracker jars and are square and come in various sizes for around $5-6.

2. Keep a brew going, it is fairly forgiving. I also keep a spare or two in the fridge in a glass jar with filtered water in it in case I get mold or want to share.

3. Sometimes each time, sometimes it is rather adhered and the whole thing just gets thicker. I've been known to cut thick ones into pie wedges and use or share that. Works fine. You can give scoby away any time. You can cut yours in half or give a baby or keep the baby and give the mother. Anything goes!

4. My thermostat is kept at 50 F in the winter as we use a wood stove. Actually, we shut it off last Feb. So parts of the house get rather cool. This just slows down the process and it can take a month at very cool temps. 80 F is considered ideal. It is very forgiving.

 

[valmom]

I don't like the gooey strings, either- I strain it through one of those permanent coffee filter baskets that you get in the food store. It seems to work.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Has anyone tried freezing the scoby for long term storage?

I find that my kombucha is awfully sweet. I followed directions of 1 cup sugar to one gallon tea. I want to try it with less sugar. How much sugar do you use?

 

[freemotion]

If it is too sweet, it needs to ferment longer!