| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Jan 02 2014 : 10:57:36 AM
I received a scoby from farmgirl Kristin and made my first batch of Kombucha...it brewed for 8 days. It formed a new scoby about 1/4 inch thick. I noticed on the internet there are so many recipes. I have seen 2 cups of sugar and 6 tea bags for every gallon. The one I used from my book says 1 cups of sugar, 4 tea bags for 12 cups. I find this so confusing and am wondering if the recipe I used is okay? 
2nd fermentation is what I am attempting now. I added a cup of organic grape juice and added it to the Kombucha. I have it in pint canning jars with the lids tightened really well. I read to burp them once a day so they don't blow up and leave them out from 2 to 3 days up to 2 weeks before putting them in the fridge. Have any of you ladies done this before and how long did it take and was the results good? I am a bit nervous about this and was hoping some one could shed some comforting light on this. Thanks for any help or info.
Linda
I had a Kombucha scoby sent to me several years ago and did not understand about them. I was a bit intimidated and to be quite honest got scared of drinking it and threw it away. Since then I have read the book Nourishing Traditions and The Art of Ferm. I have been reading and researching these areas and have since started making sourdough and kraut. Now that my fear is gone I am so mad that I threw my scoby out. I would really like to get back into this knowing what I know now.I had something really cool and threw it away.
If there is anyone willing to send me a scoby I am willing to send the shipping to you or trade for homemade soap.I found one online but it is a dried one and will get that if thats all I can get.The video says they take 30 days to rehydrate. If anyone knows of a better way or other suggestions I am all ears. Thanks for any help or info.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Feb 17 2014 : 5:33:57 PM
I made the ginger kombucha and added the 1/2 tsp of sugar like the recipe called for and the flavor was great but didn't get much fizz with this one. The one I use the organic grape juice in is really fizzy and really good.
I think the next batch I will use the Santa Cruz organic mango orange juice and add the ginger to that and see if I get good carbonation like I do with the grape juice. I can't believe how fizzy the grape juice kombucha is....its been my favorite so far. I really want to get a good fizz with the ginger but need to experiment more with that one.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Feb 17 2014 : 5:30:34 PM
It was the chia seeds for sure. Regular kombucha is fizzy and if its flavored with ginger or grape juice its super good and is not slippery at all. Its just like a fizzy soda.If you want to make your own there is a website that really goes into this its
http://www.kombuchakamp.com/what-is-kombucha
Amazon sells scobys much cheaper than hers but she is a wealth of information. She has step by step videos to watch and recipes. Hope this helps.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Feb 16 2014 : 6:13:03 PM
I bought my first kombucha at Kroger's last week and finished it today. It had Chia seeds in it and was kind of slippery, don't know if that was from the seeds or the fermentation.
I'm ready for more, but not sure how to start.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com http://brightmeadowknits.blogspot.com
http://www.ravelry.com/people/Brightmeadow |
| msdoolittle |
Posted - Feb 10 2014 : 10:53:11 PM
So, in the same vein here, my friend and I have been doing the kombucha thing (okay, so...really all I'm doing is growing SCOBYs, lol) and she and I were both discussing how the commercial bucha that is near its expiration date is SUPER fizzy. I wonder why this is, because I would have thought that most of the sugars were exhausted? We both got a bottle of a mango flavored variety at different stores in different towns and the bottles were within a week of the expiration. They were so fizzy, it was like a Coke or something. Odd.
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Feb 06 2014 : 07:30:29 AM
Let me know if you have any more questions. Also, keep me updated on your progress and experiments.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Feb 05 2014 : 2:16:07 PM
Wow thats good to know. I will not let mine go any longer. It makes sense and I know after 3 to 4 days its pretty fizzy. I have wood floors with wide cracks so I am going to keep mine in the cooler on the kitchen floor for sure. I don't want a big mess either. Thanks Kathryn.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Feb 05 2014 : 06:34:31 AM
Apparently, all of the sugar gets used up and the fizz diminishes. Any bottles we have kept for more than 2 weeks are less fizzy. I bottle every week and get about 7 bottles per gallon. I keep mine 2nd fermentation in the kitchen, close to the floor in a corner, ceramic tile is easy to clean.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Feb 04 2014 : 12:32:38 PM
Kathryn I am a little confused. You are saying it you let it ferment in the bottles MORE than 7 days the LESS fizz you get? I thought you would get more.
Wow I hope I don't have any explosions that would be scary. I will definately keep mine in the cooler in the kitchen while it ferments. I just opened a bottle that has went through the 2nd ferment with grapejuice in the cooler for 3 days and its pretty fizzy.I have 4 more days and then I will have another batch of Kombucha ready to bottle. I am going to use the ginger pieces this time. I wonder if I should add any sugar since I am only going to use the ginger? The pinapple and pear sound really good.
Also my scoby is now about 3/4 of an inch thick I wonder if it safe to pull a layer off and start a second jar? I don't want to do it too soon and hurt it. This will be my 4th batch since I started and each time it has grown a new layer. Thanks for all your help Kathryn I really appreciate it.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Feb 04 2014 : 09:36:18 AM
I let mine ferment in the gallon jars for 7 days, and then 7 days in the bottles before refrigeration. I have found out the longer you let it ferment in the jars and bottles the less fizz in the finished product. I have had one explosion and that was because I filled a bottle too full, I put the flavorings in first and then fill to the bottom of the neck of the bottle and am careful to keep that level. The kitchen towel kept most of the mess in the dish pan, but we did find the top across the room when we went looking for it, the bottle was one I got at Hobby Lobby not a beer bottle or equivalent. I put about tablespoon ginger pieces in each bottle and 1/8 of an apple and 1/2 of a crushed cinnamon stick in each bottle. I have used 2 tablespoons pineapple or pear in other batches, but we like the ginger and apple/cinnamon flavors.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Feb 03 2014 : 09:44:51 AM
Kathryn thanks for the info. I am going to try the ginger pieces next. I just bought some yesterday. I did order some bottles which came last week. Its a dark bottle with a bail top and plastic/rubber topper. They are a bit hard to clamp down but I guess they will get easier once I use them more.
How long do you let your kombucha work before you bottle it? I have done 7 days and 9 days before I bottled it and started a new batch. I have only let the bottles go for 3 days tops so far. I was afraid to go any longer than that becauseI was afriad it might go bad or explode. I did put them in a cooler with a lid in case they did. Now that I have these dark bottles(I think they are sold for beer making) they are super thick and hopefully this will not be a problem.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Feb 03 2014 : 08:39:17 AM
The recipe I use is 4 regular tea bags or 2 family size and 1 cup of sugar for each gallon jar of 'bucha. I brew my tea the night before, and dissolve the sugar in 1 cup of water at the same time. I remove the 'bucha to glass bottles with wire bail tops. I add ginger pieces, apple pieces and cinnamon sticks to the bottles and leave about 2 inches head room in each one. I set these in a plastic dish pan, and cover with a kitchen towel, in case of explosion the towel will contain most of the mess. I take the "empty" gallon jar and pour in the brewed tea and sugar water, then add water to the jar shoulder about 2 inches from the top. Cover with a paper coffee filter and rubber band. I let the bottles sit for 7 days then move to the fridge, and repeat the process. I have a plastic spoon to stir with, plastic coated tongs to move the scobys with, and a plastic funnel for filling my bottles. When I wash anything, I rinse with vinegar and I rinse my hands with vinegar during the process. Hope this helps.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Jan 05 2014 : 10:07:56 AM
Thanks Katherine but I don't have a health food store or a local store that carries them unfiltered and raw. The only ones I have seen are pastureized. I have a friend from this thread that emailed me and is going to try to send one through the mail. If it doesn't work maybe I will just go buy a dried one off the internet. Thanks for the info tho I really appreciate it.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| magnoliakathy |
Posted - Jan 05 2014 : 06:42:22 AM
Go to a health food store buy a bottle of raw, unfiltered Kombucha (I used an unflavored one) pour 1/3 in a clean canning jar, drink the rest or start 2 more, cover with a coffee filter and put it in a dark place, away from the stove and wait a week to 10 days and a scoby will form,. The new ones are somewhat transparent; they get opaque the longer you use them. When you bottle you first batch, carefully remove the new scoby from the "mother" you can use the new one or store it in a scoby hotel. Don't be surprised to see scobys form in your bottled 'bucha, drink them down or remove them and grow them for use. My scoby hotel is a quart canning jar, with spare scobys in it, covered with 'bucha that I renew as needed. I have enough stored scobys to start a new one in each batch, I feed the "old" scobys to my chickens. Good Luck.
When you free your mind your heart can fly. Farmgirl # 714, |
