Re: Help, Help, more newbie mistakes...

[Guest guest]

Hi there J...is this your only SCOBY? Doesn't really matter, I would toss

it and the tea it was in if it were me.

Then I would start another batch with a reserve SCOBY from my hotel.

Lacking a second SCOBY, I would take whatever vinegary KT I had left and use

that to start a new brew. I may take a bit longer than if you were using a

SCOBY, but it will work. Use at least ten percent of that vinegary KT.

Alternatively, you can let your vinegary KT sit properly covered with

tightly woven cloth or paper towel and let it sit until a SCOBY forms, which

ought not take more than a week or ten days, then use that to start a new

brew. I use Viva paper towels and am always sure to unroll and use a towel

underneath that has not been directly exposed to air.

As to the source of the problem...you may have fruit flies about. They seem

to really like KT. Putting a glass of KY out with a bit of liquid dish soap

in it can function as a trap. You can also cut the top off a plastic half

liter soda bottle about 1/3 of the way down, put KT in the bottom then

invert the top into the bottom so it forms a sort of funnel. The idea is

that the fruit flies can get in, but not back out. Don't know for sure it

works, but worth trying.

Trust me...even experienced brewers make mistakes!

Good luck!!

Gayle

Help, Help, more newbie mistakes...

>I decanted yesterday, and probably left the scoby on a plate while waiting

>for the tea to

> cool... I added tea, covered it with a cheesecloth piece I found

> marginal, but did it anyway.

> (STUPID) Just checked the batch because I didn't remember if I added

> enough tea and Eeeow,

> ever so tiny crawlies on the top.

> What to dO?

>

> I fished out the scoby onto a plate and sort of examined it, it seemed

> like the center was

> gushy, unlike the white solid rest of it. I cleaned out the container,

> rinsed, rinsed, poured 3

> bottles of previously decanted and somewhat vinegary brew from 2 weeks

> ago, I cut the best

> part of the scoby out, rinsed it in water, examined it, then put it in a

> tub in another bottle of

> OK over it.

>

> Can I use that scoby piece, or is it best to toss it? Do I add a half

> gallon of tea or so to feed

> the starter batch and see if it will generate a healthy batch? I am

> going to keep the scoby in

> a sealed tub and set the new stuff up and wait for word. Thanks.

>

> Whatever you do, don't use cheese cloth, and keep the scoby protected!

> Oooops, live and

> learn! J

[Guest guest]

Hi there J...is this your only SCOBY? Doesn't really matter, I would toss

it and the tea it was in if it were me.

Then I would start another batch with a reserve SCOBY from my hotel.

Lacking a second SCOBY, I would take whatever vinegary KT I had left and use

that to start a new brew. I may take a bit longer than if you were using a

SCOBY, but it will work. Use at least ten percent of that vinegary KT.

Alternatively, you can let your vinegary KT sit properly covered with

tightly woven cloth or paper towel and let it sit until a SCOBY forms, which

ought not take more than a week or ten days, then use that to start a new

brew. I use Viva paper towels and am always sure to unroll and use a towel

underneath that has not been directly exposed to air.

As to the source of the problem...you may have fruit flies about. They seem

to really like KT. Putting a glass of KY out with a bit of liquid dish soap

in it can function as a trap. You can also cut the top off a plastic half

liter soda bottle about 1/3 of the way down, put KT in the bottom then

invert the top into the bottom so it forms a sort of funnel. The idea is

that the fruit flies can get in, but not back out. Don't know for sure it

works, but worth trying.

Trust me...even experienced brewers make mistakes!

Good luck!!

Gayle

Help, Help, more newbie mistakes...

>I decanted yesterday, and probably left the scoby on a plate while waiting

>for the tea to

> cool... I added tea, covered it with a cheesecloth piece I found

> marginal, but did it anyway.

> (STUPID) Just checked the batch because I didn't remember if I added

> enough tea and Eeeow,

> ever so tiny crawlies on the top.

> What to dO?

>

> I fished out the scoby onto a plate and sort of examined it, it seemed

> like the center was

> gushy, unlike the white solid rest of it. I cleaned out the container,

> rinsed, rinsed, poured 3

> bottles of previously decanted and somewhat vinegary brew from 2 weeks

> ago, I cut the best

> part of the scoby out, rinsed it in water, examined it, then put it in a

> tub in another bottle of

> OK over it.

>

> Can I use that scoby piece, or is it best to toss it? Do I add a half

> gallon of tea or so to feed

> the starter batch and see if it will generate a healthy batch? I am

> going to keep the scoby in

> a sealed tub and set the new stuff up and wait for word. Thanks.

>

> Whatever you do, don't use cheese cloth, and keep the scoby protected!

> Oooops, live and

> learn! J

[Guest guest]

Whoops!! Fouth paragraph, third sentence below should read " Putting a glass

of KT out with a bit of liquid dish soap

in it can function as a trap "

Gayle

Re: Help, Help, more newbie mistakes...

> Hi there J...is this your only SCOBY? Doesn't really matter, I would toss

> it and the tea it was in if it were me.

> Then I would start another batch with a reserve SCOBY from my hotel.

>

> Lacking a second SCOBY, I would take whatever vinegary KT I had left and

> use

> that to start a new brew. I may take a bit longer than if you were using

> a

> SCOBY, but it will work. Use at least ten percent of that vinegary KT.

>

> Alternatively, you can let your vinegary KT sit properly covered with

> tightly woven cloth or paper towel and let it sit until a SCOBY forms,

> which

> ought not take more than a week or ten days, then use that to start a new

> brew. I use Viva paper towels and am always sure to unroll and use a

> towel

> underneath that has not been directly exposed to air.

>

> As to the source of the problem...you may have fruit flies about. They

> seem

> to really like KT. Putting a glass of KY out with a bit of liquid dish

> soap

> in it can function as a trap. You can also cut the top off a plastic half

> liter soda bottle about 1/3 of the way down, put KT in the bottom then

> invert the top into the bottom so it forms a sort of funnel. The idea is

> that the fruit flies can get in, but not back out. Don't know for sure it

> works, but worth trying.

>

> Trust me...even experienced brewers make mistakes!

>

> Good luck!!

>

> Gayle

[Guest guest]

I am so sorry to hear that this happened to you!

I would like clarification, though, on the following statement. I thought

we weren't supposed to seal the SCOBY because it needed to breathe?

I hope you have a second one on hand!

Thanks,

Regina

-- Help, Help, more newbie mistakes...

I am going to keep the scoby in

a sealed tub and set the new stuff up and wait for word. J

[Guest guest]

I am so sorry to hear that this happened to you!

I would like clarification, though, on the following statement. I thought

we weren't supposed to seal the SCOBY because it needed to breathe?

I hope you have a second one on hand!

Thanks,

Regina

-- Help, Help, more newbie mistakes...

I am going to keep the scoby in

a sealed tub and set the new stuff up and wait for word. J

[Guest guest]

I had just started 2 more brews, so I have 4 going. The first scoby from my

starter first batch

is in with some reserved OK . It is already forming that gelatinous film on top

that becomes a

new scoby. I put reserve with half tea in another dish to see how that will

start and I thought

I could keep the old pieceof scoby in a tub with much air in it to see what

happens. I intend

on throwing it out, but I think I will watch it for a few days to see what

happens.

I have a 2 gallon vat going in my glass crock, it is fine, and my starter jar is

now making tea

at a friends house with a scoby that formed 2 weeks ago or so.

I guess I am just wondering if the tea I got yesterday was ok. . J