Guest guest Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Hi, I made my brewed my first batch of Kombucha. It took 5 days and has excellent carbonation, a little sour, so I add a little sweetnlow or some fruit. My problem is that when I removed my scoby (mother)it was a little limp so instead of starting a new brew I put it in a small jar, covered it with cheeseloth and refrigerated. That was 2 days ago and it seems to be falling apart I have the baby but it's a bit thin. Can I use it or do I need to buy a new on? Also wanted to ask if I can substitute brown sugar for white? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 In message <g6d7b6+j4gkeGroups> you wrote: > Hi, I made my brewed my first batch of Kombucha. It took 5 days and > has excellent carbonation, a little sour, so I add a little sweetnlow > or some fruit. What's sweetnlow? If it's not true sugar it was not a good idea to add it, neither is fruit until the bottling stage, > My problem is that when I removed my scoby (mother)it > was a little limp so instead of starting a new brew I put it in a small > jar, covered it with cheeseloth and refrigerated. Oops, refrigeration is NEVER a good idea with Kombucha. I should bring it out of the cold immediately into room temperature environment. > and it seems to be falling apart I have the baby but it's a bit > thin. Can I use it or do I need to buy a new on? It doesn't matter whether scobys are falling apart, or are thin! Just scoop them together and give them your sourest bit of KT as starter liquid and you will be off to a good start with your next brew. I would only use pure tea (green, white, oolong or black) and avoid anything that is added, like fruit, or is not camellia sinensis (true tea). I can't see any problem with your brew otherwise. > if I can substitute brown sugar for white? WHy do you want to use more expensive sugar to feed the culture? White sugar (since it is available) is one of the best scoby-foods. Brown sugar can have problems with strange taste in the end, although some people brew with it quite successfully. I should not worry about your Kombucha. Give it time, and let it get on with its brewing act. As to scobydom : It's not a beauty contest! Some of my ugliest scobys produce the best KT. Even in a falling apart scoby there will still be the necessary microflora which will ferment your brew. All the best, you're doing alright (once you get the fridge out of the equation!);-) Blessings, Margret UK :-) -- +------------------ Minstrel@... --------------------+ <)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<>< http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com our church: http://www.newlifederby.org.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Hi Margret, Thanks for your reply. Anything added to the kombucha is done after brewing. I'm glad to know that my scoby is okay. You aren't supposed to refrigerate them when there is no brewing going on? How do you store? As for the brown sugar, my husband (whose mom taught me to make kombucha) recommended it because I complained about the sour taste, but now that I think about it maybe it was a joke and I just got the punchline. > > > Hi, I made my brewed my first batch of Kombucha. It took 5 days and > > has excellent carbonation, a little sour, so I add a little sweetnlow > > or some fruit. > What's sweetnlow? If it's not true sugar it was not a good idea to add it, > neither is fruit until the bottling stage, > > > My problem is that when I removed my scoby (mother)it > > was a little limp so instead of starting a new brew I put it in a small > > jar, covered it with cheeseloth and refrigerated. > Oops, refrigeration is NEVER a good idea with Kombucha. I should bring it > out of the cold immediately into room temperature environment. > > > and it seems to be falling apart I have the baby but it's a bit > > thin. Can I use it or do I need to buy a new on? > It doesn't matter whether scobys are falling apart, or are thin! Just scoop > them together and give them your sourest bit of KT as starter liquid and you > will be off to a good start with your next brew. > I would only use pure tea (green, white, oolong or black) and avoid anything > that is added, like fruit, or is not camellia sinensis (true tea). > I can't see any problem with your brew otherwise. > > > if I can substitute brown sugar for white? > WHy do you want to use more expensive sugar to feed the culture? > White sugar (since it is available) is one of the best scoby-foods. > Brown sugar can have problems with strange taste in the end, although > some people brew with it quite successfully. > > I should not worry about your Kombucha. Give it time, and let it get > on with its brewing act. As to scobydom : It's not a beauty contest! > Some of my ugliest scobys produce the best KT. Even in a falling apart > scoby there will still be the necessary microflora which will ferment > your brew. > > All the best, you're doing alright (once you get the fridge out of the > equation!);-) > > Blessings, > > Margret UK :-) > -- > +------------------ Minstrel@... --------------------+ > <)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<>< > http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com > our church: http://www.newlifederby.org.uk > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2008 Report Share Posted July 26, 2008 In message <g6dufk+69t2eGroups> you wrote: > Hi Margret, > Thanks for your reply. Anything added to the kombucha is done after > brewing. I'm glad to know that my scoby is okay. You aren't supposed > to refrigerate them when there is no brewing going on? How do you > store? As for the brown sugar, my husband (whose mom taught me to > make kombucha) recommended it because I complained about the sour > taste, but now that I think about it maybe it was a joke and I just > got the punchline. Hi Deb, Kombucha will happily sit in a glass jar covered with a generous amount of KT. This has the added advantage that you get some really vinegary KT, as the culture finishes off the last sugar in the KT. Such acidic KT is extremely good as starter and it's also a preventative against mould. A Kombucha culture expected to do some brewing is happiest at room temperature. Of course, you can refrigerate your bottles prior to drinking, if you like some cool in a hot summer ... ;-) I always think it's curious that Kombucha culture doesn't seem to work in the cold, while my Kefir culture makes the most amazing Kefir in the warmest part of the fridge, the top ..... Do, by all means try brown sugar to satisfy your curiosity. It will probably work very well. All the best kombuchaly and otherwise, Margret:-) UK -- +------------------ Minstrel@... --------------------+ <)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<>< http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com http://www.newlifederby.org.uk Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Ps.51:10) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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