Re: Using decaffeinated tea

[Guest guest]

2 the best of my knowledge kombucha thrives on caffeine,feeding the

bacteria,most of it gets consumed before we consume.. but, lets hope others

chime in,

best regards

Jahjet

[Guest guest]

> Can you use already decaffeinated green and black teas

> that you buy to make your kombucha? Or is the caffeine

> important for brewing?

>

> I've decaffeinated the teas myself by pouring hot water

> over them for 1 minute and pouring that off. However

> I'm wondering about just buying already decaffeinated

> teas (not herbal).

I think the answer is ... did your brew turn out ok? If so then decaf tea is

fine. The jury is out on if KT uses caffeine or not. If KT " fed " on caffeine

then there'd be less caffeine in the finished brew ... but I've heard both that

in a final brew the caffeine is less and that the caffeine is just the same. I

don't think we really know if KT *needs* the caffeine.

What we do know is that KT needs tea, aka chai, aka Camellia sinensis.

Just do what is best for you and enjoy. You've heard that " life finds a way " ?

Well your KT will find a way too!

-- Rodman

[Guest guest]

Hi, being new to this whole thing...this might seem like a really dumb

question...

how can you or did you test for caffeine?

I only ask because some of my children like it (KT)...and if I could cut

the caffeine out for their own brew that would be great!

thanks for any help.

[Guest guest]

Very interesting! How do you test the caffeine content?

Subject: Re: Using decaffeinated tea

To: " original_kombucha " <original_kombucha >

Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 10:45 AM

.....

 

I tested it at 3 days, 7 days, 10 days and 15 days  1 month and 2 months-

no change in caffeine.

.....

[Guest guest]

That is really great to hear! I'm curious as to what types of decaffeinated teas

you use, and what herbal mixes also. Would you mind sharing your favorites?

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

Very useful chart. Thanks.

[Guest guest]

hello,just thinking yes it is possible that decaffeinated teas still have some

caffeine left in them, and they will use that, but as for brewing different than

it has been brawn for centuries with black teas, that was original kombucha " so

maybe what u brew without caffeine is something else, may taste like kombucha..

but not quite the same thang.. maybe less in bacteria,that I like in original

kombucha so much. I do not drink coffee or tea, and can drink kombucha at night

before i retire, and can sleep well..

bless, Jahjet

Ps:if i make a cup of coffee or tea and leave it out for more than a few hours..

the caffeine starts expiring, or at least the effects of caffeine does,old

coffee tastes flat next day and will not give me a buzz..same with black tea,

they loose their potency..in hours.

>

>

>

> > Can you use already decaffeinated green and black teas

> > that you buy to make your kombucha? Or is the caffeine

> > important for brewing?

> >

> > I've decaffeinated the teas myself by pouring hot water

> > over them for 1 minute and pouring that off. However

> > I'm wondering about just buying already decaffeinated

> > teas (not herbal).

>

> I think the answer is ... did your brew turn out ok? If so then decaf tea is

fine. The jury is out on if KT uses caffeine or not. If KT " fed " on caffeine

then there'd be less caffeine in the finished brew ... but I've heard both that

in a final brew the caffeine is less and that the caffeine is just the same. I

don't think we really know if KT *needs* the caffeine.

>

> What we do know is that KT needs tea, aka chai, aka Camellia sinensis.

>

> Just do what is best for you and enjoy. You've heard that " life finds a way " ?

Well your KT will find a way too!

>

> -- Rodman

>

[Guest guest]

I bought my caffeine test kit on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Caffeine-Tester-Drinks-Strips/dp/B002EDNVAC/ref=sr\

_1_fkmr2_3?ie=UTF8 & qid=1326901208 & sr=8-3-fkmr2

 

Teresita

[Guest guest]

Basically, I use anything I want for teas.

 Mostly I use honeybush or rooibos. I use decaf green tea a lot.

 For a long time I used straight herbals like lemonbalm/peppermint. I'm

particularly fond of Chai blends because the spices come through in the

kombucha.

 Try testing it out and see what you like. In my experience, as long as you use

enough sugar your Kombucha Culture is stays pretty happy. I do not coddle my

brew. I don't boil water, I don't measure acidity, etc. But, I do set aside a

starter culture in case I totally mess it up when I'm experimenting with new

teas. In 3 years I have yet to have to re-start my brew because my culture dies

off or isn't doing well.

Teresita

[Guest guest]

Jahet,

You're certainly correct in stating that decaf teas have minute amounts of

caffeine left in them but really not enough to affect my sleep. Everything I've

read and the multiple caffeine testing experiments I've done in my own househave

proven to me that the caffeine content of KT does not change during brewing. 

The bacteria may use a miniscule amount of caffeine in their machinations but I

doubt it. I would need a more sensitive caffeine detecting method than what I

have access to to figure that one out.

Even though I brew decaf KT almost exclusively, my culture and scoby production

has been strong and going nonstop for over three years now.

You can call what I make whatever you want if it makes you more comfortable. I'm

not sure why you feel the need to define my brews as different (inferior) from

your own even though I use the same cultures. I'm not a purist and don't feel

the need to define my kombucha in that way. No matter how I drink it, I'm still

getting the benefit.

BTW everyone reacts to caffeine differently. I cannot tolerate even a half a cup

of green tea anytime after noon without it affecting my sleep. I'm glad you can

drink your KT right before bed and still sleep. We're not all that lucky.

Teresita

Re: Using decaffeinated tea

Posted by: " Jahjet " jahjet@...   jahjet

Tue Jan 17, 2012 10:04 pm (PST)

hello,just thinking yes it is possible that decaffeinated teas

still have some caffeine left in them, and they will use that, but as

for brewing different than it has been brawn for centuries with black

teas, that was original kombucha " so maybe what u brew without caffeine

is something else, may taste like kombucha.. but not quite the same

thang.. maybe less in bacteria,that I like in original kombucha so much.

I do not drink coffee or tea, and can drink kombucha at night before i

retire, and can sleep well..

bless, Jahjet

Ps:if i make a cup of coffee or tea and leave it out for more than a few

hours.. the caffeine starts expiring, or at least the effects of

caffeine does,old coffee tastes flat next day and will not give me a

buzz..same with black tea, they loose their potency..in hours.

 

Teresita

[Guest guest]

Hi Teresita, sounds like you have quite a bit of experience with low-caff booch.

I am wondering if your decaf booch gives you that same buzz as the regular. I

have observed the buzz when i drink booch, and its character is totally

different than when i drink caffeinated beverages. I don't drink coffee or pop,

but i did some times back when i was staying up late studying. It gave an edgy

teeth-gritting type of feeling, nothing at all like the exhilarating buzz of

booch. If you get the same buzz with your decaff then the buzz must be from

something other than the caffeine. - Woody

Subject: Re: Using decaffeinated tea

To: " original_kombucha " <original_kombucha >

Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 9:59 AM

.....

 

Even though I brew decaf KT almost exclusively, my culture and scoby

production has been strong and going nonstop for over three years now.

.....

[Guest guest]

I really am leaning towards the theory of the " buzz " being from the B

vitamins, the reaction is similar to what happens to me if I take a niacin

supplement but less intense. I am trying to recall if there is a breakdown

anywhere indicating how much of the different B vitamins are created by

KT.

Jaxi

> Hi Teresita, sounds like you have quite a bit of experience with low-caff

> booch. I am wondering if your decaf booch gives you that same buzz as the

> regular. I have observed the buzz when i drink booch, and its character is

> totally different than when i drink caffeinated beverages. I don't drink

> coffee or pop, but i did some times back when i was staying up late

> studying. It gave an edgy teeth-gritting type of feeling, nothing at all

> like the exhilarating buzz of booch. If you get the same buzz with your

> decaff then the buzz must be from something other than the caffeine. - Woody

>

>

>

>

>

> Subject: Re: Using decaffeinated tea

> To: " original_kombucha " <original_kombucha

> >

> Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 9:59 AM

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