Re: The perfect kombucha recipe

[Guest guest]

Hi Alina,

I have what to me is the perfect recipe because it has brewed incredibly

delicious KT for me ever since 1994. It is called: " How To Make Kombucha

Manual. "

A lot of people from this list have downloaded the free recipe from our Kombucha

Manna website and people all around the world have used the recipe and

translated it into their own languages.

http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kmi/

I also made a version of the recipe for Kindle also called: " How To Make

Kombucha Manual "

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0044XV8FA

Would really appreciate it if any of those people who have downloaded the recipe

for free or bought it on Kindle and like it, please consider leaving a positive

review on the Kindle page. Thank you.

Enjoy!

Peace, Love and Harmony,

Bev

>

> Hi,

>

> I have decided to look around at kombucha recipes and I see quite big

differences in terms of quantities of tea and sugar used, the way it is

prepared, how long the tea is steeped etc.

> Is there a perfect recipe? What is the amount of sugar and tea that would make

the kombucha optimal? Is there even such thing? What impact would using too much

or too little of tea and sugar have on the quality (nutrient content) of

kombucha?

> Do I use 1 or 2 cups of the previous kombucha batch as a starter per 1 gallon?

Do I take it from the bottom or from the top? I believe that someone said that

if they use the bottom liquid then the consequent brews will be more fizzy?

> Thank you in advance.

> Alina

>

[Guest guest]

I have many recipes for chocolate chip cookies but everyone knows, Nestle Toll

House is the golden standard recipe.

Although there are many correct variations of kombucha tea, I have found the

golden standard is 1 gallon water, 4-8 tea bags depending on the strength of

each, 1 cup of sugar. Boil the water for ten minutes to know it is pure. Remove

from heat. Add the sugar and tea. Remove the tea bags after ten minutes.

Siphon the top for bottling, save the bottom two cups for the next starter. Fill

the jar with the new (completely cool) tea, top with the 2 cups saved from the

bottom of the last brew.

________________________________

To: original_kombucha

Sent: Monday, February 27, 2012 2:39 PM

Subject: The perfect kombucha recipe

 

Hi,

I have decided to look around at kombucha recipes and I see quite big

differences in terms of quantities of tea and sugar used, the way it is

prepared, how long the tea is steeped etc.

Is there a perfect recipe? What is the amount of sugar and tea that would make

the kombucha optimal? Is there even such thing? What impact would using too much

or too little of tea and sugar have on the quality (nutrient content) of

kombucha?

Do I use 1 or 2 cups of the previous kombucha batch as a starter per 1 gallon?

Do I take it from the bottom or from the top? I believe that someone said that

if they use the bottom liquid then the consequent brews will be more fizzy?

Thank you in advance.

Alina

[Guest guest]

That's difficult (more like impossible) to answer Alina. It is about as easy as

saying what the perfect work of art is or what is the perfect meal. The answer

is different for every person. Start with the basic recipe, try variations, and

see what is best for your tastes. The basic recipe i've used is 3 quarts water,

2 T tea, 1 cup sugar, a scoby and a cup or two of KT starter. I've tried

different teas, amounts of ingredients, temperatures, and brew times. I've only

been brewing for 3 months so not sure if i know what is perfect for me yet, but

it has always been good. - Woody

[Guest guest]

This is the old version from Germany.

http://www.kombu.de/anleit-e.htm

You may need to convert for American measurements.

M

>

> Hi,

>

> I have decided to look around at kombucha recipes and I see quite big

differences in terms of quantities of tea and sugar used, the way it is

prepared, how long the tea is steeped etc.

> Is there a perfect recipe? What is the amount of sugar and tea that would make

the kombucha optimal? Is there even such thing? What impact would using too much

or too little of tea and sugar have on the quality (nutrient content) of

kombucha?

> Do I use 1 or 2 cups of the previous kombucha batch as a starter per 1 gallon?

Do I take it from the bottom or from the top? I believe that someone said that

if they use the bottom liquid then the consequent brews will be more fizzy?

> Thank you in advance.

> Alina

>

[Guest guest]

Ols School American: http://laurelfarms.com/print.html from Betsy Pryor

>

> Hi,

>

> I have decided to look around at kombucha recipes and I see quite big

differences in terms of quantities of tea and sugar used, the way it is

prepared, how long the tea is steeped etc.

> Is there a perfect recipe? What is the amount of sugar and tea that would make

the kombucha optimal? Is there even such thing? What impact would using too much

or too little of tea and sugar have on the quality (nutrient content) of

kombucha?

> Do I use 1 or 2 cups of the previous kombucha batch as a starter per 1 gallon?

Do I take it from the bottom or from the top? I believe that someone said that

if they use the bottom liquid then the consequent brews will be more fizzy?

> Thank you in advance.

> Alina

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Thank you so much everyone who responded to my post.

Recently I have come across a recipe in

http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Homesteading-Heirloom-Skills-Sustainable/dp/16160805\

4X/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8 & qid=1331104853 & sr=8-5 that uses very minimal amount of

ingredients:

For 1 gallon:

1 cup of sugar

5 bags or 5 tsps of tea

½ cup of starter kombucha

Does anyone think that it might not work (too skimpy on ingredients)? I might as

well use fewer ingredients and safe some money. Why use more if I can use less

and get the same results?

Thank you.

Alina

[Guest guest]

Hi, Alina.

> Why use more if I can use less and get the same results?

You will NOT get the same results, certainly not sustainably. Essentially you

are making a weaker solution, thus it will take longer to get good kombucha (if

ever).

If you use that suggested recipe, cut your water down to 1/2 gallon (instead of

1 gallon), keep all the other measurements the same, and you'll be fine.

However, it's totally acceptable to experiment... That is how all of us with

more kombucha-making experience have learned!

Why not reduce the amount of tea in one kombucha batch, and see what kind of

results you get? Similarly, try different teas to see what happens. (As a

general rule, white tea takes much longer to ferment than green or black.)

In a subsequent batch of kombucha, try reducing the amount of sugar, and you'll

learn what happens then. (When you do not add enough sugar, generally the

resulting ferment ends up being rather weak, almost watery.) Personally, I

would not recommend reducing both tea and sugar at the same time, b/c then you

cannot tie your results to a single variable.

If you add more starter liquid, BTW, that simply shortens the ferment time

(similar to the concept behind the " continuous brew " method).

Of course, all our tastes vary, as well. So instead of worrying about the

" best " recipe, simply find the combination of ingredients that works best for

YOU!

Best of luck,

Vicki in Orlando

(who never really cared for the Tollhouse cookie recipe!)

>

>

> Hi,

> Thank you so much everyone who responded to my post.

> Recently I have come across a recipe in

http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Homesteading-Heirloom-Skills-Sustainable/dp/16160805\

4X/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8 & qid=1331104853 & sr=8-5 that uses very minimal amount of

ingredients:

> For 1 gallon:

> 1 cup of sugar

> 5 bags or 5 tsps of tea

> ½ cup of starter kombucha

> Does anyone think that it might not work (too skimpy on ingredients)? I might

as well use fewer ingredients and safe some money. Why use more if I can use

less and get the same results?

> Thank you.

> Alina

[Guest guest]

Ten days ago I miscalculated my dilution ratio when preparing a sweet tea

concentrate for multiple gallons. I ended up adding the equivalent of an extra

quart of water per gallon. The result was very weak and very sour tea. UGH!

Prior to that, I made several batches of sweet tea using a combination of white

tea, oolong and black tea. I will definitely not be using that recipe again

either, as the KT tasted sour...as in lemonade. So far my best brews have been

with a 50-50 combo of oolong and black tea, with 1.5 cups of cane sugar per

gallon. Also, alternating that combo with black pekoe tea in my CB's has

produced some great booch and very thick scobies. But oolong by itself has

produced the fastest, thickest and prettiest scobies!

I'm into quality control (and experimentation) at this point, so a spreadsheet

is helping me track results.

>

>

>

> Hi, Alina.

>

> > Why use more if I can use less and get the same results?

>

> You will NOT get the same results, certainly not sustainably. Essentially you

are making a weaker solution, thus it will take longer to get good kombucha (if

ever).

>

> If you use that suggested recipe, cut your water down to 1/2 gallon (instead

of 1 gallon), keep all the other measurements the same, and you'll be fine.

>

> However, it's totally acceptable to experiment... That is how all of us with

more kombucha-making experience have learned!

>