Waiting for the tea to cool

[Guest guest]

Here's a better way than just waiting. Remember making homemade ice cream in the

hand-cranked freezer? The ice and salt magic?

I brew a gallon at a time for my 5 gal CB jar, and I brew the tea in a soup pot.

I bring 2 quarts water to a boil, remove from heat, and add about an ounce of

tea leaves. I cover and let steep for 15 minutes. I then add 1 1/2 cups sugar

and stir until dissolved. Then add 2 more quarts water to the hot tea and set

the pot in a larger diameter steel mixing bowl.

I then add several layers ice cubes and table salt around the smaller pot. Stir

the tea occasionally and before you know it, the tea is cool enough to add to

your big jar.

Magic!

[Guest guest]

LOL, this reminds me back in the day when i used to cool down tea. Sometimes

i'd put some ice cubes in a gallon plastic bag and put that in the tea. It

brought down the temps pretty quick. Then i started steeping a quart, then

adding 2 quarts of ice water (for a gallon jug batch). Nowadays i do the

steeping all at once in a big batch and make a concentrate that i keep in the

fridge. I add 1-1/2 cups concentrate and 6-1/2 cups cold water to make a half

gallon of tea for the CB containers. For gallon jugs i just put in 2-1/4 cups

concentrate and then fill up to the 3 quart line with cold water straight from

the tap (we pump our own water and don't have fluoride or chlorine). I love the

concentrate, it really streamlines the process, making booch easier and even

more enjoyable - Woody

Subject: Waiting for the tea to cool

To: original_kombucha

Date: Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 6:54 PM

 

Here's a better way than just waiting. Remember making homemade ice cream in the

hand-cranked freezer? The ice and salt magic?

I brew a gallon at a time for my 5 gal CB jar, and I brew the tea in a soup pot.

I bring 2 quarts water to a boil, remove from heat, and add about an ounce of

tea leaves. I cover and let steep for 15 minutes. I then add 1 1/2 cups sugar

and stir until dissolved. Then add 2 more quarts water to the hot tea and set

the pot in a larger diameter steel mixing bowl.

I then add several layers ice cubes and table salt around the smaller pot. Stir

the tea occasionally and before you know it, the tea is cool enough to add to

your big jar.

Magic!