Re: Help with Alcohol in Kombucha

[Guest guest]

Let it brew longer in your continuous brew jar. The more tart the KT the less

alcohol.

in Texas

>

> I am hoping someone on this experienced list can help me. I continuous brew

and also do a second ferment. But I have been getting very sleepy after drinking

my kombucha. I am thinking it is the alcohol. What are ways to decrease the

alcohol in my kombucha? I have looked online but the info was either too

technical or too vague. Any help would be most appreciated!

>

> Thank you,

>

>

[Guest guest]

if I don't seal my 2nd ferment I don't get much alcohol. Unfortunately you give

up the fizz too.

 

Teresita

[Guest guest]

Hi EveryOne,

There are other ways to get fizz in your KT.

How To Increase the Carbonation in KT:

Lots of people like their Kombucha to be carbonated or fizzy.

My Kombucha is very carbonated when I first decant it without any further

processing. It is so carbonated that there is a " cold draft,' like you might get

from beer, when pouring it from the brewing jar.

Here are some techniques that I believe make a brew with more fizz.

* Leave lots of Kombucha Colonies (SCOBY) in your fermenting jar.

*Use at least 1 & 1/2 cups of sugar for each gallon ( if you don't like your KT

sweet let it ferment a few days longer).

*Take the " starter tea " for your next batch ( at least 10% of the volume) from

the _bottom_ of your brewing jar.

If following these guidelines for a month or so does not give you fizzy KT then

try to get some starter KT from a friend who has fizzy KT to introduce more

yeasts into your brew.

I've been making KT since 1994 and all of my brews using this method have been

both delicious and fizzy!

Peace, Love and Harmony,

Bev

>

> if I don't seal my 2nd ferment I don't get much alcohol. Unfortunately you

give up the fizz too.

>

>  

> Teresita

>

>

[Guest guest]

The alcohol content doubles or triples during the 2nd ferment to about a maximum

of 3%, but usually closer to 2% - still not very much. So if you don't want

raised alcohol, no bubbles! I am a commercial brewer in Saint , MN and mine

tests at 1% right out of the oak barrel in the first fermentation, then goes up

to a total of 2-2.8% after the second ferment, depending on the sugar source

used.

[Guest guest]

All excellent advice on this topic- but one possibility has been left out- and

I'm not saying this is what is happening---

But it is a very real possibility- Kombucha is such a strong detoxifier that you

might be getting sleepy because of the toxins released into your bloodstream

that you have acccumulated over the years- testing your Kombucha with a

hydrometer would clarify the situation further- sounds like you are doing

everything right which ever way it turns out.

Happy brewing..

[Guest guest]

I have wondered about that. I don't want the alcohol, but love the flavors and

fizz from adding fruit juice, etc when bottling. If stevia were used in the

second ferment, along with maybe a couple of berries or ginger, do you know that

that would do to the alcohol content?

in Texas

>

> The alcohol content doubles or triples during the 2nd ferment to about a

maximum of 3%, but usually closer to 2% - still not very much. So if you don't

want raised alcohol, no bubbles! I am a commercial brewer in Saint , MN and

mine tests at 1% right out of the oak barrel in the first fermentation, then

goes up to a total of 2-2.8% after the second ferment, depending on the sugar

source used.

>

[Guest guest]

Sound like you've got the idea of continuous brewing. Just let the flavor be

your guide as to when to decant. I draw 1 gallon off my 2.8 gallon jar and

replace it immediately every 4 days, or so.

in Texas

>

> All excellent advice on this topic- but one possibility has been left out- and

I'm not saying this is what is happening---

>

> But it is a very real possibility- Kombucha is such a strong detoxifier that

you might be getting sleepy because of the toxins released into your bloodstream

that you have acccumulated over the years- testing your Kombucha with a

hydrometer would clarify the situation further- sounds like you are doing

everything right which ever way it turns out.

> Happy brewing..

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

wrote:

> I have wondered about that. I don't want the alcohol, but love the

> flavors and fizz from adding fruit juice, etc when bottling. If

> stevia were used in the second ferment, along with maybe a couple

> of berries or ginger, do you know that that would do to the alcohol

> content?

Yeast eat sugar and poop CO2 (aka fizz) and pee alcohol. So you need to sweeten

with something yeast can eat otherwise no fizz. Can yeast consume stevia? If

so you'll get fizz AND alcohol. The 2 are tied together. Sorry.

You might get a small amount of fizz from the fruits you are adding, but again a

slight increase in alcohol too.

--

Rodman