Guest guest Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Points well made. Thanks -- Re: fermenting time Hi Sandy and EveryOne, Kombucha is a FOOD! As such, it is not at all necessary to test the pH, keep it at a specific temperature during fermentation, nor consume a certain RDA: (Recommended by who?). For those who enjoy measuring things like that and tweaking their Kombucha tea accordingly that is fine, but no one should feel that they have to do any of that in order to brew good and healthy KT. Kombucha tea has been around for thousands of years and no one concerned themselves with any of that. For the purpose of this list, Kombucha is to be considered as a FOOD: not a supplement and not a medicine! To do otherwise could cause the list to be shut down.... We are not treating disease and we are not making medicine here. When was the last time you tested the acidity of your tomatoes or consulted the RDA for Carrots? Just make your KT as you would any other food and enjoy it! Peace, Love and Harmony, Bev -- In kombucha tea , " kismetsmine " <kismetsmine@...> wrote: > > > > > > What is the ph supposed to be? I've never heard of testing ph. > > > I'm embarrassed to say that I don't really know. I bought my strips > from Kombucha2000. It took about a month to get them and they have a > color code and when you dip them in the kt, if the ph is right they > will show the proper color. (I hope I explained that ok). > I think that it is 2.5 to 3.0. > Cheers, > Sandy > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2007 Report Share Posted March 17, 2007 I don't consider KT a medicine, but I for one drink it for my health. From the posts I've seen here, I don't think I'm in the minority. How do we know what people -- who drank KT thousands over the past few thousand years -- were concerned with? Maybe they tried to make it the healthiest possible drink they could as well. For myself, I would like to know how to make KT that will benefit my health the best. Dennis -- Re: fermenting time Hi Sandy and EveryOne, Kombucha is a FOOD! As such, it is not at all necessary to test the pH, keep it at a specific temperature during fermentation, nor consume a certain RDA: (Recommended by who?). For those who enjoy measuring things like that and tweaking their Kombucha tea accordingly that is fine, but no one should feel that they have to do any of that in order to brew good and healthy KT. Kombucha tea has been around for thousands of years and no one concerned themselves with any of that. For the purpose of this list, Kombucha is to be considered as a FOOD: not a supplement and not a medicine! To do otherwise could cause the list to be shut down.... We are not treating disease and we are not making medicine here. When was the last time you tested the acidity of your tomatoes or consulted the RDA for Carrots? Just make your KT as you would any other food and enjoy it! Peace, Love and Harmony, Bev -- In kombucha tea , " kismetsmine " <kismetsmine@...> wrote: > > > > > > What is the ph supposed to be? I've never heard of testing ph. > > > I'm embarrassed to say that I don't really know. I bought my strips > from Kombucha2000. It took about a month to get them and they have a > color code and when you dip them in the kt, if the ph is right they > will show the proper color. (I hope I explained that ok). > I think that it is 2.5 to 3.0. > Cheers, > Sandy > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 When we make saurkraut, we use either quart or pint canning jars. I don't see why it wouldn't work in a gallon jar. We let ours sit for three days at room temperature. It is good enough to eat then but improves with aging in the refrigerator. We innoculate our ferments, so I can't say what it would be like without innoculation. Hopefully some others will chime in here. Ellis Hein Author of The Woodturner's Project Book http://intentionallyhealthy.wordpress.com http://woodturnedart.wordpress.com Fermenting Time I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a twist lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 I've made two batches so far. One fermented a week, the second fermented for two weeks (at room temperature). Both turned out fine, but the two week version was very acidic (very sour)--if I use it for anything other than a condiment, I have to rinse it to reduce some of the acid. When I first joined this group, a woman had a batch she let ferment for a month, and she was happy with the result. As Ellis recommends, probably the best option for your first batch would be 3 to 7 days at room temperature, then move to the refrigerator. I did not innoculate either batch and the flavor was perfect (if a little strong). The kraut will continue to ferment in the fridge, but at a much slower rate. Just pay attention to how it tastes. If three days or a week doesn't yield the flavor you're looking for, then wait a day or two longer next time. On Sat, May 7, 2011 at 5:32 PM, <refusenik2012@...> wrote: > > > I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a twist > lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. > > > -- Regards, Harkness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 1. I have other cultures from mixed vegetables. Is using the juice from other cultures what you mean by " innoculating " ? 2. Is it OK to open the jar during the process and taste to see if it is done? I appreciate answers to both questions. Thank you. > > When we make saurkraut, we use either quart or pint canning jars. I don't see why it wouldn't work in a gallon jar. We let ours sit for three days at room temperature. It is good enough to eat then but improves with aging in the refrigerator. We innoculate our ferments, so I can't say what it would be like without innoculation. Hopefully some others will chime in here. > > Ellis Hein > Author of The Woodturner's Project Book > http://intentionallyhealthy.wordpress.com > http://woodturnedart.wordpress.com > Fermenting Time > > > > I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a twist lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 What I use for innoculating is a product called Spectrabiotic, which contains a mix of eight beneficial, soil-borne bacteria and Super Blue Green Algae. I use this to make sure my ferments get off to a good start. If other beneficial bacteria take over as the process goes on, that is ok. I have noticed that problem ferments such as beets or cooked foods like I mention in my blog post on Cultured Oats (http://wp.me/p1w9Zz-i) either benefit from or need some innoculation to start the fermentation process. We don't usually have a problem with beets going to alcohol or getting moldy. People have fermented cabbage for generations without Spectrabiotic. I got into the habit of using it when we first started and Sally Fallon suggested using whey. I do not like the taste of whey ferments, but do like the results we get when using Spectrabiotic. I do not know what you would get if you were to use juice from previous ferments to start the next. Ellis Hein Fermenting Time > > > > I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a twist lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yes, " inoculating " means adding some of the desired microbes. These could come from a laboratory (commercial provider) or from a previous batch. But it can be more complicated than that. For example wine makers use special strains of yeast. In theory, a wine maker could continue to propagate that same strain of yeast from one batch to the next, so that they would not have to buy yeast. But without very strict laboratory controls, the local yeasts will eventually find their way in and " contaminate " the yeast strain. Of course, if the local microbes do a good job, then that's not a problem. Is it OK to open the jar and have a taste? I would say " yes. " (at least with sauerkraut.) Just be careful to keep everything clean that touches the food. For example, you would not want to stick a fork in your mouth and then stick it back in the jar. On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 11:40 AM, <refusenik2012@...> wrote: > > > 1. I have other cultures from mixed vegetables. Is using the juice from > other cultures what you mean by " innoculating " ? > > 2. Is it OK to open the jar during the process and taste to see if it is > done? > > I appreciate answers to both questions. Thank you. > > > > > > > When we make saurkraut, we use either quart or pint canning jars. I don't > see why it wouldn't work in a gallon jar. We let ours sit for three days at > room temperature. It is good enough to eat then but improves with aging in > the refrigerator. We innoculate our ferments, so I can't say what it would > be like without innoculation. Hopefully some others will chime in here. > > > > Ellis Hein > > Author of The Woodturner's Project Book > > http://intentionallyhealthy.wordpress.com > > http://woodturnedart.wordpress.com > > Fermenting Time > > > > > > > > I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a > twist lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Innoculating intrigues me. I used to make my own soy yogurt. I used to buy a starter. Also, my store bought soy yogurt has about 8 different good strands. What do you think of that? Will buying some good probiotic help to make sauerkraut? Do you think is OK to put a little soy yogurt in the cabbage? Will the soy spoil? Sorry folks, a total newbie > > > > When we make saurkraut, we use either quart or pint canning jars. I don't see why it wouldn't work in a gallon jar. We let ours sit for three days at room temperature. It is good enough to eat then but improves with aging in the refrigerator. We innoculate our ferments, so I can't say what it would be like without innoculation. Hopefully some others will chime in here. > > > > Ellis Hein > > Author of The Woodturner's Project Book > > http://intentionallyhealthy.wordpress.com > > http://woodturnedart.wordpress.com > > Fermenting Time > > > > > > > > I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a twist lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Ditto that. We made wine and beer at home for years, and ALWAYS bought yeast. I've gotten away from that, because I kind of like the " wild ferment " kind of ethos. But both methods have a place, and both work. It's a little like: when you grow a garden, you can sterilize the soil (with composting, heat, or buy some bagged soil) and then buy some seeds. Or, you can save your seed from the last garden. Or, you can just let the soil grow what grows in your area. People who want a specific plant ... you have to sterilize the soil, and plant a specific seed. This is what homebrew beer makers do. Boil the wort, sterilize the jugs, then add a specific yeast. But if you have an area that always grows, say, wild onions ... just let it grow wild onions year after year, and you are good! This is pretty much what lambic beer makers do. Growing yeasts/bacteria isn't much different from growing plants, except they are much smaller and grow quicker. " Innoculating " is basically " adding seeds " . On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 1:55 PM, Harkness <davidharkness@...>wrote: > Yes, " inoculating " means adding some of the desired microbes. These could > come from a laboratory (commercial provider) or from a previous batch. But > it can be more complicated than that. For example wine makers use special > strains of yeast. In theory, a wine maker could continue to propagate that > same strain of yeast from one batch to the next, so that they would not > have > to buy yeast. But without very strict laboratory controls, the local > yeasts > will eventually find their way in and " contaminate " the yeast strain. Of > course, if the local microbes do a good job, then that's not a problem. > > Is it OK to open the jar and have a taste? I would say " yes. " (at least > with sauerkraut.) Just be careful to keep everything clean that touches > the > food. For example, you would not want to stick a fork in your mouth and > then stick it back in the jar. > On Wed, May 11, 2011 at 11:40 AM, <refusenik2012@...> wrote: > > > > > > > 1. I have other cultures from mixed vegetables. Is using the juice from > > other cultures what you mean by " innoculating " ? > > > > 2. Is it OK to open the jar during the process and taste to see if it is > > done? > > > > I appreciate answers to both questions. Thank you. > > > > > > > > > > > > When we make saurkraut, we use either quart or pint canning jars. I > don't > > see why it wouldn't work in a gallon jar. We let ours sit for three days > at > > room temperature. It is good enough to eat then but improves with aging > in > > the refrigerator. We innoculate our ferments, so I can't say what it > would > > be like without innoculation. Hopefully some others will chime in here. > > > > > > Ellis Hein > > > Author of The Woodturner's Project Book > > > http://intentionallyhealthy.wordpress.com > > > http://woodturnedart.wordpress.com > > > Fermenting Time > > > > > > > > > > > > I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a > > twist lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 12, 2011 Report Share Posted May 12, 2011 Try a pint jar of sauerkraut which you innoculate with your soy yoghurt and a pint jar of sauerkraut with no innoculation. Other than the innoculant, treat them the same as far as salt and fermentation time goes. Then you will have a basis for comparison to see how you like what you get. Ellis Hein Author of The Woodturner's Project Book http://woodturnedart.wordpress.com http://intentionallyhealthy.wordpress.com Fermenting Time > > > > > > > > I like to make a gallon of saurkraut. I have a gallon size jar with a twist lid. How long will it take for the cabbage to ferment. Thank you. > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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