The family does good work!

[Guest guest]

Our kombucha symbiote is called " the family " (I called it my

alien organism, and my goofy father said then they must be related to

Alien --zero disrespect intended to anyone, just a pun on a

name). My second batch of kombucha was done today and it's wildly

fizzy! And delicious! So delicious my culinarily suspicious husband

declared it " yummy! " My initial reaction to kombucha seems to have

passed and I now can have up to 8 oz a day or more. Usually I cut it

with water, but this batch I'm drinking straight since it's fizzy. Has

anyone put up kombucha in wired-cork bottles? How does one do it and

can you safely store it outside the fridge? I've been storing it in a

plastic pitcher (all I've had); exactly how bad an idea is this?

Lynn S.

-----

Lynn Siprelle * Writer, Mother, Programmer, Fiber Artisan

The New Homemaker: http://www.newhomemaker.com/

Siprelle & Associates: http://www.siprelle.com/

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynn,

Yes you can bottle kombucha and it will get even more fizzy! But beware -

it is alive and does keep working and building pressure. Generally, I've

found it's ok to store it outside the fridge, in the basement - but only in

the cold months. Otherwise - expect & plan for a few cracked bottles - just

put the bottles, 1 or 2 per plastic bag in storage, then if one breaks you

won't have to wash all the others.

Try to bottle with NO airspace so that it can't breathe - and it will work

slower.

I find my best KT is after it's been bottled for about 7 days. It's as

carbonated as champagne.

Personally, I try to avoid plastic in my life - especially when brewing an

acidic health drink. Some say you can use water bottles (with a " 1 " on the

bottom) and be safe, and they can handle a lot of pressure. But definitely

don't store the stuff in tupperware.

-

The family does good work!

> Our kombucha symbiote is called " the family " (I called it my

> alien organism, and my goofy father said then they must be related to

> Alien --zero disrespect intended to anyone, just a pun on a

> name). My second batch of kombucha was done today and it's wildly

> fizzy! And delicious! So delicious my culinarily suspicious husband

> declared it " yummy! " My initial reaction to kombucha seems to have

> passed and I now can have up to 8 oz a day or more. Usually I cut it

> with water, but this batch I'm drinking straight since it's fizzy. Has

> anyone put up kombucha in wired-cork bottles? How does one do it and

> can you safely store it outside the fridge? I've been storing it in a

> plastic pitcher (all I've had); exactly how bad an idea is this?

>

> Lynn S.

>

> -----

> Lynn Siprelle * Writer, Mother, Programmer, Fiber Artisan

> The New Homemaker: http://www.newhomemaker.com/

> Siprelle & Associates: http://www.siprelle.com/

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

On Suze's suggestion I keep my kombucha at room temp, but I don't have it

air-tight. I have a cover on it which snaps on (it's a glass milk bottle) and

this keeps it covered tightly but probably not tight enough to be air-tight.

Nevertheless, it keeps its fizz until it gets very low.

If you have it in plastic, I would *not* keep it at room temp, unless it is

some sort of food-grade, leach-free plastic. Kombucha is pretty acidic, and

any leaching is going to happen a lot faster at room temp, especially since it

is summer and especially if you live somewhere where it's very hot. I'd buy

some canning jars or something to keep it in.

My kombucha has gotten fizzier every time for the last month or so I've been

making it. Now it is not quite as fizzy by looks as soda, but it does look

like soda with similar-sized bubbles in it. It looks pretty close to soda when

I first make it.

Chris