My first batch

[Guest guest]

I harvested it yesterday. The intsructions I got with the

mushrooms said to go 16 days with 2 quarts. I went 14 days because

it smelled very vinegary on day 13 and I decided not to wait any

longer. I waited this long because I was concerned that by

shortening the recommended time the brew wouldn't have the healthy

potency.

I found glass trifle bowels fit my mushrooms better than anything

else so far (8 " across). They hold about 3 quarts so the two quart

batches fit very well.

I've done some reading since, but while bottling I added fresh

pear juice to one bottle, blended frozen strawberries to another and

left the third plain. I was trying to add a little flavor and

sweetness to the vinegary (but not unpleasant) taste. I have read a

little ginger or a few raisins or other dried fruit are good

additions.

One mushroom which is very thick had no baby. The other mushroom

has started a very thin baby. I emailed my supplier and he recommend

using the two the same way as before and perhaps I will get even

more than one baby. I made an extra two quarts in case the baby is

seperated by the time I am ready to add the mushrooms to the tea

tonight.

I had forgotten to remove the tea bags the first time. They stayed

in the pot until it was room temperature. Perhaps this was the

problem with the baby issue.

My husband felt it's potency today when he had some. he said it's

like drinking two beers! I noticed this mostly with the bottle with

the strawberries. We have been buying Synergy at the natural food

stores. My brew seems to have a much stronger effect.

Any comments or insights on what I am doing would be appreciated. I

am happy my first batch turned out as good as it did!

Jeanne

[Guest guest]

Congratulations, Jeanne.

You sound absolutely spot on and are speeding full steam confidently

ahead into a mega Kombucha experience. Sounds brilliant.

Welcome aboard this ship with its mottly international crewe! :-)

In message <cpq9un+oh9teGroups> you wrote:

> I harvested it yesterday. The instuctions I got with the

> mushrooms said to go 16 days with 2 quarts. I went 14 days because

> it smelled very vinegary on day 13

I think you did right there.

My brew's ATM been going 10 days and I can smell it coming to 'ripeness'.

It's a bit of an art to get the brew just right as you want it. I will have

to taste mine tonight and decide from there on whether it is still too sweet

and needs a few more days ...

> ....I waited this long because I was concerned that by

> shortening the recommended time the brew wouldn't have the healthy

> potency.

Yes, a good acidity is important if you want that potency of KT.

> I found glass trifle bowels fit my mushrooms better than anything

> else so far (8 " across). They hold about 3 quarts so the two quart

> batches fit very well.

Perfect!

> I've done some reading since, but while bottling I added fresh

> pear juice to one bottle, blended frozen strawberries to another and

> left the third plain. I was trying to add a little flavor and

> sweetness to the vinegary (but not unpleasant) taste. I have read a

> little ginger or a few raisins or other dried fruit are good

> additions.

Hey, you are more adventurous than I am after many years if brewing the

healthy stuff and there, you are only on your first brew and already well

advancing into experimenting territory.

You did well to leave one of the batches plain.

I should use my starter liquid from the plain as well, which I can

imagine you would have probably done.

> One mushroom which is very thick had no baby.

I wonder, whether it was growing on the back of the old thick culture.

It would be barely noticeable then.

> The other mushroom

> has started a very thin baby.

Don't worry about the culture/mushroom. As long as there is plenty of

starter and whatever bit of culture/scoby the brewing should be a success.

I never measure my starter, but I think it must be about 10 percent of

the volume of liquid to be brewed.

> I had forgotten to remove the tea bags the first time. They stayed

> in the pot until it was room temperature. Perhaps this was the

> problem with the baby issue.

I do that all the time, but I also have brewed with the tea only steeping

for about 15 mins and found no difference in scoby development. It's more

the kind of tea you use that matters. Was it Mark (and Suze) who pointed

out recently that there are even great variations even within green

tea... some producing whopper scobys, others not.

> My husband felt it's potency today when he had some. he said it's

> like drinking two beers!

WOW! That can only be good!

It's very encouraging to read what you share about your first

Kombucha brewing experience. You are doing great!

Keep having fun,

kombuchaly,

Margret (aka minstrelPegg) :-))

--

+---------------------------------------------------------------+

Minstrel@...

www.therpc.f9.co.uk

+---------------------------------------------------------------+

[Guest guest]

Wow! This is very good news! Otherwise I think the store would be

be running out of trifle bowls real soon. They are a bit awkward on

pedestals too, but they have an elegant look to them all lined up

together.

How do I cut the mushroom? I have small plastic knives. I wonder how

big should the piece be? Should I cut it as close to the size of the

container I would be using or will a small piece fill in around

itself?

This is so interesting. I love the idea of having different size

brews going.

Thanks!

Jeanne

> Congrads, and just one thought,

> Your mushroom will take on the shape of whatever you put it in.

> so if its as big as a triffle bowl, you can cut in pieces, and

make

> many in big old pickle jars

> Or any other glass container you may have around the house...

> I use pitchers, mason jars,

> all sorts of things, and always have a fresh batch every few days.

> Good luck

[Guest guest]

Looks normal enough to me.

I've seen thicker SCOBYs, but that's immaterial. You don't say, but I suspect

it's a wee bit warm where you are ... SCOBY formed quickly as evidenced by the

trapped gas beneath.

In the " early days " before I learned a bit more sense [shut up Margret ;¬)) ]

I used to try and release the gases by tilting, no point.

.

(UK)

A.B.A.L.T.A.T.

" Any, LEGAL, topic which other groups would consider Off-Topic. "

http://uk./group/ABALTAT/

________________________________

From: chachmaster3000 <chachmaster3000@...>

kombucha tea

Sent: Thursday, 3 September, 2009 23:02:29

Subject: My First Batch

So here's some pics of my first try at making KT. Some with camera flash. I

could provide the details on my incubation method and tea to sugar ratios, but

first I'd like to know if this looks normal after 2 weeks.

kombucha tea/photos/album/275284857/pic/55984\

5273/view?picmode= & mode=tn & order=ordinal & start=1 & count=20 & dir=asc

I'd also like to know where I can or should take it from here. It seems that

most people finish their brew cycle roughly within a week. Because I've been

uncertain of my KT brew results thus far I've left it alone. Today would be day

17. There is no mold in sight. I'm guessing at the very least that it's running

out of sugar to consume.

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

In message <h7pedl+jedreGroups> you wrote:

> So here's some pics of my first try at making KT.

Hey that's really great, chachmaster, on the way

to becoming kombu-CHA-master ;-)

I like your glass vessel; nice wide opening on top!

> ... I'd like to know if this looks normal after 2 weeks.

Yes, it presents quite as a first time black-tea brew would:

slightly darker and thinner scoby. That's o.k. :-)

>

kombucha tea/photos/album/275284857/pic/55984\

5273/view?picmode= & mode=tn & order=ordinal & start=1 & count=20 & dir=asc

> I'd also like to know where I can or should take it from here.

I guess you haven't tried your brew yet? At day 17 you might gag on the

acidicty of it BUT, you'll have wonderful starter for any further brews!

If you have to eliminate sugar because of health issues, you can still

reap its benefits by diluting it with fizzy water or juice.

> I'm guessing at the very least that it's running out of sugar to consume.

Yes, that's why it will probably be viiiiiiinegary!!:-O

I try my brew on day 7 or 8 and see what the taste is like. If still too

sweet, I let it go some more days and try again. When I like the flavour

and acidity I bottle.

It's all very much a matter of taste.

If you use a good proportion of green tea in your brew, you can expect a

thicker and lighter scoby ... but this is not essential.

In a second brew I would use both the new scoby AND the old one to brew on,

as this enhances the bacteria which give the brew a better flavour and also

are the scoby builders.

Now you have had such a good start..... plough on to CHA-master!

All the best with blessings,

Margret from the UK, minstrel-mistress of the brew ;-)

--

+------------------ Minstrel@... --------------------+

http://www.newlifederby.org.uk

http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk/family/scobygrow/home.html

http://bavarianminstrel.wordpress.com

Fear not tomorrow! God is already there.