RE: using rapadura or piloncillo with kombucha

[Guest guest]

Hey Len,

Have you ever tried Piloncillo? If one were to use one of these alternative

sugars wd you suggest boiling for, say, 10 minutes? Might that kill off any mold

spores?

Tim

Len Porzio <len.porzio@...> wrote:

This is an opinion based on my experiments with a wide variety of sugars.

White works as well as any other as far as producing good quality KT and

without throwing the culture out of balance over the long term.

Alternative sugars can be good, bad or ugly depending on what's in them, how

they were processed and how much moisture they hold - a factor with mold.

I already mentioned how turbonato made my brew moldy. The others seemed to

work well enough for the most part but most of these produced off tastes.

White is safe and very effective. So experiment and let us know how it

goes. Just remember if it ain't white, brand may matter as well as the type

of sugar used.

- Len

[Guest guest]

> Have you ever tried Piloncillo?

No.

> If one were to use one of these alternative sugars wd you suggest boiling

for, say, 10 minutes?

> Might that kill off any mold spores?

Actually even a couple of minutes might do the trick but I wouldn't boil the

tea, just the sugar water. This is perhaps a personal preference as I don't

like overheated or over steeped tea as it introduces variables that affect

taste and sometimes the culture as well. For example the increase in

tannins released could cause marbling of the culture (you know those funny

evenly dispersed lumps). Even though I have no idea if this is bad for the

culture, it don't look natural. :-) It also says I'm drinking more tanic

acid then maybe I really want.

- Len

[Guest guest]

Tim,

Boil for 5 minutes and use white CANE sugar. If you boil longer, the sugar

may start to caramelize.

Sasha

-- RE: using rapadura or piloncillo with kombucha

Hey Len,

Have you ever tried Piloncillo? If one were to use one of these alternative

sugars wd you suggest boiling for, say, 10 minutes? Might that kill off any

mold spores?

Tim

Len Porzio <len.porzio@...> wrote:

This is an opinion based on my experiments with a wide variety of sugars.

White works as well as any other as far as producing good quality KT and

without throwing the culture out of balance over the long term.

Alternative sugars can be good, bad or ugly depending on what's in them, how

they were processed and how much moisture they hold - a factor with mold.

I already mentioned how turbonato made my brew moldy. The others seemed to

work well enough for the most part but most of these produced off tastes.

White is safe and very effective. So experiment and let us know how it

goes. Just remember if it ain't white, brand may matter as well as the type

of sugar used.

- Len

[Guest guest]

Boiling as a means of removing possible pathogens is not

effective. For water and any of it contents to be sterile

(absence of living organism) water must be constant high

heat and under pressure for about 15-30 minutes. Boiling

does remove chlorine and the O2 content (and concentrates

the fluorine) and generally make people feel better. However

it does serve to reduce some of the possible pathogens as

well as dissolve the sugar and tea. Airborne pathogens as

well as those that may be present in the sugar, tea or

utensils are generally at a very minimum and left alone do

not pose a problem. Pathogens tend to overwhelm humans when

there numbers are large and/or when their off gassing

produces toxic waste.

The critical factor/time is when the water, tea and sugar et

al cools (below 109 F) and before the kombucha starter tea

and mushroom can be added. Water, tea and sugar is a magnet

for a host of critters. Its the strength of the probiotics

yeasts and bacteria in the kombucha starter tea and the

kombucha mushroom that protects the tea from adverse

affliction. There are three main elements to this

protection. 1. The mushroom as a source of probiotics

bacteria and yeasts and if floating on top hoarding the food

supply for itself. 2. The starter tea as a source of

probiotics bacteria and yeasts getting a good start forcing

other bacteria and yeasts to remain dormant or starved and

3. The acidic acid level (pH) which creates a n acidic

environment that is detrimental to a wide range of harmful

pathogens.

To reduce possibilities all ingredients (tea and sugar)

should be dry, without any evidence of moisture and a

fresh - not musty - smell. The starter tea should be sour

with a pH not above 3.0. Should really make you pucker. I

recommend at least 10% up to 25% sour tea be used. I also

recommend a mushroom be used to ensure a fuller range of

possible bacteria, yeasts and nutrients for good KT. Some

would also suggest to use distilled water.

Ed Kasper LAc. Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist

Acupuncture is a jab well done

www.HappyHerbalist.com Santa Cruz, CA.

RE: using rapadura or piloncillo with kombucha

Hey Len,

Have you ever tried Piloncillo? If one were to use one of

these alternative sugars wd you suggest boiling for, say, 10

minutes? Might that kill off any mold spores?