Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Hi theresa, why don't you just weigh it? I use 3/5th green tea and the same amount hibiscus. But I do think that, as always, you'll have to try and taste and then adapt to you own taste... in love and light, Vera > > Hello all .. > > Question regarding using hibiscus to brew KT. I found whole organic dried hibiscus flowers > at a local health shop. I see references to people using it in addition to their tea mixture. > Being these are whole, I can't really measure in teaspoons or tablespoons. Should I chop up > the whole flower? Can I leave it whole and just toss it in with the brewing tea (not with the > Scoby). If I use whole flower hibiscus .. is one flower enough, or do I need more? > > Thanks in advance for any thoughts and assistance. > > Namaste > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Has anyone had problems with their SCOBYs after using Hibiscus for awhile? I had added some to my continuous brew. Thought the taste wonderful and the color of both the brew and the KT was lovely. But it took longer and longer to set up. After a couple of months (I do a five gallon continuous brew and let one brew run three months, then clean everything out and start again), I did my clean out and started a new brew, using a lovely SCOBY from the previous continuous brew and using a recipe of 1/2 oolong, 1/4 rooibos, and 1/4 hibiscus with appx 2 ounces of sugar per cup of the tea. It did not make kefir. After three weeks, it was as sweet as it had been the day I put the tea in the container. I dumped the brew and all the SCOBYs that had come from the hibiscus brew, and started a new brew, this time with 1/3 oolong, 1/3 green tea, and 1/2 rooibos with the same proportion of sugar as the batch that didn't work. I also used a SCOBY that had never been in a brew with hibiscus -- one that had been is a different storage container for the two months that I had been caught up using the hibiscus. The brew without hibiscus set up very nicely in two weeks. The brew is fizzy, tart, tasty, and after a secondary ferment, it is the best KT that we have ever had. We are into our second time of pulling off a couple of gallons and adding new tea, and it continues going well. Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? Joyce Dallas tX -- Cirque du Sol'Aire: Don't miss the 2008 Airedale Quilt: raffle tickets are available at http://www.airedalerescue.net/circus/index.htm -- Visit often, and buy tickets every time. All proceeds go to Airedale Rescue. Joyce www.jubileeaires.com IACP P-1834 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Has anyone had problems with their SCOBYs after using Hibiscus for awhile? I had added some to my continuous brew. Thought the taste wonderful and the color of both the brew and the KT was lovely. But it took longer and longer to set up. After a couple of months (I do a five gallon continuous brew and let one brew run three months, then clean everything out and start again), I did my clean out and started a new brew, using a lovely SCOBY from the previous continuous brew and using a recipe of 1/2 oolong, 1/4 rooibos, and 1/4 hibiscus with appx 2 ounces of sugar per cup of the tea. It did not make kefir. After three weeks, it was as sweet as it had been the day I put the tea in the container. I dumped the brew and all the SCOBYs that had come from the hibiscus brew, and started a new brew, this time with 1/3 oolong, 1/3 green tea, and 1/2 rooibos with the same proportion of sugar as the batch that didn't work. I also used a SCOBY that had never been in a brew with hibiscus -- one that had been is a different storage container for the two months that I had been caught up using the hibiscus. The brew without hibiscus set up very nicely in two weeks. The brew is fizzy, tart, tasty, and after a secondary ferment, it is the best KT that we have ever had. We are into our second time of pulling off a couple of gallons and adding new tea, and it continues going well. Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? Joyce Dallas tX -- Cirque du Sol'Aire: Don't miss the 2008 Airedale Quilt: raffle tickets are available at http://www.airedalerescue.net/circus/index.htm -- Visit often, and buy tickets every time. All proceeds go to Airedale Rescue. Joyce www.jubileeaires.com IACP P-1834 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 > > Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to > find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is > organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? > > Joyce > Dallas tX Hi Joyce...why not make a tisane from the hibiscus and add it at the end of brewing??? Or just before second ferment so it would not affect your SCOBY's?? Gayle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 > > Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to > find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is > organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? > > Joyce > Dallas tX Hi Joyce...why not make a tisane from the hibiscus and add it at the end of brewing??? Or just before second ferment so it would not affect your SCOBY's?? Gayle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 In message <f82hgj+h2uheGroups> you wrote: > > > > > Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to > > find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is > > organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? > > > > Joyce > > Dallas tX > > > Hi Joyce...why not make a tisane from the hibiscus and add it at the > end of brewing??? Or just before second ferment so it would not affect > your SCOBY's?? Well, I've been thinking about Joyce's mail, but it's left me very puzzled. I have great success with my Hibiscus brews. I make a regular batch of 6 litres (1 1/2 US Gallons) every 5 days or so. It brews extremely well, so much so, that I have to be careful not to exceed the 5 days or end up with a sour brew! I believe, Pangie has also been very successful with her Hibiscus batches. SO, I really don't know what the matter could be. Maybe, it doesn't like the Roibos ...That's one tisane I've never been able to get on with very well. I brewed my last Hibiscus with green tea and Pu-Erh tea (using different Camellia sinensises every time...just for fun.) I honestly believe that it is not the Hibiscus that is the culprit in your brewing not working well, but some other cause. Hibiscus, being rich in vitamin C, is a yeast stimulator and would enhance fermentation rather than inhibit it. I have just tried my latest Hibiscus brew (after 5 days) and it's got a wonderful taste, lovely acidity and sporting another massive Goliath scoby on the top which made me laugh! My Hibiscus brew is yum-hunki-dory, A truly successful Kombucha-brew story! All the best! Margret:-) -- +------------------ Minstrel@... --------------------+ <)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<>< http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com +----------------- http://www.Gotquestions.org ------------------+ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 In message <f82hgj+h2uheGroups> you wrote: > > > > > Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to > > find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is > > organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? > > > > Joyce > > Dallas tX > > > Hi Joyce...why not make a tisane from the hibiscus and add it at the > end of brewing??? Or just before second ferment so it would not affect > your SCOBY's?? Well, I've been thinking about Joyce's mail, but it's left me very puzzled. I have great success with my Hibiscus brews. I make a regular batch of 6 litres (1 1/2 US Gallons) every 5 days or so. It brews extremely well, so much so, that I have to be careful not to exceed the 5 days or end up with a sour brew! I believe, Pangie has also been very successful with her Hibiscus batches. SO, I really don't know what the matter could be. Maybe, it doesn't like the Roibos ...That's one tisane I've never been able to get on with very well. I brewed my last Hibiscus with green tea and Pu-Erh tea (using different Camellia sinensises every time...just for fun.) I honestly believe that it is not the Hibiscus that is the culprit in your brewing not working well, but some other cause. Hibiscus, being rich in vitamin C, is a yeast stimulator and would enhance fermentation rather than inhibit it. I have just tried my latest Hibiscus brew (after 5 days) and it's got a wonderful taste, lovely acidity and sporting another massive Goliath scoby on the top which made me laugh! My Hibiscus brew is yum-hunki-dory, A truly successful Kombucha-brew story! All the best! Margret:-) -- +------------------ Minstrel@... --------------------+ <)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<>< http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com +----------------- http://www.Gotquestions.org ------------------+ The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 My brews with hibiscus always come out fine. They are one of my favorites. On 7/23/07, Margret Pegg <Minstrel@...> wrote: > > In message <f82hgj+h2uheGroups> you wrote: > > > > > > > > > Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to > > > find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is > > > organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? > > > > > > Joyce > > > Dallas tX > > > > -- Live and Love Well, Sandy (Jennings, FL; zone 8b) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 My brews with hibiscus always come out fine. They are one of my favorites. On 7/23/07, Margret Pegg <Minstrel@...> wrote: > > In message <f82hgj+h2uheGroups> you wrote: > > > > > > > > > Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to > > > find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is > > > organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? > > > > > > Joyce > > > Dallas tX > > > > -- Live and Love Well, Sandy (Jennings, FL; zone 8b) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I made 2 batches of mostly hibiscus KT that seemed to come out well, but I never drank them, as I went to a very strict low-carb diet for the month of June and left them to turn mostly vinegar. I re-brewed today, using 2/3 regular black tea and 1/3 hibiscus tea. We shall see how these turn out. All I can say for certain is hibiscus makes for a pretty pink SCOBY :-) Re: hibiscus KT Has anyone had problems with their SCOBYs after using Hibiscus for awhile? I had added some to my continuous brew. Thought the taste wonderful and the color of both the brew and the KT was lovely. But it took longer and longer to set up. After a couple of months (I do a five gallon continuous brew and let one brew run three months, then clean everything out and start again), I did my clean out and started a new brew, using a lovely SCOBY from the previous continuous brew and using a recipe of 1/2 oolong, 1/4 rooibos, and 1/4 hibiscus with appx 2 ounces of sugar per cup of the tea. It did not make kefir. After three weeks, it was as sweet as it had been the day I put the tea in the container. I dumped the brew and all the SCOBYs that had come from the hibiscus brew, and started a new brew, this time with 1/3 oolong, 1/3 green tea, and 1/2 rooibos with the same proportion of sugar as the batch that didn't work. I also used a SCOBY that had never been in a brew with hibiscus -- one that had been is a different storage container for the two months that I had been caught up using the hibiscus. The brew without hibiscus set up very nicely in two weeks. The brew is fizzy, tart, tasty, and after a secondary ferment, it is the best KT that we have ever had. We are into our second time of pulling off a couple of gallons and adding new tea, and it continues going well. Needless to say, I am not going to be using hibiscus again. Need to find some other uses for it because I bought it from Riishi Tea: it is organic, and it was very expensive, etc. Any suggestions? Joyce Dallas tX -- Cirque du Sol'Aire: Don't miss the 2008 Airedale Quilt: raffle tickets are available at http://www.airedalerescue.net/circus/index.htm -- Visit often, and buy tickets every time. All proceeds go to Airedale Rescue. Joyce www.jubileeaires.com IACP P-1834 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 It is definitely not the rooibos tea that caused the problem. My original SCOBY came from Ed (Happy Herbalist), and it was one that was made with rooibos tea. Someone on this list suggested that I use a mix of rooibos and a tea with caffeine, so from the beginning, I used oolong and rooibos and have had success. When I had used green and oolong teas and the rooibos, I have also been successful. I wonder if using the hibiscus in a five-gallon continuous brew that was the problem. Joyce -- Cirque du Sol'Aire: Don't miss the 2008 Airedale Quilt: raffle tickets are available at http://www.airedalerescue.net/circus/index.htm -- Visit often, and buy tickets every time. All proceeds go to Airedale Rescue. Joyce www.jubileeaires.com IACP P-1834 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Joyce.. might I suggest making some wonderful soap or lotion with it? If you decide to sell the rest of your Hybiscus please let me know. Debbie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Joyce.. might I suggest making some wonderful soap or lotion with it? If you decide to sell the rest of your Hybiscus please let me know. Debbie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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