Scoby deteriorating????

[Guest guest]

Hi, I made my brewed my first batch of Kombucha. It took 5 days and

has excellent carbonation, a little sour, so I add a little sweetnlow

or some fruit. My problem is that when I removed my scoby (mother)it

was a little limp so instead of starting a new brew I put it in a small

jar, covered it with cheeseloth and refrigerated. That was 2 days ago

and it seems to be falling apart I have the baby but it's a bit

thin. Can I use it or do I need to buy a new on? Also wanted to ask

if I can substitute brown sugar for white?

[Guest guest]

In message <g6d7b6+j4gkeGroups> you wrote:

> Hi, I made my brewed my first batch of Kombucha. It took 5 days and

> has excellent carbonation, a little sour, so I add a little sweetnlow

> or some fruit.

What's sweetnlow? If it's not true sugar it was not a good idea to add it,

neither is fruit until the bottling stage,

> My problem is that when I removed my scoby (mother)it

> was a little limp so instead of starting a new brew I put it in a small

> jar, covered it with cheeseloth and refrigerated.

Oops, refrigeration is NEVER a good idea with Kombucha. I should bring it

out of the cold immediately into room temperature environment.

> and it seems to be falling apart I have the baby but it's a bit

> thin. Can I use it or do I need to buy a new on?

It doesn't matter whether scobys are falling apart, or are thin! Just scoop

them together and give them your sourest bit of KT as starter liquid and you

will be off to a good start with your next brew.

I would only use pure tea (green, white, oolong or black) and avoid anything

that is added, like fruit, or is not camellia sinensis (true tea).

I can't see any problem with your brew otherwise.

> if I can substitute brown sugar for white?

WHy do you want to use more expensive sugar to feed the culture?

White sugar (since it is available) is one of the best scoby-foods.

Brown sugar can have problems with strange taste in the end, although

some people brew with it quite successfully.

I should not worry about your Kombucha. Give it time, and let it get

on with its brewing act. As to scobydom : It's not a beauty contest!

Some of my ugliest scobys produce the best KT. Even in a falling apart

scoby there will still be the necessary microflora which will ferment

your brew.

All the best, you're doing alright (once you get the fridge out of the

equation!);-)

Blessings,

Margret UK :-)

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<)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<><

http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com

our church: http://www.newlifederby.org.uk

[Guest guest]

Hi Margret,

Thanks for your reply. Anything added to the kombucha is done after

brewing. I'm glad to know that my scoby is okay. You aren't supposed

to refrigerate them when there is no brewing going on? How do you

store? As for the brown sugar, my husband (whose mom taught me to

make kombucha) recommended it because I complained about the sour

taste, but now that I think about it maybe it was a joke and I just

got the punchline.

>

> > Hi, I made my brewed my first batch of Kombucha. It took 5 days

and

> > has excellent carbonation, a little sour, so I add a little

sweetnlow

> > or some fruit.

> What's sweetnlow? If it's not true sugar it was not a good idea to

add it,

> neither is fruit until the bottling stage,

>

> > My problem is that when I removed my scoby (mother)it

> > was a little limp so instead of starting a new brew I put it in a

small

> > jar, covered it with cheeseloth and refrigerated.

> Oops, refrigeration is NEVER a good idea with Kombucha. I should

bring it

> out of the cold immediately into room temperature environment.

>

> > and it seems to be falling apart I have the baby but it's a

bit

> > thin. Can I use it or do I need to buy a new on?

> It doesn't matter whether scobys are falling apart, or are thin!

Just scoop

> them together and give them your sourest bit of KT as starter

liquid and you

> will be off to a good start with your next brew.

> I would only use pure tea (green, white, oolong or black) and avoid

anything

> that is added, like fruit, or is not camellia sinensis (true tea).

> I can't see any problem with your brew otherwise.

>

> > if I can substitute brown sugar for white?

> WHy do you want to use more expensive sugar to feed the culture?

> White sugar (since it is available) is one of the best scoby-foods.

> Brown sugar can have problems with strange taste in the end,

although

> some people brew with it quite successfully.

>

> I should not worry about your Kombucha. Give it time, and let it get

> on with its brewing act. As to scobydom : It's not a beauty contest!

> Some of my ugliest scobys produce the best KT. Even in a falling

apart

> scoby there will still be the necessary microflora which will

ferment

> your brew.

>

> All the best, you're doing alright (once you get the fridge out of

the

> equation!);-)

>

> Blessings,

>

> Margret UK :-)

> --

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

> <)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<><

> http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com

> our church: http://www.newlifederby.org.uk

>

[Guest guest]

In message <g6dufk+69t2eGroups> you wrote:

> Hi Margret,

> Thanks for your reply. Anything added to the kombucha is done after

> brewing. I'm glad to know that my scoby is okay. You aren't supposed

> to refrigerate them when there is no brewing going on? How do you

> store? As for the brown sugar, my husband (whose mom taught me to

> make kombucha) recommended it because I complained about the sour

> taste, but now that I think about it maybe it was a joke and I just

> got the punchline.

Hi Deb, Kombucha will happily sit in a glass jar covered with a generous

amount of KT. This has the added advantage that you get some really

vinegary KT, as the culture finishes off the last sugar in the KT.

Such acidic KT is extremely good as starter and it's also a preventative

against mould.

A Kombucha culture expected to do some brewing is happiest at room

temperature. Of course, you can refrigerate your bottles prior to drinking,

if you like some cool in a hot summer ... ;-)

I always think it's curious that Kombucha culture doesn't seem to work

in the cold, while my Kefir culture makes the most amazing Kefir in the

warmest part of the fridge, the top .....

Do, by all means try brown sugar to satisfy your curiosity. It will probably

work very well.

All the best kombuchaly and otherwise,

Margret:-) UK

--

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

<)))<>< http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk <)))<><

http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com

http://www.newlifederby.org.uk

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