Re: Re: (small) mass production

[Guest guest]

It seem like we all have the same questions...

the ones that are hardest to love are the ones that need it the most...

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From: kombucha tea

[mailto:kombucha tea ] On Behalf Of Kurt Damron

Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2008 11:56 AM

kombucha tea

Subject: Re: (small) mass production

I was just pondering this very same question this week, running all

these imaginative scenarios through my head. I wonder if the company

was started by a former home brewer and its a small operation, or

rather if they have some huge facility somewhere with lab coat

chemists analyzing brew in beakers and with sophisticated equipment,

with giant tanks in the background in some climate controlled

environment. I sometimes wonder if they really know what they are

doing? And, I wonder why the bottles reads that they brew their KT

for 30 days, when traditionally, that is a much to lengthy time frame.

And, do they pasteurize and kill off some of the probiotic qualities?

Or do they use chemical additives to stop the fermentation process?

How do they stay under the established limits of alcohol content? It

seems to me like a rather complicated venture.

Kurt

>

> As I slowly begin increasing my Kombucha production, I am

> curious...Does anyone know how GTs mass produces the Kombucha? What

> kind of vat do they use? And how do they process so many bottles?

> Just curious...

>

[Guest guest]

I sort of doubt that. I am pretty sure that if they would save the same amount

of starter in relation to their total amount it would ferment the same. For me,

I don't think a gallon takes any longer than a quart. Just my opinion. I could

be wrong.

Kurt, that's funny because I was wondering the same thing last week. I doubt

they use pasteurization or chemicals though. The alcohol content should not be a

problem because the alcohol does not necessarily increase with longer

fermentation.

Rodrick

Re: (small) mass production

The reason that their brew time is 30 days is because it is a large

amount that they are brewing at one time.

Just like for us - if we brew a quart it takes less time than a gallon.

If we brew a gallon it takes less time than 5 gallons.

They're brewing many gallons - it only makes sense that it would take

longer than for us.

> >

> > As I slowly begin increasing my Kombucha production, I am

> > curious...Does anyone know how GTs mass produces the Kombucha? What

> > kind of vat do they use? And how do they process so many bottles?

> > Just curious...

> >

>

[Guest guest]

In message <g8pi17+glsueGroups> you wrote:

> The reason that their brew time is 30 days is because it is a large

> amount that they are brewing at one time.

>

> Just like for us - if we brew a quart it takes less time than a gallon.

> If we brew a gallon it takes less time than 5 gallons.

>

> They're brewing many gallons - it only makes sense that it would take

> longer than for us.

Does it?

My experience is that if you keep to a starter of 10% of your brew (e.g.

100ml starter per I litre of sweet tea), it will always take the same time

regardless of size of batch as long as you make the starter liquid

proportionally bigger.

There are other variants, like the shape of your container, temperature,

the kind of tea you use and the kind of taste you want to achieve (more

or less acidic), which all have an influence of the length of one's

brewing time.

kombuchaly,

Margret:-) UK

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[Guest guest]

Thanks for seconding that with your years of experience, Margret.

Rodrick

Re: Re: (small) mass production

In message <g8pi17+glsueGroups> you wrote:

> The reason that their brew time is 30 days is because it is a large

> amount that they are brewing at one time.

>

> Just like for us - if we brew a quart it takes less time than a gallon.

> If we brew a gallon it takes less time than 5 gallons.

>

> They're brewing many gallons - it only makes sense that it would take

> longer than for us.

Does it?

My experience is that if you keep to a starter of 10% of your brew (e.g.

100ml starter per I litre of sweet tea), it will always take the same time

regardless of size of batch as long as you make the starter liquid

proportionally bigger.

There are other variants, like the shape of your container, temperature,

the kind of tea you use and the kind of taste you want to achieve (more

or less acidic), which all have an influence of the length of one's

brewing time.

kombuchaly,

Margret:-) UK

--

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

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

Invited or not, God is present!

[Guest guest]

Re: (small) mass production

Well ... by all means ... please excuse me <<<<certainly>>>> ;-)

... it appears that my

rookie is showing.

>

> Thanks for seconding that with your years of experience, Margret.

>

> Rodrick

[Guest guest]

Hi, I doubt it is the size of scoby so much as the amount of starter. I think

10% percent is what some people go by for how much starter to leave. I don't

measure mine but I just leave about an inch in the bottom of my gallon jar. I

think if you used ten percent of 100L of starter tea when you were making a 100L

batch it wouldn't take any longer than a liter, given the same temp, ratio of

starter, etc.

Did you write down how much starter you used for your 1L and 3L batches?

Rodrick

Re: (small) mass production

Just want to share my small experience with the ratio SCOBY vs Tea.

a) made one batch with 100 gr of SCOBY to 1 Liter of Tea. It took 1

week to reach pH around 3,10.

same SCOBY ( 100 gr ) now in 3 Liters of tea. It took 28 days to

reach the same pH around 3,10.

I have read in many sites that the correct ratio is 100g of SCOBY to 1

liter of tea or roughly 10% by volume. So if we want to produce say a

100L batch we will need a 10Kg SCOBY? what if we don't have a 10Kg

SCOBY? should we need more brewing time like 30 days?

>

> > The reason that their brew time is 30 days is because it is a large

> > amount that they are brewing at one time.

> >

> > Just like for us - if we brew a quart it takes less time than a

gallon.

>

> > If we brew a gallon it takes less time than 5 gallons.

> >

> > They're brewing many gallons - it only makes sense that it would take

> > longer than for us.

>

> Does it?

> My experience is that if you keep to a starter of 10% of your brew (e.g.

> 100ml starter per I litre of sweet tea), it will always take the

same time

> regardless of size of batch as long as you make the starter liquid

> proportionally bigger.

>

> There are other variants, like the shape of your container, temperature,

> the kind of tea you use and the kind of taste you want to achieve (more

> or less acidic), which all have an influence of the length of one's

> brewing time.

>

> kombuchaly,

>

> Margret:-) UK

> --

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

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

> Invited or not, God is present!

>

[Guest guest]

There are so many variables. Was the starter the same strength? Was the shape of

container the same? Was the temp the same? I don't know. I could be wrong. I'm

no expert on this either. It would be nice to hear Bev's imput.

Rodrick

Re: (small) mass production

Hi Rodrick, I use 10% starter for the two batches ( 100ml and 300ml).

I think that it has to be a relation between the size of the SCOBY and

the amount of tea. But this is just a newbie guess.

BTW has anyone saw this 12Kg SCOBY?

http://www.nlnv.de/front_content.php?client=1 & lang=1 & idcat=65 & idart=240 & m= & s=

>

> Hi, I doubt it is the size of scoby so much as the amount of

starter. I think 10% percent is what some people go by for how much

starter to leave. I don't measure mine but I just leave about an inch

in the bottom of my gallon jar. I think if you used ten percent of

100L of starter tea when you were making a 100L batch it wouldn't take

any longer than a liter, given the same temp, ratio of starter, etc.

>

> Did you write down how much starter you used for your 1L and 3L batches?

>

> Rodrick

>

[Guest guest]

In message <g8pv2e+av8deGroups> you wrote:

>...........

> I have read in many sites that the correct ratio is 100g of SCOBY to 1

> liter of tea or roughly 10% by volume. So if we want to produce say a

> 100L batch we will need a 10Kg SCOBY? what if we don't have a 10Kg

> SCOBY? should we need more brewing time like 30 days?

The Kombucha liquid itself is as much culture as the scoby - full of

culturelets of yeasts and bacteria, so you can count the liquid in!

I use about 100ml of starter liquid per 1 litre of sweet tea, with the

scoby thrown in.

Have a cultured remainder of the day ;-)

Margret UK :-)

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[Guest guest]

In message <g8s9qn+uq4teGroups> you wrote:

> Does kombucha grom in a sealed bottle. I thought it needed oxygen!

>

, Yes, you are right. Ideally, there should be a breathable but

firm cloth over the brewing jar.

However, the aerobic brew switches to anaerobic in the second phase

of fermentation in the enclosed bottle during which time the remaining

yeasts will eat more of the remaining sugar and produce CO2 (fizz) in the

process. In a good balanced brew there will be a maturing and mellowing

process happening. Some of my brews have been very champagne like,

a truly yummy experience. But it's all very hit and miss.

I've also had some bottles which turned to vinegar. They are very good

for all sorts of dishes that require vinegar, and are also very valuable

for cleaning purposes.

BTW, just to show that the brew can exist on very little air-even in

a bottle: I often get miniature scobys forming in the top of the bottles

like teenie jellies ;-)

Have good day with blessings,

Margret:-) UK

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http://www.AnswersInGenesis.com

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

Invited or not, God is present!