Re: Re: Brewing temp in the winter

[Guest guest]

ok, you can view it here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45348770@N08/?saved=1

yes, this was developed to grow mushrooms, which (like kombucha) are

sensitive to light but need to be incubated in cold weather.

i guess the text's germaphobia makes it obvious.

as far as just putting a heater in the brewing container, i wouldn't

recommend it. the advantage of the incubator is that it's maintenance-free,

sterile, and can incubate multiple containers. i've heard of people

incubating mushrooms with a kind of double-boiler set up, but if the water

isn't refilled as it evaporates, the heater becomes exposed and is a fire

hazard.

i hope this helps, it's the cheapest, safest method i know.

[Guest guest]

If you're going for cheap, uncomplicated and safe, I would go with the

string of lights but in that case loose the towel. Use purple or blue if you

have them because purple should not bother kombucha like the clear could but

they will create more heat.

You could try putting it in a small wooden box with a top or in a cabinet

where the lights would be enough to warm it but I would open it every couple

of days to let in fresh air.

The heatbomb sounds like the best long term fix but if you don't want to buy

silicone, duct tape and the heater right away you could get things warmed up

with the lights in a cabinet.

Best of luck!

aandi in Chicago

On Sat, Dec 5, 2009 at 12:23 PM, Vicki <alt_ideas@...> wrote:

>

>

> Pretty certain that you do NOT submerge the heatbomb in the

> kombucha, especially since he said you can heat several

> vessels at once. The device heats the water in the bottle,

> then generates that heat, as would a radiator.

>

> Vicki in Orlando

>

>

>

> >

> > This is a great idea, but what about the plastic bottle? Don't you

> > submerge this heater bomb in the tea? I don't really feel comfortable

> > brewing tea in plastic. I'd rather use glass, but there could be risk

> > for breakage with a glass bottle inside another glass jar. Hmm...

> >

> >

> > > i hope this helps, it's the cheapest, safest method i know.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

So do you fill a rubber tub with some water and put all your gallon jars in

there with the heatbomb? Can the heatbomb be completely submerged?

aandi in Chicago

> Pretty certain that you do NOT submerge the heatbomb in the

>> kombucha, especially since he said you can heat several

>> vessels at once. The device heats the water in the bottle,

>> then generates that heat, as would a radiator.

>>

>> Vicki in Orlando

>>

>>

>>

>> >

>> > This is a great idea, but what about the plastic bottle? Don't you

>> > submerge this heater bomb in the tea? I don't really feel comfortable

>> > brewing tea in plastic. I'd rather use glass, but there could be risk

>> > for breakage with a glass bottle inside another glass jar. Hmm...

>> >

>> >

>> > > i hope this helps, it's the cheapest, safest method i know.

>>

>>

>>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Its not a bad Idea to let kombucha experience the temperature cycle of a

day. It may be good for it to tune in to a natural daily rhythm as long as

it gets plenty of heat in the day. Sound great Bev!

aandi in Chicago

On Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 1:54 PM, yoganandaom <OM@...> wrote:

>

>

> Hi EveryOne,

>

> There have been some pretty ingenious ways to warm Kombucha posted to this

> list over the years.

>

> Heating is optional but not usually necessary unless your KT is always in

> less than 70F temps. We heat our home with wood, so in the daytime the KT is

> warm but at night it gets quite cold and the Kombucha still seems to do

> fine.

>

> Kombucha left to brew at very low temperatures, as in an unheated garage or

> basement often develops mold as the fermentation process is slowed so much

> that it seems to become vulnerable to mold.

>

> Peace, Love and Harmony,

> Bev

>

>

>

> > > >

> > > > This is a great idea, but what about the plastic bottle? Don't you

> > > > submerge this heater bomb in the tea? I don't really feel comfortable

> > > > brewing tea in plastic. I'd rather use glass, but there could be risk

> > > > for breakage with a glass bottle inside another glass jar. Hmm...

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > > i hope this helps, it's the cheapest, safest method i know.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Who knows? Probably not good to have it in a full spectrum light from, say,

a *reveal* bulb. But since it doesn't like light I'd try to avoid setting up

its permanent environment with bright lights. Does anyone know by experience

how sensitive kombucha is to a flood light or 60 - 100 watt light bulb? I'd

rather use a heat mat with a thermostat but I like Bev's use of the wood

burning stove best!

aandi in Chicago

On Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 5:46 PM, <hoffman.aj@...> wrote:

>

>

> Kombucha is bothered by light? Direct sun light is harmful, of course, but

> regular light bulbs?

>

> - .

>

>

>

> >

> > If you're going for cheap, uncomplicated and safe, I would go with the

> > string of lights but in that case loose the towel. Use purple or blue if

> you

> > have them because purple should not bother kombucha like the clear could

> but

> > they will create more heat.

> >

> > You could try putting it in a small wooden box with a top or in a cabinet

> > where the lights would be enough to warm it but I would open it every

> couple

> > of days to let in fresh air.

> >

> > The heatbomb sounds like the best long term fix but if you don't want to

> buy

> > silicone, duct tape and the heater right away you could get things warmed

> up

> > with the lights in a cabinet.

> >

> > Best of luck!

> >

> > aandi in Chicago

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Haha! Well done, magic man!

On Sun, Dec 6, 2009 at 7:21 PM, mromargarcia <mromargarcia@...> wrote:

>

>

> Hello everyone,

>

> I am happy to report that I built a heat bomb and seems to be working well.

> I previously had some light bulbs and I was concerned about having 120 volts

> close to water, an accident waiting to happen.

>

> In my case, things were extremely easy because the aquarium heater fit

> perfectly in the coke bottle that I am using, really perfectly to the point

> that I could not get some air from the bottle out. I did not need tape,

> silicon, glue or anything like that, just a bottle, the heater and water.

>

> Has everyone seen the pictures of a heatbomb and how to use it? I found

> some at this site and this is the way I am using it. Hope it helps.

>

> http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/3314778

>

>

>

>

>

> > >> >

> > >> > This is a great idea, but what about the plastic bottle? Don't you

> > >> > submerge this heater bomb in the tea? I don't really feel

> comfortable

> > >> > brewing tea in plastic. I'd rather use glass, but there could be

> risk

> > >> > for breakage with a glass bottle inside another glass jar. Hmm...

> > >> >

> > >> >

> > >> > > i hope this helps, it's the cheapest, safest method i know.

> > >>

> > >>

> > >>

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

You would probably have to have a high pressure sodium light on kombucha

before it even noticed anything. I would not be worried about the lights in

my house. Even though the darkest corner may be best, there is a huge

logical difference between the sun's uv and a typical light bulb. I would

not put kombucha in direct sunlight. I also would not worry about brief

exposure to it.

On Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 8:52 PM, mromargarcia <mromargarcia@...> wrote:

>

>

> Hi and ,

>

> I read somewhere that the problem with sun light is the UV light, which

> interferes with some of the bacteria and other living organisms of the

> Kombucha colony. Assuming this is true, Wikipedia defines UV ligth from 10

> to 400 nm. Supposedly an incandescent light really starts going at 490-500

> nm, peaking at about 550 nm. We would be safe, then with an incandescent

> light. Am I thinking about this correctly?

>

> This is where I am seeing the info:

>

> http://www.roperld.com/science/electromagneticspectraoflightbulbs.htm

>

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uv_light

>

> .

>

>

> > > >

> > > > If you're going for cheap, uncomplicated and safe, I would go with

> the

> > > > string of lights but in that case loose the towel. Use purple or blue

> if

> > > you

> > > > have them because purple should not bother kombucha like the clear

> could

> > > but

> > > > they will create more heat.

> > > >

> > > > You could try putting it in a small wooden box with a top or in a

> cabinet

> > > > where the lights would be enough to warm it but I would open it every

> > > couple

> > > > of days to let in fresh air.

> > > >

> > > > The heatbomb sounds like the best long term fix but if you don't want

> to

> > > buy

> > > > silicone, duct tape and the heater right away you could get things

> warmed

> > > up

> > > > with the lights in a cabinet.

> > > >

> > > > Best of luck!

> > > >

> > > > aandi in Chicago

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

mromargarica,

so cool you built the heat bomb! to those who have suggested light bulbs,

think of the heat bomb as a lightless lightbulb (the heater is the filament,

the bottle the globe). it radiates heat just as a light bulb does.

i do want everyone to know that it is best to seal the heater to the bottle

with silicone so that you don't have to keep refilling the bottle with water

as it evaporates. the " filament " needs to stay completely submerged in

water.

i'm glad to see some of you are excited to use this idea!

[Guest guest]

mromargarica,

so cool you built the heat bomb! to those who have suggested light bulbs,

think of the heat bomb as a lightless lightbulb (the heater is the filament,

the bottle the globe). it radiates heat just as a light bulb does.

i do want everyone to know that it is best to seal the heater to the bottle

with silicone so that you don't have to keep refilling the bottle with water

as it evaporates. the " filament " needs to stay completely submerged in

water.

i'm glad to see some of you are excited to use this idea!