When can I ditch cloth cover?

[Guest guest]

Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

Who says?

I mean, I'm guessing this is more than tradition. There must be *some*

reason why " the SCOBY needs to breathe " ... In theory, I've read, the

kombucha uses an aerobic process (needs oxygen?) during initial ferment,

but then subsequently switches to " anaerobic " mode.

Here's why I ask.

One of our list members mentioned that she uses a Mexican vitrolero jar

as her SCOBY hotel, and that although the lid is " glass on glass, "

she's been successful with this approach for more than a year. (Altho'

she lifts the lid every few days, to let in " new " air.)

I started doing the same thing, and have been very successful.

Here's a side view of my hotel, in a 10-liter vitrolero jar:

http://tinyurl.com/m6d3us

(before you ask, no, I have not lead-tested yet. will do so later.)

As you can see, my hotel has a motley group of various size SCOBYs,

on top of which has grown an awesome mama:

http://tinyurl.com/kod9kg

BTW, I used to worry about the " holes, " which were much larger at one

time, but they've been closing in on themselves (growing over), and the

new " baby " SCOBY -- on top of extremely mature tea -- seems fine.

So this got me to thinking about some fairly new KT that is " mellowing "

out in sun-tea jars (after initial ferment). It will not surprise you

that these jars grow their own SCOBYs:

http://tinyurl.com/nbems4

Thus what I'm getting from this object lesson is:

1) the kombucha needs a cloth cover when you initially brew (when a mama

and/or baby was introduced separately, along with some " starter " liquid.

2) when you take out the original SCOBY(s), the " brewing " switches gears

to an anaerobic process, and no longer needs to " breathe, " thus you

no longer need a cloth cover?

Do you agree with this hypothesis, or do you disagree?

Vicki in Orlando

[Guest guest]

THis doesn't address your question,but I cover my jar to keep out bugs,fruit

flys, flys, bees, and any other creatures.

Ask me about Mona-Vie,Change your Life!!

 

The Secret to Life is........BUTTER

From: alt_ideas <alt_ideas@...>

Subject: When can I ditch cloth cover?

kombucha tea

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 11:58 PM

Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

Who says?

I mean, I'm guessing this is more than tradition. There must be *some*

reason why " the SCOBY needs to breathe " ... In theory, I've read, the

kombucha uses an aerobic process (needs oxygen?) during initial ferment,

but then subsequently switches to " anaerobic " mode.

Here's why I ask.

One of our list members mentioned that she uses a Mexican vitrolero jar

as her SCOBY hotel, and that although the lid is " glass on glass, "

she's been successful with this approach for more than a year. (Altho'

she lifts the lid every few days, to let in " new " air.)

I started doing the same thing, and have been very successful.

Here's a side view of my hotel, in a 10-liter vitrolero jar:

http://tinyurl. com/m6d3us

(before you ask, no, I have not lead-tested yet. will do so later.)

As you can see, my hotel has a motley group of various size SCOBYs,

on top of which has grown an awesome mama:

http://tinyurl. com/kod9kg

BTW, I used to worry about the " holes, " which were much larger at one

time, but they've been closing in on themselves (growing over), and the

new " baby " SCOBY -- on top of extremely mature tea -- seems fine.

So this got me to thinking about some fairly new KT that is " mellowing "

out in sun-tea jars (after initial ferment). It will not surprise you

that these jars grow their own SCOBYs:

http://tinyurl. com/nbems4

Thus what I'm getting from this object lesson is:

1) the kombucha needs a cloth cover when you initially brew (when a mama

and/or baby was introduced separately, along with some " starter " liquid.

2) when you take out the original SCOBY(s), the " brewing " switches gears

to an anaerobic process, and no longer needs to " breathe, " thus you

no longer need a cloth cover?

Do you agree with this hypothesis, or do you disagree?

Vicki in Orlando

[Guest guest]

Vicki,

That list member would be ME!

Can't say that it actually switches to an anaerobic process while hoteled, but

my feeling is that it needs more air when doing the hard work of converting tea

and sugar to kombucha. While in the hotel, the work is done and so a resting

SCOBY is one which doesn't seem to need as much air as an actively working one

(and, also, doesn't produce as much gas - whatever gas it is which is produced

in kombucha production).

I'm not an expert, but I have observed for these years.

Right now my 5 day-old, cloth-covered jars have thick SCOBYs and bubbles going.

My much older glass-on-glass covered hotel has no bubbles and forms a SCOBY much

more slowly. When I take a reserved SCOBY out from the hotel and put it to work

it bounces right back into active duty.

I consider one of the best benefits of a more closely covered jar to be less

evaporation of liquids.

-PattyT

>

> Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

> all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

> Who says?

>

[Guest guest]

Vicki,

That list member would be ME!

Can't say that it actually switches to an anaerobic process while hoteled, but

my feeling is that it needs more air when doing the hard work of converting tea

and sugar to kombucha. While in the hotel, the work is done and so a resting

SCOBY is one which doesn't seem to need as much air as an actively working one

(and, also, doesn't produce as much gas - whatever gas it is which is produced

in kombucha production).

I'm not an expert, but I have observed for these years.

Right now my 5 day-old, cloth-covered jars have thick SCOBYs and bubbles going.

My much older glass-on-glass covered hotel has no bubbles and forms a SCOBY much

more slowly. When I take a reserved SCOBY out from the hotel and put it to work

it bounces right back into active duty.

I consider one of the best benefits of a more closely covered jar to be less

evaporation of liquids.

-PattyT

>

> Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

> all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

> Who says?

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Patty! I realized you were the one who gave me the idea of the

covered v. jar, but wasn't sure you were ok w/ being " outed " ... LOL

I prob should be more clear WHY I was asking about keeping KT covered

w/ something other than fabric / paper after removing scoby...

(but for serving, NOT for a hotel)

I have a small-ish glass jar w/ spigot (less than 1 gallon) that I'd

like to keep on my kitchen counter to encourage hubby to drink it

more often, w/ a flavor he likes better than I do (cinn sticks &

cloves). Basically it would be like a secondary ferment / flavoring

stage, but we don't care about carbonation. The plot is I would just

replace KT as necessary, and add flavoring as that weakens.

I *really* like the lid of the jar, it's an integral part of the

design. And since I'm not really doing a ferment @ this point,

yet scoby would still form on top, I don't really see a reason to

put on a cloth cover, instead... As I said before, it seems the

same as when I put the plastic cover on the sun tea jar, when I

do my initial harvest / rest of batch-brewed tea.

Obviously if there ARE long-term implications, prob will become

apparent eventually. Just was hoping for assurance from those w/

more experience that it should not be an issue...

Vicki in Orlando

> >

> > Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

> > all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

> > Who says?

[Guest guest]

Hi, Patty! I realized you were the one who gave me the idea of the

covered v. jar, but wasn't sure you were ok w/ being " outed " ... LOL

I prob should be more clear WHY I was asking about keeping KT covered

w/ something other than fabric / paper after removing scoby...

(but for serving, NOT for a hotel)

I have a small-ish glass jar w/ spigot (less than 1 gallon) that I'd

like to keep on my kitchen counter to encourage hubby to drink it

more often, w/ a flavor he likes better than I do (cinn sticks &

cloves). Basically it would be like a secondary ferment / flavoring

stage, but we don't care about carbonation. The plot is I would just

replace KT as necessary, and add flavoring as that weakens.

I *really* like the lid of the jar, it's an integral part of the

design. And since I'm not really doing a ferment @ this point,

yet scoby would still form on top, I don't really see a reason to

put on a cloth cover, instead... As I said before, it seems the

same as when I put the plastic cover on the sun tea jar, when I

do my initial harvest / rest of batch-brewed tea.

Obviously if there ARE long-term implications, prob will become

apparent eventually. Just was hoping for assurance from those w/

more experience that it should not be an issue...

Vicki in Orlando

> >

> > Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

> > all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

> > Who says?

[Guest guest]

Hi Vicki and EveryOne,

There is a difference between aerobic and anaerobic fermentation. Kombucha is

traditionally an aerobic ferment.

Anaerobic ferments develop different yeasts and bacteria, sometimes toxic, and

so I would not recommend that your Kombucha be sealed air tight for a long

period of time except under refrigeration when the fermentation process is

slowed down almost completely.

I realize you want to use your lovely glass lid for your KT on your counter for

a relatively short time so the call is yours. Pay attention to how it works out

and let us know.

Several years ago one of our moderators did try an anaerobic fermentation

process and he said the KT tasted the same. As far as I know this has not been

done in a lab so it is hard to know what changes, if any, take place.

Peace, Love and Harmony,

Bev

Manna International: Kombucha Information and Resources

Kombucha Drops - Convenient, Safe, Effective, Easy to use.

http://KMI.mannainternational.com

Manna Green & White Tea Extract - Liquid Green & White Tea Extract

http://GTE.mannainternational.com

All products made and bottled in glass

100% Certified Organic, Fair Traded, Ingredients

> > >

> > > Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

> > > all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

> > > Who says?

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Vicki and EveryOne,

There is a difference between aerobic and anaerobic fermentation. Kombucha is

traditionally an aerobic ferment.

Anaerobic ferments develop different yeasts and bacteria, sometimes toxic, and

so I would not recommend that your Kombucha be sealed air tight for a long

period of time except under refrigeration when the fermentation process is

slowed down almost completely.

I realize you want to use your lovely glass lid for your KT on your counter for

a relatively short time so the call is yours. Pay attention to how it works out

and let us know.

Several years ago one of our moderators did try an anaerobic fermentation

process and he said the KT tasted the same. As far as I know this has not been

done in a lab so it is hard to know what changes, if any, take place.

Peace, Love and Harmony,

Bev

Manna International: Kombucha Information and Resources

Kombucha Drops - Convenient, Safe, Effective, Easy to use.

http://KMI.mannainternational.com

Manna Green & White Tea Extract - Liquid Green & White Tea Extract

http://GTE.mannainternational.com

All products made and bottled in glass

100% Certified Organic, Fair Traded, Ingredients

> > >

> > > Greetings, all. I have a question re. the cloth covering that we've

> > > all been taught should cover kombucha during brewing...

> > > Who says?

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Bev, for your advice.

I think I will do the same thing I do w/ the SCOBY hotel, lift

the lid every few days, to try to ensure that " new " air is

allowed in periodically.

And you know me, I will definitely share! LOL

Vicki in Orlando

>

> Hi Vicki and EveryOne,

>

> There is a difference between aerobic and anaerobic fermentation. Kombucha is

traditionally an aerobic ferment.

>

> Anaerobic ferments develop different yeasts and bacteria, sometimes toxic, and

so I would not recommend that your Kombucha be sealed air tight for a long

period of time except under refrigeration when the fermentation process is

slowed down almost completely.

>

> I realize you want to use your lovely glass lid for your KT on your counter

for a relatively short time so the call is yours. Pay attention to how it works

out and let us know.

>

> Several years ago one of our moderators did try an anaerobic fermentation

process and he said the KT tasted the same. As far as I know this has not been

done in a lab so it is hard to know what changes, if any, take place.

>

> Peace, Love and Harmony,

> Bev

[Guest guest]

Vicki,

Sounds like a good plan to me.

My husband likes his kombucha cold and fizzy. Flavor doesn't seem to matter to

him - he drinks it either way, flavored or unflavored, and is just happy when

there is some in the fridge.

-PattyT

>

> I have a small-ish glass jar w/ spigot (less than 1 gallon) that I'd

> like to keep on my kitchen counter to encourage hubby to drink it

> more often...