Re: first batch, temperature and fermentation

[Guest guest]

In message <1270996850.1506.21.camel@...> you wrote:

> Hello from Italy.

Benvenuto a voi (welcome to you), o!

We are a truly international band of people here.

> Two questions:

> 1) Is the temperature too low ?

> I just checked Jar temperature and is 18C (around 64F).

20-25 C (69F+) would be a better brewing temperature!

> 2) How do I know if the scooby has been killed by the temperature of the

> tea ?

Only time will tell!

A first brew (especially under low temperatures) can take a lot longer than

an established brew. You might be looking at 2 weeks until the culture

has successfully transformed the sugar into healthgiving acids.

> I followed the instructions and prepared about 2 litre of black tea (with

> 3 tea bags) and added 160 grams of white sugar.

I use 100 g of sugar per litre and a minimum od 4 teabags.

The amount of sugar and tea you used, although in acceptable parametres,

might give a somewhat 'thin', weak tasting brew.

> Now it's three days, the scooby sinks on the bottom and there is no

> activity, it seems. On top there is no film formation. I got some liquid

> with a sterile syringe and ph seems around 3, 3.5 - less than 4 for sure

3 days is early days yet, also scoby formation happens quite slowly and

only if the brew has not been disturbed. It will be a very thin film to start

with which often goes undetected until it becomes thicker and opaque

looking. I think the messing around with the syringe might have disturbed

the bacteria's scoby-building process.

It does not matter at all that the scoby has sunk to the bottom. That is

quite normal. After a while, the bacteria and yeasts present in the liquid

and through the submerged scoby, will form a new scoby across the top

of your container. No problem.

Once the brew is off the 'starting blocks', it is best left alone and

undisturbed for at least 5 days in a warm climate, 7-10 days in a colder

one like yours. 3-3.5 ph seems to show a good acidity (although in

30 years of brewing, my tastebuds have been my only acidity gauge ever ;-)

> .. in this first brew I added 3 tablespoons of apple

> cider vinegar as starter.

I hope it was pasteurised (boiled) vinegar you used, o, as

unpasteurised cider vinegar carries its own culture, which would conflict

with the Kombucha culture - you could never be sure whether you are making

mother of vinegar or true Kombucha.

It seems strange that your instructions would ask you to use cider

vinegar. If you have to use vinegar, distilled malt vinegar would be a

much better choice, although the best thing to use would be proper

acidic Kombucha vinegar. This should have been supplied with your

scoby.

> Said that, I put the scooby inside the jar, and closed the jar with pure

> cellulose paper towel secured with a rubber band.

As the Kombucha brew is aerobic (air breathing) you need to give it

a breathable fabric on top or several layers of kitchen paper, held

on firmly by elastic or rubber band.

My advice at present would be to do nothing but wait for about a week.

If after an undisturbed week, no scoby has grown across the top of your

brew, your Kombucha culture was probably damaged ....

So, let's be hopeful and expect some healthy growth. Especially during the

first steps of brewing, a LOT of PATIENCE is needed

La pazienza lo ricompenser!

Kombucha greetings from the Bavarian in England,

Margret :-)

--

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

http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk/family/scobygrow/home.html

http://bavarianminstrel.wordpress.com

creation.com

No God . . . No You! Know God, Know You!

[Guest guest]

> Benvenuto a voi (welcome to you), o!

> We are a truly international band of people here.

>

Eheh, I see

> I use 100 g of sugar per litre and a minimum od 4 teabags.

> The amount of sugar and tea you used, although in acceptable parametres,

> might give a somewhat 'thin', weak tasting brew.

>

To be honest, the istructions called for 80-100 grams of sugar per

litre, and 8-10 grams of tea per litre too.

Aren't the common recipes more like 5 teabags for 3 quarts of water ?

(being 1 quart +/- 1 litre)

> > .. in this first brew I added 3 tablespoons of apple

> > cider vinegar as starter.

>

> I hope it was pasteurised (boiled) vinegar you used, o, as

> unpasteurised cider vinegar carries its own culture, which would conflict

> with the Kombucha culture - you could never be sure whether you are making

> mother of vinegar or true Kombucha.

Yes, it was pasteurized

> It seems strange that your instructions would ask you to use cider

> vinegar. If you have to use vinegar, distilled malt vinegar would be a

> much better choice, although the best thing to use would be proper

> acidic Kombucha vinegar. This should have been supplied with your

> scoby.

>

There was a little liquid inside the plastic bag with the scooby, maybe

two tablespoons. The instructions said to use the vinegar as starter.

I don't know

The scooby was bought from france, the " shop " is both in italian and

french

> As the Kombucha brew is aerobic (air breathing) you need to give it

> a breathable fabric on top or several layers of kitchen paper, held

> on firmly by elastic or rubber band.

>

Oh yes, it's the same I use for kefir.

It's simly a paper towel, it should exactly a four layer of cellulose.

As far as I know, It should be fine

> My advice at present would be to do nothing but wait for about a week.

> If after an undisturbed week, no scoby has grown across the top of your

> brew, your Kombucha culture was probably damaged ....

In that case, I will buy another culture, maybe from a different vendor

> La pazienza lo ricompenser!

La pazienza ti ricompenserà

Thank you,

o

[Guest guest]

Hi, o, what is happening with scoby now?? any action? u say used apple

cider vinegar for starter liquid?? hmm, i have never done that, and most people

add the distilled white, or boil the apple cider vinegar to pasturize it. Still

no reason to panic, i am sure things are happening well if mother culture is

healthy!! Cheers!! J/G

>

> Hi,

> Hello from Italy.

>

> I'm new to this list.

> I bought a kombucha scooby recently and three days ago it arrived.

>

> I followed the istructions and prepared about 2 litre of black tea (with

> 3 tea bags) and added 160 grams of white sugar.

>

> Then I put the tea inside a 1.5 liter jar and allowed it to cool.

> As per istruction, in this first brew I added 3 tablespoons of apple

> cider vinegar as starter.

>

> I had to say that I had everything prepared for the arrive of the

> scooby, but I was in a hurry (had to go to work) and I fear that the tea

> didn't cool down sufficiently. I waited at least 1 hour after it boiled,

> and used icebag around the container the last 10 minutes to cool it even

> more.

>

> Said that, I put the scooby inside the jar, and closed the jar with pure

> cellulose paper towel secured with a rubber band.

>

> Now it's three days, the scooby sinks on the bottom and there is no

> activity, it seems. On top there is no film formation. I got some liquid

> with a sterile syringe and ph seems around 3, 3.5 - less than 4 for sure

>

> I just checked Jar temperature and is 18C (around 64F).

>

> Two questions:

> 1) Is the temperature too low ?

> 2) How do I know if the scooby has been killed by the temperature of the

> tea ?

>

>

> Thank you,

> o

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, o, what is happening with scoby now?? any action? u say used apple

cider vinegar for starter liquid?? hmm, i have never done that, and most people

add the distilled white, or boil the apple cider vinegar to pasturize it. Still

no reason to panic, i am sure things are happening well if mother culture is

healthy!! Cheers!! J/G

>

> Hi,

> Hello from Italy.

>

> I'm new to this list.

> I bought a kombucha scooby recently and three days ago it arrived.

>

> I followed the istructions and prepared about 2 litre of black tea (with

> 3 tea bags) and added 160 grams of white sugar.

>

> Then I put the tea inside a 1.5 liter jar and allowed it to cool.

> As per istruction, in this first brew I added 3 tablespoons of apple

> cider vinegar as starter.

>

> I had to say that I had everything prepared for the arrive of the

> scooby, but I was in a hurry (had to go to work) and I fear that the tea

> didn't cool down sufficiently. I waited at least 1 hour after it boiled,

> and used icebag around the container the last 10 minutes to cool it even

> more.

>

> Said that, I put the scooby inside the jar, and closed the jar with pure

> cellulose paper towel secured with a rubber band.

>

> Now it's three days, the scooby sinks on the bottom and there is no

> activity, it seems. On top there is no film formation. I got some liquid

> with a sterile syringe and ph seems around 3, 3.5 - less than 4 for sure

>

> I just checked Jar temperature and is 18C (around 64F).

>

> Two questions:

> 1) Is the temperature too low ?

> 2) How do I know if the scooby has been killed by the temperature of the

> tea ?

>

>

> Thank you,

> o

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Jahjet,

Well, I'm happy to say that after 4 days, a thin film scooby is forming

at top !

Can't take picture because I view from the side of the jar with a light,

without moving it and without taking off the paper towel.

Anyway, the apple cider vinegar I used is pasteurized. Here for the

unpasteurized one you have to go for organic stuff.

A question:

How do you taste KT to see if it's ready ? or, to put it better, how do

you take out the stuff ? You simply skew the jar and pour out some

liquid ?

How about the scooby at the top ?

Cheers,

o

Il giorno lun, 12/04/2010 alle 18.22 +0000, Jahjet ha scritto:

> Hi, o, what is happening with scoby now?? any action? u say used apple

cider vinegar for starter liquid?? hmm, i have never done that, and most people

add the distilled white, or boil the apple cider vinegar to pasturize it. Still

no reason to panic, i am sure things are happening well if mother culture is

healthy!! Cheers!! J/G

[Please, trim unnecessary bits off your post!]

[Guest guest]

In message <1271097952.1500.10.camel@...> you wrote:

>

> Well, I'm happy to say that after 4 days, a thin film scooby is forming

> at top !

Great show! So you didn't kill the culture. ;-)

> A question:

> How do you taste KT to see if it's ready ? or, to put it better, how do

> you take out the stuff ? You simply skew the jar and pour out some

> liquid ?

Yes, you can gently tip the container and pour out a small amount and drink

it.

Another way is to slide a straw down the side of the scoby and take some out

that way.

> How about the scooby at the top ?

Either way the scoby doesn't seem to mind too much!

Amicevole,

Margret:-) Bavarian in the UK

--

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

http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk/family/scobygrow/home.html

http://bavarianminstrel.wordpress.com

creation.com

'Because he loves me, I will rescue him; I will protect him,

for he acknowledges my name.' Psalm 91:14

[Guest guest]

Good news, o, thanks for letting us know! A delicate new scobie,just wait

a little longer.. tillit fattens up alittle.. J/G

>

> Hi Jahjet,

>

> Well, I'm happy to say that after 4 days, a thin film scooby is forming

> at top !

>

> Can't take picture because I view from the side of the jar with a light,

> without moving it and without taking off the paper towel.

>

> Anyway, the apple cider vinegar I used is pasteurized. Here for the

> unpasteurized one you have to go for organic stuff.

>

> A question:

> How do you taste KT to see if it's ready ? or, to put it better, how do

> you take out the stuff ? You simply skew the jar and pour out some

> liquid ?

> How about the scooby at the top ?

>

>

> Cheers,

> o

>

>

> Il giorno lun, 12/04/2010 alle 18.22 +0000, Jahjet ha scritto:

> > Hi, o, what is happening with scoby now?? any action? u say used apple

cider vinegar for starter liquid?? hmm, i have never done that, and most people

add the distilled white, or boil the apple cider vinegar to pasturize it. Still

no reason to panic, i am sure things are happening well if mother culture is

healthy!! Cheers!! J/G

>

> [Please, trim unnecessary bits off your post!]

>

[Guest guest]

This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha2.jpg

There is a nice scooby on top.

I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

tablespoon of

apple cider vinegar.

I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

intestine,

and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

It seems I produce a lot of acid

What do you think about ?

Cheers,

o

[Guest guest]

This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha2.jpg

There is a nice scooby on top.

I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

tablespoon of

apple cider vinegar.

I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

intestine,

and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

It seems I produce a lot of acid

What do you think about ?

Cheers,

o

[Guest guest]

Great picture of your KT, beautiful SCOBY

How about fizz? Im impressed you did all that without KT starter.

J

From: kombucha tea

[mailto:kombucha tea ] On Behalf Of o Sebastiano

Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2010 3:53 AM

kombucha tea

Subject: Re: first batch, temperature and fermentation

This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha2.jpg

There is a nice scooby on top.

I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

tablespoon of

apple cider vinegar.

I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

intestine,

and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

It seems I produce a lot of acid

What do you think about ?

Cheers,

o

[Guest guest]

Great picture of your KT, beautiful SCOBY

How about fizz? Im impressed you did all that without KT starter.

J

From: kombucha tea

[mailto:kombucha tea ] On Behalf Of o Sebastiano

Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2010 3:53 AM

kombucha tea

Subject: Re: first batch, temperature and fermentation

This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha2.jpg

There is a nice scooby on top.

I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

tablespoon of

apple cider vinegar.

I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

intestine,

and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

It seems I produce a lot of acid

What do you think about ?

Cheers,

o

[Guest guest]

I just tasted it.

To my surprise, it was good to me, but still too sweet.

There was no tastable fizz

Before starting drinking KT I have to make some bowel analisys, so I

discarded this first batch and made a second one to ferment, this time

with the KT starter

This is the first scooby:

http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha3.jpg

The second one should be more thick I think

Regards,

o

[Guest guest]

I just tasted it.

To my surprise, it was good to me, but still too sweet.

There was no tastable fizz

Before starting drinking KT I have to make some bowel analisys, so I

discarded this first batch and made a second one to ferment, this time

with the KT starter

This is the first scooby:

http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha3.jpg

The second one should be more thick I think

Regards,

o

[Guest guest]

o: If the ACV that you used was from a bottle containing the mother, then

most likely you are not only brewing kt but apple cider vinegar as well. I have

a chart from my doctor listing groups of foods, drinks, spices, etc. ranging

from most alkaline to most acidic. Kombucha is under " more alkaline " - next to

the highest alkaline, which is " most alkaline. " It does seem to taste acidic

but has an alkalizing affect on the body. An ACV scoby looks just like a KT

scoby.

16a.

Re: first batch, temperature and fermentation

Posted by: " o Sebastiano " roberto.sebastiano@...

robertosebastiano@...

Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:24 am (PDT)

This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

http://dite. homeip.net/ kombucha/ kombucha2. jpg

There is a nice scooby on top.

I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

tablespoon of

apple cider vinegar.

I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

intestine,

and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

It seems I produce a lot of acid

What do you think about ?

Cheers,

o

[Guest guest]

o: If the ACV that you used was from a bottle containing the mother, then

most likely you are not only brewing kt but apple cider vinegar as well. I have

a chart from my doctor listing groups of foods, drinks, spices, etc. ranging

from most alkaline to most acidic. Kombucha is under " more alkaline " - next to

the highest alkaline, which is " most alkaline. " It does seem to taste acidic

but has an alkalizing affect on the body. An ACV scoby looks just like a KT

scoby.

16a.

Re: first batch, temperature and fermentation

Posted by: " o Sebastiano " roberto.sebastiano@...

robertosebastiano@...

Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:24 am (PDT)

This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

http://dite. homeip.net/ kombucha/ kombucha2. jpg

There is a nice scooby on top.

I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

tablespoon of

apple cider vinegar.

I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

intestine,

and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

It seems I produce a lot of acid

What do you think about ?

Cheers,

o

[Guest guest]

I read a post somewhere by a lady who said that her husband had something wrong

with his stomach and the kombucha started to bother him after drinking it for a

little while. She said he drank either red dessert clay or pascalite clay mixed

in water for awhile and continued to drink the kombucha. After awhile his

stomach healed and he was able to discontinue the clay. I read the post last

year some time, and I'm not sure which list it was on.

Betsy

>

> This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

>

> http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha2.jpg

>

> There is a nice scooby on top.

> I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

> All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

> tablespoon of

> apple cider vinegar.

>

> I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

> Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

> intestine,

> and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

>

> I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

> It seems I produce a lot of acid

>

> What do you think about ?

>

> Cheers,

> o

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I read a post somewhere by a lady who said that her husband had something wrong

with his stomach and the kombucha started to bother him after drinking it for a

little while. She said he drank either red dessert clay or pascalite clay mixed

in water for awhile and continued to drink the kombucha. After awhile his

stomach healed and he was able to discontinue the clay. I read the post last

year some time, and I'm not sure which list it was on.

Betsy

>

> This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

>

> http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha2.jpg

>

> There is a nice scooby on top.

> I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

> All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

> tablespoon of

> apple cider vinegar.

>

> I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

> Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

> intestine,

> and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

>

> I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

> It seems I produce a lot of acid

>

> What do you think about ?

>

> Cheers,

> o

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Aha! red dirt,used in US for long time by folks, i do ocasionally mix with

psyllium or clay, but I love Fennel!! Good Eats, and great in second

ferment!..Jahjet..Jahjet

> >

> > This is my kombucha after 10 days of brewing.

> >

> > http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha2.jpg

> >

> > There is a nice scooby on top.

> > I added a heat mat to raise the temperature, it helped a lot

> > All this without the KT starter, only the scooby, tea, sugar and 3

> > tablespoon of

> > apple cider vinegar.

> >

> > I will make a second batch today with this KT as starter.

> > Now to the sad part, I have a gastritis and an inflammation in the upper

> > intestine,

> > and I'm using acidity blockers to heal this.

> >

> > I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

> > It seems I produce a lot of acid

> >

> > What do you think about ?

> >

> > Cheers,

> > o

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Not if the apple cider vinegar is pasteurized.

For the alkalizing part, I doubt that kombucha can alkalize the body in

the long run, the ph is low and there are no minerals in it.

This is my understanding of it, not a definitive word.

I'll try to drink the next batch

Thank you,

o

[Guest guest]

AH! Nice Scoby and baby! I would drink tiny portions at a time, and build up. It

is sour, and alkalizing. Great stuff this is! I think it would heal you! We

probably all do.. Cheers, Jahjet

>

> I just tasted it.

>

> To my surprise, it was good to me, but still too sweet.

> There was no tastable fizz

>

> Before starting drinking KT I have to make some bowel analisys, so I

> discarded this first batch and made a second one to ferment, this time

> with the KT starter

>

> This is the first scooby:

> http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha3.jpg

>

>

>

> The second one should be more thick I think

>

> Regards,

> o

>

[Guest guest]

o , i hope you will put mom back in there it looked like a nice momma

scobie, so what were your plans on that? I would keep baby on top! Jahjet

> >

> > I just tasted it.

> >

> > To my surprise, it was good to me, but still too sweet.

> > There was no tastable fizz

> >

> > Before starting drinking KT I have to make some bowel analisys, so I

> > discarded this first batch and made a second one to ferment, this time

> > with the KT starter

> >

> > This is the first scooby:

> > http://dite.homeip.net/kombucha/kombucha3.jpg

> >

> >

> >

> > The second one should be more thick I think

> >

> > Regards,

> > o

> >

>

[Guest guest]

" I'm not sure if I can drink Kombucha Tea

It seems I produce a lot of acid "

From what I've been reading, KT is excellent for Acid Reflux, so if that's what

your concerned about, go for it!

Warmly,

Velma

[Guest guest]

Mother is in, I discarded the first baby

I will post photos

--

o

[Guest guest]

o, it has a balancing, alkalizing effect on the body,( i was trying to

say>>) Cheers Jahjet

>

> Not if the apple cider vinegar is pasteurized.

>

> For the alkalizing part, I doubt that kombucha can alkalize the body in

> the long run, the ph is low and there are no minerals in it.

>

> This is my understanding of it, not a definitive word.

>

> I'll try to drink the next batch

>

> Thank you,

> o

>

[Guest guest]

o, it has a balancing, alkalizing effect on the body,( i was trying to

say>>) Cheers Jahjet

>

> Not if the apple cider vinegar is pasteurized.

>

> For the alkalizing part, I doubt that kombucha can alkalize the body in

> the long run, the ph is low and there are no minerals in it.

>

> This is my understanding of it, not a definitive word.

>

> I'll try to drink the next batch

>

> Thank you,

> o

>