Guest guest Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I feel weird being the one giving advice to someone who's been doing this for years given that I started less than a year ago, but here goes... When I make tea, I allow the water to boil for a few minutes. I then add sugar and allow it to boil for a few more minutes. I then take it off heat and add the tea. I usually allow it to steep for upwards of 15 minutes (in some cases hours simply because I forgot). I use far more starter than " required " simply because I am lazy and I use a continuous brewing system. That's pretty much all I do.. hope this helps. My starter is very acidic, as my brew is usually pretty acidic. The only thing you might be doing wrong I can think of... do you boil the sugar in the water for a while? > > Hi Folks, > > I have been brewing KT for years, without incident. I had a hotel with about 15 perfect and healthy SCOBYs in a 2 gal. jar, and a gorgeous, effervescent batch going at all times, using a nice big 1-1/2 gal. glass container. I began traveling back and forth between OH and CA a couple of times a year, and my brew became a bit neglected. I returned home (CA) permanently, and started getting my batch going again, but alas, I think too much time passed and the SCOBYs were too starved to revive (though I fed the hotel the occasional sugar-tea fix). > > My buddy gave me his continuous brew in another 2-gal. glass container, and within no time at my house, it molded. I threw out the moldy batch and composted ALL of the lifeless SCOBYs -- mine and his. I scrubbed out each and every KT brew and hotel jar, and let them sit with bleach overnight, then scrubbed out again in the AM. I found a two SCOBYs with starter donated in my area, and began from scratch again, with two simultaneous batches -- one white tea, one green tea in my KT brew jar, and one in my friend's (now bleached and cleaned) donated continuous brew jar. I bought new organic raw turbinado sugar, used filtered water from a local dispenser and set out anxiously awaiting my new brews. > > BOTH BREWS began molding over within 5 days!! So, I'm once again faced with throwing out all batches and SCOBYs, and starting completely over. I cover my jars with a flour-sack cloth (just a square of cotton cloth) and rubberband around the mouth, and one sits under a towel (for light control) on the counter corner, and the other in a closed cabinet. I did NOT use new cloths the last time. > > I've now thrown away about 5 gallons of potential tea, and 20 SCOBYs, overall. I don't know what's causing it, what to do to prevent it, or how to get back onto my good regular brew cycle. And, I am now out of SCOBYs and local sources. > > I've looked through the message archives, but don't see anything specific to advise me. Any help/advice is most appreciated! > (Also, if anyone has any amazingly healthy SCOBYs with some good acidic starter, I will gladly pay shipping -- I'm in So. CA) > > THANKS! > Mel > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Mel, Did you ever figure this out ? Just curious, I think it would help others if you did and you posted what you did to fix the problem! Cheers! P.S. I can still send you stuff if you need it. > > Hi Folks, > > I have been brewing KT for years, without incident. I had a hotel with about 15 perfect and healthy SCOBYs in a 2 gal. jar, and a gorgeous, effervescent batch going at all times, using a nice big 1-1/2 gal. glass container. I began traveling back and forth between OH and CA a couple of times a year, and my brew became a bit neglected. I returned home (CA) permanently, and started getting my batch going again, but alas, I think too much time passed and the SCOBYs were too starved to revive (though I fed the hotel the occasional sugar-tea fix). > > My buddy gave me his continuous brew in another 2-gal. glass container, and within no time at my house, it molded. I threw out the moldy batch and composted ALL of the lifeless SCOBYs -- mine and his. I scrubbed out each and every KT brew and hotel jar, and let them sit with bleach overnight, then scrubbed out again in the AM. I found a two SCOBYs with starter donated in my area, and began from scratch again, with two simultaneous batches -- one white tea, one green tea in my KT brew jar, and one in my friend's (now bleached and cleaned) donated continuous brew jar. I bought new organic raw turbinado sugar, used filtered water from a local dispenser and set out anxiously awaiting my new brews. > > BOTH BREWS began molding over within 5 days!! So, I'm once again faced with throwing out all batches and SCOBYs, and starting completely over. I cover my jars with a flour-sack cloth (just a square of cotton cloth) and rubberband around the mouth, and one sits under a towel (for light control) on the counter corner, and the other in a closed cabinet. I did NOT use new cloths the last time. > > I've now thrown away about 5 gallons of potential tea, and 20 SCOBYs, overall. I don't know what's causing it, what to do to prevent it, or how to get back onto my good regular brew cycle. And, I am now out of SCOBYs and local sources. > > I've looked through the message archives, but don't see anything specific to advise me. Any help/advice is most appreciated! > (Also, if anyone has any amazingly healthy SCOBYs with some good acidic starter, I will gladly pay shipping -- I'm in So. CA) > > THANKS! > Mel > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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