Guest guest Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 In message <011901cbca0e$30403be0$90c0b3a0$@com> you wrote: > What does it mean when my KT seems to be fermenting quicker than the normal > 10 days? I have been making KT regularly for 4 months, and my last batch was > getting to a vinegar like taste in 10 days. Just now, its 5 days into > another batch, and I tasted it and its almost ready. 5 more days will be too > long. Not sure what is going on..I wonder if this matters much, but for two > batch cycles I splashed a small bit of ACV in the starter liquid that was > holding my scoby during the 5-6 days between brewing cycles. I am not doing > that any longer and it was only a small amount. Any ideas? Is there > something need to remedy? Thanks! Dear Victor, What you describe is completely normal. If you are in a warm climate, the speedier fermentation could very well be due to the multiplication of your yeast in the brew which eats the sugar faster as it multiplies. You need to discard the yeast on the bottom of your brewing jar at bottling time - I do that anyway as a matter of regular procedure, as I am a batch brewer. Even as a CF brewer you need to 'weed' your brew now and again to keep from becoming overgrown with too much yeast. Even in the cool UK climate, my brews have been accelerating recently. They can feel spring coming. They will take 7-8 days on average now, while in the deep winter they would take 10 days plus. Each brew finds its own level, and the only judge of when your brew is ready for consumption are YOUR tastebuds. If the acidity level is as you like it, bottle your brew and get rid of surplus yeast! As it's all a question of the right balance to get the best tasting and most efficacious brew I would recommend you read the website below, which has many useful tips to help you on the way! http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kombucha_balance/ Most kombuchaly, Margret, UK :-) -- +------------------ Minstrel@... --------------------+ http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk/family/scobygrow/home.html http://bavarianminstrel.wordpress.com http://www.hebrew4christians.com/index.html creation.com True peace only comes from Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 I had this happen and I discovered I was being too liberal with the amount of starter KT I was adding. I had also started using more tea without realizing it, so my sweet tea was alot stronger. The tea supplies the nitrogen which is part of the food for the bac and yeast so if there is more food, they act faster. After bottling(bottled the too sour stuff with some ginger and a bit of sugar in gallon containers. After several months of it sitting in the cold garage it actually mellowed and was good!), I cleaned out my containers and spigots and started again, making sure to only use 10% starter and 90% sweet tea and made my tea using only 4 teabags per gallon. I also lowered the temp in the brewing area pretty drastically (in the low 60's)It seems to have solved the problem fo me. Also, when I choose a scoby to brew with I choose the stongest one, one that doesn't tear or that I can't easily poke a hole in and I add one to two per 3 gallon batch. Hope this helps! Cheers, christine > > What does it mean when my KT seems to be fermenting quicker than the normal > 10 days? I have been making KT regularly for 4 months, and my last batch was > getting to a vinegar like taste in 10 days. Just now, its 5 days into > another batch, and I tasted it and its almost ready. 5 more days will be too > long. Not sure what is going on..I wonder if this matters much, but for two > batch cycles I splashed a small bit of ACV in the starter liquid that was > holding my scoby during the 5-6 days between brewing cycles. I am not doing > that any longer and it was only a small amount. Any ideas? Is there > something need to remedy? Thanks! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 I had this happen and I discovered I was being too liberal with the amount of starter KT I was adding. I had also started using more tea without realizing it, so my sweet tea was alot stronger. The tea supplies the nitrogen which is part of the food for the bac and yeast so if there is more food, they act faster. After bottling(bottled the too sour stuff with some ginger and a bit of sugar in gallon containers. After several months of it sitting in the cold garage it actually mellowed and was good!), I cleaned out my containers and spigots and started again, making sure to only use 10% starter and 90% sweet tea and made my tea using only 4 teabags per gallon. I also lowered the temp in the brewing area pretty drastically (in the low 60's)It seems to have solved the problem fo me. Also, when I choose a scoby to brew with I choose the stongest one, one that doesn't tear or that I can't easily poke a hole in and I add one to two per 3 gallon batch. Hope this helps! Cheers, christine > > What does it mean when my KT seems to be fermenting quicker than the normal > 10 days? I have been making KT regularly for 4 months, and my last batch was > getting to a vinegar like taste in 10 days. Just now, its 5 days into > another batch, and I tasted it and its almost ready. 5 more days will be too > long. Not sure what is going on..I wonder if this matters much, but for two > batch cycles I splashed a small bit of ACV in the starter liquid that was > holding my scoby during the 5-6 days between brewing cycles. I am not doing > that any longer and it was only a small amount. Any ideas? Is there > something need to remedy? Thanks! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 , I put a bit of Apple Cider Vinegar-ACV? I put it in my starter as well. I get 2 different opinions on the use of ACV. I believe it won't hurt your culture(s) as long as the ACV is pasteurized. But something more like from the health food market, like Bragg, is not pasteurized. It has something to do with the Mother in the Bragg, and the scoby. Hopefully someone will help me out here on my facts. I will let you know about my experience after having used the same thing. Subject: quick fermenting To: original_kombucha Date: Friday, February 11, 2011, 5:07 PM  What does it mean when my KT seems to be fermenting quicker than the normal 10 days? I have been making KT regularly for 4 months, and my last batch was getting to a vinegar like taste in 10 days. Just now, its 5 days into another batch, and I tasted it and its almost ready. 5 more days will be too long. Not sure what is going on..I wonder if this matters much, but for two batch cycles I splashed a small bit of ACV in the starter liquid that was holding my scoby during the 5-6 days between brewing cycles. I am not doing that any longer and it was only a small amount. Any ideas? Is there something need to remedy? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 , I put a bit of Apple Cider Vinegar-ACV? I put it in my starter as well. I get 2 different opinions on the use of ACV. I believe it won't hurt your culture(s) as long as the ACV is pasteurized. But something more like from the health food market, like Bragg, is not pasteurized. It has something to do with the Mother in the Bragg, and the scoby. Hopefully someone will help me out here on my facts. I will let you know about my experience after having used the same thing. Subject: quick fermenting To: original_kombucha Date: Friday, February 11, 2011, 5:07 PM  What does it mean when my KT seems to be fermenting quicker than the normal 10 days? I have been making KT regularly for 4 months, and my last batch was getting to a vinegar like taste in 10 days. Just now, its 5 days into another batch, and I tasted it and its almost ready. 5 more days will be too long. Not sure what is going on..I wonder if this matters much, but for two batch cycles I splashed a small bit of ACV in the starter liquid that was holding my scoby during the 5-6 days between brewing cycles. I am not doing that any longer and it was only a small amount. Any ideas? Is there something need to remedy? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2011 Report Share Posted February 12, 2011 Hi and EveryOne, It is only necessary to use vinegar for the first batch if you don't have any finished KT to use for starter. Although chances are your KT will do OK without the vinegar at all. The starter is just to quickly acidify the batch that is fermenting so that molds do not form. After you have made your own KT. it is better to use your own KT as starter for continuing batches. Mixing unpasteurized apple cider vinegar into your KT means that you are mixing the yeasts and bacteria in the vinegar with those of the Kombucha....better not to do so. Peace, Love and Harmony, Bev > > > Subject: quick fermenting > To: original_kombucha > Date: Friday, February 11, 2011, 5:07 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Â > > > > > > > > > > What does it mean when my KT seems to be fermenting quicker than the normal > > 10 days? I have been making KT regularly for 4 months, and my last batch was > > getting to a vinegar like taste in 10 days. Just now, its 5 days into > > another batch, and I tasted it and its almost ready. 5 more days will be too > > long. Not sure what is going on..I wonder if this matters much, but for two > > batch cycles I splashed a small bit of ACV in the starter liquid that was > > holding my scoby during the 5-6 days between brewing cycles. I am not doing > > that any longer and it was only a small amount. Any ideas? Is there > > something need to remedy? Thanks! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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