Re: Organic Ingredients

[Guest guest]

In message <ef7tj9+fsvseGroups> you wrote:

> I have been reading a lot on the internet and one site has mentioned that

> using organic ingredients to brew your KT will cause mold. Have any of you

> experienced this?

No, .

> Also, all this addition of fruit, I am SO excited about it.

> But, am I reading correctly? It's okay to introduce this right

> from the start of the brew process?

I use elderflower/berries right from the start of the brewing process,

but I do not use the culture on for further ordinary Kombucha.

I would advise you to first get a good amount of ordinary Kombucha

cultures before branching out into fruity/flowery experiments.

It is important to use proper tea (camellia sinensis) with Kombucha.

I find that the best KT results from a mixture of green and black or

green and oolong teas. It also doesn't matter whether you use tea bags

or open-leaved tea. I use about 1 dessertspoon/2 bags per quart of water.

> So many questions and I am aure I will have so many more but,

> I am terrified of contamination.

Your best ally against contamination is distilled vinegar, cleaning your

vessels and implements, kitchen surface and hands with it.

Once the Kombucha is established and acclimatised in your home it is

a very strong 'beasty' and well able to look after itself, provided you

add enough acidity via ready fermented or distilled/pasteurised vinegar

at the beginning of the brewing process.

> Lastly, have any of you bought your mommas from commercial avenues? How

> did that work out for you? I am figuring that even if I spend all that

> money and end up with a bad culture, at least I can just start over and

> already have everything

I've had both experiences. The cultures I got free (just for postage)

from other homebrewers were far superior to the commercial on I had, which

doesn't have to mean that commercial ones are always inferior, as it is

in their own best interest to provide good viable cultures.

Part of the Kombucha ethos however, IMO, is the sharing aspect, that brewers

freely share their good cultures for free.

kombuchaly,

Margret:-)

--

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A Saviour not quite God is a bridge broken at the

Fa®ther end. (Bishop Handley Moule)

[Guest guest]

>I have been reading a lot on the internet and one site has mentioned that

>using organic ingredients to brew your KT will cause mold. Have any of you

>experienced this?

That claim against organic is false. There are some odd claims out there

in the kombucha world. By no means is every site on kombucha reliable in

all respects, whether they have a commercial interest or not.

>I have not read through ALL the past posts. I DO have to study for school at

>some point *laughs*. So, if it has been addressed before, please forgive me

>and chalk it up to me being a newbie

It's okay to ask questions... certain questions do come up over and over,

but for every person willing to ask a question there are several lurkers

who have the same question but are too shy to post, or who didn't know they

had the question till it was asked. Reading the past posts can be

problematic because sometimes people on this list make statements that turn

out to be false or ill-advised, and that might not be apparent unless one

read every single post in a given thread. As Bev mentioned recently when

this came up, it's better to read the files that are posted on the site

rather than old posts.

>Also, all this addition of fruit, I am SO excited about it. But, am I

>reading

>correctly? It's okay to introduce this right from the start of the brew

>process?

A lot of people add fruit to the bottles when they decant the KT from the

brewing vessel, and this poses no problems in terms of

contamination. Adding fruit for fermentation is less common and it's

important to keep a " clean " fermenting SCOBY. For beginners, I think it's

best to stick with adding fruit and/or herbs and other flavorings at the

bottling stage and stick with plain KT brewing in the vessel until you

really get your KT legs under you.

Fruit always contains other microorganisms including molds, so adding fruit

to the fermenting stage adds risk of contamination. Even though the risk

may be small, when you're just starting out it's better to keep the

variables at a minimum. That way if something goes wrong you can pinpoint

it more easily, plus until you've got a supply of backup SCOBYs it would be

a disaster if something goes wrong, whether rapid or less-obvious.

Uninterrupted supply is usually the KT devotee's dream, and that requires

minimizing risk. It's more logistically complicated and difficult than it

might at first seem, just to consistently keep supplied, getting into the

rhythm and staying there. For example, it's very easy to put off starting

a new brew for several days and then running out of KT as a result. Or,

the weather changes and the brew suddenly slows way down and you run out.

>So many questions and I am aure I will have so many more but, I am

>terrified of

>contamination.

Right. Really, at first, don't ferment with fruit (put it in the bottles).

>Lastly, have any of you bought your mommas from commercial avenues? How

>did that work out for you? I am figuring that even if I spend all that

>money and

>end up with a bad culture, at least I can just start over and already have

>everything

>I need.

I think you made the right choice for yourself at this time. However, I'm

a strong proponent of the ethos of trading for cost of shipping between

home brewers. Once you've been brewing and you see how strong the kombucha

culture actually is, you'll gain more confidence.

--V

~~~ There is no way to peace; peace is the way ~~~~

--A.J. Muste

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I have been using only Certified Organic teas and sugar (Wholesome

brand) for my Kombucha since 1994. Never had mold or any other problem

and always have fizzy delicious Kombucha tea. Now the teas and sugar I

use are also Fair Traded which means the people growing and processing

them make a living wage.

Both tea and sugar can have very toxic chemicals used in their

cultivation - fertilizers and pesticides and since they are not grown

in the US some of those chemicals may be ones that are banned here.

If there was ever a time to use Organic it would be in making healthy

Kombucha for you and your family.

Peace, Love and Harmony,

Bev

KOMBUCHA MANNA DROPS: Safe, Convenient, Effective and Easy to use.

Great for travel, work, and everyday along with your KT:-))

http://KMI.mannainternational.com

MANNA GREEN AND WHITE TEA EXTRACT -

Liquid Drops of Green & White Teas.

http://GTE.mannainternational.com

100% Certified Organic Ingredients and packaged in glass only!

- In original_kombucha , " summerseve522 "

wrote:

>

> I have been reading a lot on the internet and one site has mentioned

that

> using organic ingredients to brew your KT will cause mold. Have any

of you

> experienced this?

>

> We have only organic ingredients for any food making in my home. I

have

> NO problem running out to buy regular sugar and regular tea to brew the

> best Kombucha possible but, I am a little worried about this though

and want

> to make sure I do all the right things.

>

> I have not read through ALL the past posts. I DO have to study for

school at

> some point *laughs*. So, if it has been addressed before, please

forgive me

> and chalk it up to me being a newbie

>

> Also, all this addition of fruit, I am SO excited about it. But, am

I reading

> correctly? It's okay to introduce this right from the start of the

brew process?

> So many questions and I am aure I will have so many more but, I am

terrified of

> contamination.

>

> Lastly, have any of you bought your mommas from commercial avenues?

How

> did that work out for you? I am figuring that even if I spend all

that money and

> end up with a bad culture, at least I can just start over and

already have everything

> I need.

>

> Thanks everyone

>

> --

>

[Guest guest]

Well stated Bev !V

> Hi ,

>

> I have been using only Certified Organic teas and sugar (Wholesome

> brand) for my Kombucha since 1994. Never had mold or any other problem

> and always have fizzy delicious Kombucha tea. Now the teas and sugar I

> use are also Fair Traded which means the people growing and processing

> them make a living wage.

>

> Both tea and sugar can have very toxic chemicals used in their

> cultivation - fertilizers and pesticides and since they are not grown

> in the US some of those chemicals may be ones that are banned here.

>

> If there was ever a time to use Organic it would be in making healthy

> Kombucha for you and your family.

>

> Peace, Love and Harmony,

> Bev

> KOMBUCHA MANNA DROPS: Safe, Convenient, Effective and Easy to use.

> Great for travel, work, and everyday along with your KT:-))

> http://KMI.mannainternational.com

> MANNA GREEN AND WHITE TEA EXTRACT -

> Liquid Drops of Green & White Teas.

> http://GTE.mannainternational.com

> 100% Certified Organic Ingredients and packaged in glass only!

>

> - In original_kombucha , " summerseve522 "

> wrote:

> >

> > I have been reading a lot on the internet and one site has mentioned

> that

> > using organic ingredients to brew your KT will cause mold. Have any

> of you

> > experienced this?

> >

> > We have only organic ingredients for any food making in my home. I

> have

> > NO problem running out to buy regular sugar and regular tea to

> brew the

> > best Kombucha possible but, I am a little worried about this though

> and want

> > to make sure I do all the right things.

> >

> > I have not read through ALL the past posts. I DO have to study for

> school at

> > some point *laughs*. So, if it has been addressed before, please

> forgive me

> > and chalk it up to me being a newbie

> >

> > Also, all this addition of fruit, I am SO excited about it. But, am

> I reading

> > correctly? It's okay to introduce this right from the start of the

> brew process?

> > So many questions and I am aure I will have so many more but, I am

> terrified of

> > contamination.

> >

> > Lastly, have any of you bought your mommas from commercial avenues?

> How

> > did that work out for you? I am figuring that even if I spend all

> that money and

> > end up with a bad culture, at least I can just start over and

> already have everything

> > I need.

> >

> > Thanks everyone

> >

> > --

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Bi Bev,

Well I am releaved to hear good reports about organic and kombucha.

Would you please email me your supply sites for the tea n sugar.

Thank you,

Audrey

<snippet>>

> I have been using only Certified Organic teas and sugar (Wholesome

> brand) for my Kombucha since 1994. Never had mold or any other

problem

> and always have fizzy delicious Kombucha tea. Now the teas and

sugar I

> use are also Fair Traded which means the people growing and

processing

> them make a living wage.

>

> Both tea and sugar can have very toxic chemicals used in their

> cultivation - fertilizers and pesticides and since they are not

grown

> in the US some of those chemicals may be ones that are banned here.

>

> If there was ever a time to use Organic it would be in making

healthy

> Kombucha for you and your family.

>

> Peace, Love and Harmony,

> Bev

[Guest guest]

Thank you V,

I am glad to see that there are pro organic reports being published.

Audrey

<snippet>>

> What bothers me most about that claim that organic sugar and teas

will

> increase mold risk is that there is simply no basis in science or

fact for

> this claim. It is at base an anti-organic prejudice, one that has

been

> being repeated for years by people who argue for the status quo.

Well we

> know where the status quo is getting us, right? Organic is the only

way if

> we want a future.

> --V

[Guest guest]

Hi Audrey,

I buy wholesale in bulk but I believe you can get Choice Certified

Organic Teas on line and the same with Wholesome Organic Sugar both

also come in Fair Traded versions which means the people who grow and

process them earn a living wage....

Just type either of the above into a search engine. if you can't find

them I

will try to look them up for you when I have more time...

Happy Healthy Brewing EveryOne,

Peace, Love and Harmony,

Bev

Sign up for the FREE Kombucha Manna International Newsletter

http://users.bestweb.net/~om/kmi/news.html

KOMBUCHA MANNA DROPS: Safe, Convenient, Effective and Easy to use.

Great for travel, work, and everyday along with your KT:-))

http://KMI.mannainternational.com

-- In original_kombucha , " Audrey " wrote:

>

> Bi Bev,

> Well I am releaved to hear good reports about organic and kombucha.

> Would you please email me your supply sites for the tea n sugar.

> Thank you,

> Audrey

>

> <snippet>>

> > I have been using only Certified Organic teas and sugar (Wholesome

> > brand) for my Kombucha since 1994. Never had mold or any other

> problem

> > and always have fizzy delicious Kombucha tea. Now the teas and

> sugar I

> > use are also Fair Traded which means the people growing and

> processing

> > them make a living wage.

> >

> > Both tea and sugar can have very toxic chemicals used in their

> > cultivation - fertilizers and pesticides and since they are not

> grown

> > in the US some of those chemicals may be ones that are banned here.

> >

> > If there was ever a time to use Organic it would be in making

> healthy

> > Kombucha for you and your family.

> >

> > Peace, Love and Harmony,

> > Bev

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you Bev,

The term organic is not always a fair label, since many family are not

able to get certified due to cost or time, and may in fact be growing

organicly for a length of time. I just hope that that law could be

rectified so they could. I preffer to get organic/fair trade when I

can afford it. Lets just hope it gets more affordable on our end also.

I found the site you recomended.

Audrey

<snippet>>

> I buy wholesale in bulk but I believe you can get Choice Certified

> Organic Teas on line and the same with Wholesome Organic Sugar both

> also come in Fair Traded versions which means the people who grow and

> process them earn a living wage....

>

> Peace, Love and Harmony,

> Bev