Guest guest Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Hi Dorene Just give it a good tasting. You're not necessarily looking for the best flavor, but the right sugar balance. If it's sickly sweet, it's not done. If it bites the back of your throat, it's turning into vinegar and well done. If it's somewhere in between, I guess it's probably time to bottle it. But treat it the same as any kombucha. I have my first two batches sitting in bottles right now, and they've been sitting there for a couple of weeks now. I'm waiting for the mushroom to become prolific enough that I can make a 'starter pot'. The kombucha from the first two batches were both sweet and vinegary at the same time, so they've been enjoying a secondary brew for a long time till the yeast dies off. Then they'll be perfect IMHO for keeping extra scobies in a starter culture. If i'm lucky I'll be putting together a pot next week. You might want to consider doing this with your first batch if it doesn't 'taste right'. But it doesn't need a perfect new mushroom each time to brew KT. Cheers, Yaakov 2006/8/4, equilady91@... : > In a message dated 8/4/2006 2:50:29 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > loupgaroublond@... writes: > It does look more developed this morning. So how long is the longest I > might want to leave it before harvesting it if it doesn't completely form? > Thanks, > Dorene > > > > Hi Dorene, > > It takes a few cycles for a SCOBY to get aclimated to its new climate > and jar. It doesn't even need to make a new SCOBY just to make > kombucha. You might find the first batch not as tasty as you would > like, but the thing with the first batch is that it only tastes better > afterwards. All you need to do, like the others said, use some of > your old kombucha from the first batch to make the second, from the > second to make the third, etc.... and you'll see your scoby start to > grow pretty quickly. > > Cheers, > Yaakov > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Hi Bill, Normaly it would be only at least 10% right, because that is what I've been told also. Audrey <snippet> add to Pat's post You might want to leave about 20 - 25% of your > fist batch as starter for your second batch and let it work for about > a week before adding your sweet tea to start your second batch. > > Bill > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Hi V, Bev & Ed So how long on the counter did you say to second ferment it for, sorry for asking again. I need to catch it sooner to bottle it, been usualy letting it goe to the bite stage. Well between Ed, Bev and V I am going to get this system worked out. Audrey <snippet>> > Just give it a good tasting. You're not necessarily looking for the > best flavor, but the right sugar balance. If it's sickly sweet, it's > not done. If it bites the back of your throat, it's turning into > vinegar and well done. If it's somewhere in between, I guess it's > probably time to bottle it. But treat it the same as any kombucha. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Oh. It's not about the SCOBY formation, it's about how it tastes. Taste it. It may be more than ready already. --V >It does look more developed this morning. So how long is the longest I >might want to leave it before harvesting it if it doesn't completely form? >Thanks, >Dorene ~~~ There is no way to peace; peace is the way ~~~~ --A.J. Muste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 >I have my first two batches sitting in bottles right now, and they've >been sitting there for a couple of weeks now. I'm waiting for the >mushroom to become prolific enough that I can make a 'starter pot'. Usually a starter pot is developed as a side project as one gets brewing and SCOBY start generating and needing a place to be stored. It's not an end in itself, drinking the KT is the first priority, or should be. Starter pot as focus seems a bit off balance. >The kombucha from the first two batches were both sweet and vinegary >at the same time, so they've been enjoying a secondary brew for a long >time till the yeast dies off. I don't understand. Sweet and vinegary at same time is called tart, and that's the very taste we are going for. And, we don't kill off the yeast in order to drink KT. The yeast is not bad, it is not like candida, in fact some say it may displace candida in the body, and certainly people have cleared up candida by drinking KT. So why is it you think the yeast needs to be killed off? >Then they'll be perfect IMHO for >keeping extra scobies in a starter culture. If i'm lucky I'll be >putting together a pot next week. You might want to consider doing >this with your first batch if it doesn't 'taste right'. I guess I'm not clear what taste you are going for if tart is not it for you? I mean, as you described the taste of your KT it sounds fine. This is why I argue for simplicity. I feel like you've somehow been convinced your KT isn't adequate. I'm very confused by what you're saying, Yaakov. Why is it you're not drinking your KT? --V ~~~ There is no way to peace; peace is the way ~~~~ --A.J. Muste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Hi Audrey, Here is what I do now with my KT....I use the Continuous Fermentation method and just drink the KT from the jar spigot each day, adding more tea, sugar, water mixture as needed. Before using the Continuous Fermentation method I used the 2 gallon " cookie " jars from Anchor Hocking and made a gallon in each one. When it was ready.... I like a seven day brew....I poured off the gallon into a gallon jug with a plastic screw cap and kept it on my counter in the kitchen. Each day or several times a day it was opened to pour a drink of KT. Sometimes I made an extra gallon and bottled it in liter wine bottles with a ceramic cork and wire bales and put them in the back of my fridge. Those are the ones that I aged and brought out for special occasions. If I plan to age a bottle of KT I don't leave it out on the counter at all, I just decant it, bottle it and put it in the fridge. Since the fridge is dark inside no need to worry about the color of the bottle so any glass bottle will do for storing in the fridge. Years ago when I made Kombucha Manna Tea for sale, I had nine of the two gallon jars going per week with a gallon and a half in each of them. I poured them off into 1/2 gallon glass milk bottles and flavored them ( we had 17 flavors of KT then) and then poured them into the liter and pint sizes I sold in the health food stores. They were refrigerated in the health food store too. There are many ways to do this whole process and it can be very simple, you will find the way that works the best for you. Peace, Love and Harmony, Bev All our products are made with 100% Certified ORGANIC Ingredients. Made and packaged in glass only! KOMBUCHA MANNA DROPS - Safe,Convenient, Effective and Easy to use. http://KMI.mannainternational.com MANNA GREEN AND WHITE TEA EXTRACT Liquid Drops of Green & White Tea. http://GTE.mannainternational.com > > Hi V, Bev & Ed > So how long on the counter did you say to second ferment it for, sorry > for asking again. I need to catch it sooner to bottle it, been usualy > letting it goe to the bite stage. Well between Ed, Bev and V I am > going to get this system worked out. > Audrey > > > <snippet>> > > Just give it a good tasting. You're not necessarily looking for the > > best flavor, but the right sugar balance. If it's sickly sweet, it's > > not done. If it bites the back of your throat, it's turning into > > vinegar and well done. If it's somewhere in between, I guess it's > > probably time to bottle it. But treat it the same as any kombucha. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Hi Audrey The 10% starter is the accepted amount for brewing KT. Like all things connected with KT the individual brewer goes with what works best for him. For my gallon batches I use 3 quartes of sweet tea and 14 oz starter (about 15%) and brew for 9 days. This gives me a PH of around 2.8 and a slight sweet taste I like. My recommendation below was for a new SCOBE. In SCOBE I've started in quart jars I've noticed that thickness grown is faster during 15 to 30 day period than the first 15 days. The 20 - 25% recommendation was to help the new growth. Bill At 07:55 AM 8/4/2006 Friday, you wrote: >Hi Bill, >Normaly it would be only at least 10% right, because that is what I've >been told also. >Audrey > ><snippet> >add to Pat's post You might want to leave about 20 - 25% of your > > fist batch as starter for your second batch and let it work for >about > > a week before adding your sweet tea to start your second batch. > > > > Bill > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Oh no I did not meant that how it came out, sorry Bill. That wsa not meant for the person you were helping with there special need. I also use more now, that is just what I was told when I first started if you had a healthy scoby. Audrey <snippet> > The 10% starter is the accepted amount for brewing KT. Like all > things connected with KT the individual brewer goes with what works > best for him. > Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Hi Bill, The part about how much sugar to be using. Audrey <snippet> Will be more than willing to accept the > " sorry " but for the life of me I can not see what it's for. > > Bill > > > > > At 05:34 PM 8/6/2006 Sunday, you wrote: > > >Oh no I did not meant that how it came out, sorry Bill. That wsa not > >meant for the person you were helping with there special need. I also > >use more now, that is just what I was told when I first started if you > >had a healthy scoby. > >Audrey > > > ><snippet> > > > The 10% starter is the accepted amount for brewing KT. Like all > > > things connected with KT the individual brewer goes with what works > > > best for him. > > > Bill > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Hi, I think that brand flavor tea sounds yummy for when i get extra scobies started again. Audrey <snippet> > > I use 6 Celestial sonings Red Raspberry green tea bags and 2 Yogi > Green tea rejuvenation tea bags. 1 cup of sugar to a not quite gallon > of water. After it's cooled, I pour it into a gallon jar and add a > cup of starter from the last batch and a new mushroom. It makes a > delicious refreshing kombucha. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hey Bev, > > The russian lady that called me asked what mixture of tea I use, > and > > said she uses all black, if someone were to use all of one kind > black > > or green, how would that work out. I know I've read something about > > it, and seen so many combinations, know one makes thicker other > makes > > fster and green healther, so what about black then? > > thanks for the help, sorry if been forgetful, been stressed with > > glasses broken. > > Audrey > > > > > > <snippet> > > > Here is what I do now with my KT....I use the Continuous > Fermentation > > > method and just drink the KT from the jar spigot each day, adding > > more > > > tea, sugar, water mixture as needed. > > > > > > Before using the Continuous Fermentation method I used the 2 > gallon > > > " cookie " jars from Anchor Hocking and made a gallon in each one. > When > > > it was ready.... I like a seven day brew....I poured off the > gallon > > > into a gallon jug with a plastic screw cap and kept it on my > counter > > > in the kitchen. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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