GT's raw kombucha

[Guest guest]

Is it possible to grow a culture from GT's raw original kombucha that

you can get from the health food store and if so would it have the

same benefits as a homemade culture. Also is there any special

preperation i would have to do like letting it sit to room temp and if

so how many hours or days do i let it sit before making the batch

[Guest guest]

Yes, it is possible to grow a culture from GT's. I found one in the store with

a tiny

scoby at the top of the bottle so I used the full bottle as a starter and made a

full

batch of tea successfully. I have also known people to take the bottom 1/4 of

each of

four bottles of GT's with as many solids as possible and start from that.

>

> Is it possible to grow a culture from GT's raw original kombucha that

> you can get from the health food store and if so would it have the

> same benefits as a homemade culture. Also is there any special

> preperation i would have to do like letting it sit to room temp and if

> so how many hours or days do i let it sit before making the batch

>

[Guest guest]

I have known a number of people who have done this, and I've given out

instructions on how to do it. Some people have concerns, however, that

kombucha started in this manner may not be true kombucha. I've tasted

people's KT that came from this method, and it tastes very much like

kombucha to me, brews the same, etc.

What is really very important, however, is that anyone who does it uses on

the PLAIN variety of GTs, not the Synergy types with fruit juices or the

other combinations with ginger, citrus, etc. Those additions definitely

increase the chances of the resultant brew having constituents that aren't

traditionally kombucha. I observe that the major commercial producers all

add their flavorings AFTER the initial fermentation, during bottling.

I recently accidentally let a 1/2 bottle of GTs Synergy with mango added

sit around for a couple of weeks unrefrigerated. The brew smelled better

than it had, and it tasted lots better, not as sweet with mango. However,

there was a culture growing in it, and that culture was not kombucha. It

was the fibrous type culture that grows in fruit juices. I'm pretty sure

that the fruit juice and other flavors added brought in a different organism.

I think it is better to start with a small batch in a quart jar, started

with GTs, and leave it undisturbed for a couple of weeks. The resulting KT

may be too acidic to enjoy, but the resultant SCOBY and all of the liquid

can be used to start the next brew in a gallon-size vessel with a very

strong start.

Again, the question of exactly what do you get when you culture commercial

KT is still open. It seems to produce kombucha, but longtime brewers

express concern.

--V

>Yes, it is possible to grow a culture from GT's. I found one in the

>store with a tiny

>scoby at the top of the bottle so I used the full bottle as a starter and

>made a full

>batch of tea successfully. I have also known people to take the bottom

>1/4 of each of

>four bottles of GT's with as many solids as possible and start from that.

>

>

> >

> > Is it possible to grow a culture from GT's raw original kombucha that

> > you can get from the health food store and if so would it have the

> > same benefits as a homemade culture. Also is there any special

> > preperation i would have to do like letting it sit to room temp and if

> > so how many hours or days do i let it sit before making the batch

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

--A.J. Muste

[Guest guest]

> Is it possible to grow a culture from GT's raw original kombucha that

> you can get from the health food store and if so would it have the

> same benefits as a homemade culture. Also is there any special

> preperation i would have to do like letting it sit to room temp and

if

> so how many hours or days do i let it sit before making the batch

>

That's exactly how I got my first scoby. I poured it into a mason jar,

and covered it with a towel and let it sit on my counter.

I think it took about a week or 10 days to grow, but I live in a VERY

warm climate (Florida). Just watch it. When you have a nice thick white

scoby on the top, it's ready to be transferred. Use the tea in your jar

as your starter tea in your first batch.

Good Luck.

Vee

[Guest guest]

V, Instead of GT's have you tried using regular baker's yeast, sugar

and water? Bakers yeasts is the same yeasts specified on his bottle.

Its really cheap, comes with directions. Great drink and forms a

mushroom. Most people add ginger to it but I suppose you could add

any tea instead.

Why does GT ferment for 30 days and you can't?

Have you tried Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar? Produces a nice healthy

drink as well and looks and taste just like kombucha. ACV takes much

longer to fermnet than KT, but uses the same bacteria. The yeasts are

just different.

Ed Kasper,LAc.

> > >

> > > Is it possible to grow a culture from GT's raw original

kombucha that

> > > you can get from the health food store and if so would it have

the

> > > same benefits as a homemade culture. Also is there any special

> > > preperation i would have to do like letting it sit to room temp

and if

> > > so how many hours or days do i let it sit before making the

batch

>

>

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

> --A.J. Muste

>

[Guest guest]

Ed, I've said several times that I myself did not start my culture using

commercial raw KT; I was given my culture by a woman locally.

>V, Instead of GT's have you tried using regular baker's yeast, sugar

>and water? Bakers yeasts is the same yeasts specified on his bottle.

>Its really cheap, comes with directions. Great drink and forms a

>mushroom. Most people add ginger to it but I suppose you could add

>any tea instead.

>

>Why does GT ferment for 30 days and you can't?

Actually, I've also said many times that in the winter when my house was in

the low 60s F most of the time, my brews were taking 21 and 24 days and

could possibly have gone longer. I think it has to do with the air

temperature, and assume GTs refrigerates their ferments to hold them at the

threshold of actually fermenting vs. being too cold to ferment.

>Have you tried Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar? Produces a nice healthy

>drink as well and looks and taste just like kombucha. ACV takes much

>longer to fermnet

I have Braggs ACV on my shelf, and I totally disagree that it tastes just

like kombucha. Not at all, to my taste buds.

--V

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

--A.J. Muste

[Guest guest]

Hi Ed,

Please tell me more about the details of trying this method with

baker's yeast. Also the Braggs which I am now a proud owner of and am

saving to make a mother with. What about the thirty day thing too, been

meaning to ask!

Audrey

<snippet>

Instead of GT's have you tried using regular baker's yeast, sugar

> and water? Bakers yeasts is the same yeasts specified on his bottle.

> Its really cheap, comes with directions. Great drink and forms a

> mushroom. Most people add ginger to it but I suppose you could add

> any tea instead.

>

> Why does GT ferment for 30 days and you can't?

>

> Have you tried Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar? Produces a nice healthy

> drink as well and looks and taste just like kombucha. ACV takes much

> longer to fermnet than KT, but uses the same bacteria. The yeasts are

> just different.

>

> Ed Kasper,LAc.

>

>