Bri’s Kombucha 2022.

[Manxnorton]

i think the beauty of Kombucha as a beer homebrewer we’re not tackling hitting certain efficiency, ABV etc.

but with Kimbucher there no battling with getting your %’s right.
i’ll try and get it right what i want to say (instead of a novel getting there)
F1 (initial Fermentation) if the starter tea (including a scoby ) has the sugar to feed on & right temp.
where not looking at getting the amounts of measurements right (tea, water & sugar)
IT IS ONLY A NONE ACOHOL BEVERAGE AFTER ALL!
so i what i know already note pad at hand, ph & final taste bud will get me in the right ball park..maybe getting the ‘sweet spot’ for sweet and tart (acid).

a lot of learning in my journey, obv there’s going to things go wrong!!
it’s how i love to learn and not do it twice.
so stick around and follow my ups n downs.
and as always if you know me, i’m hard skinned and ready to listen and not bite!!
but same time if i think i’m right i’ll try and explain why i’m think i’m right.
Like any buying online you take the chances, the one i went for the scoby had mixed reviews. some dam right bad. as if they blaming the company (that sold a perfect life scoby and starter tea) for THERE MISTAKES.
mine was perfect and the starter tea was great.
Anyhoo hope yous understand what waffle i’m talking.
the recipe for making a small batch (starter ) ;
750ml boiling water.
7g black tea.
45g white cane sugar.
i used my whatsitchops (french press laddo thingy) and steep it for 10 mins.
Dissolved the sugar at this stage.
Added to a suitable jug.
cold water + i’ve got the starter using my temp thingy pen to room temp.
added it to a Kimler jar (cleaned n sanitized as we do.
with the scoby n starter tea.
mix, i put a cover over (lata on i’ll replace it to something better.
and deep cleaned my ferm fridge ova n ova just incase no rouge nastys about lol.
and set my Inkbird to 23c (somewhere i read up to 28c)
at this stage i must mention, this brew is going to be a STARTER BREW.
i’m not going to to go onto F2 the second part of fermentation & bottling.
i want the starter to get established them move onto a 20-23l batch, F1 & F2 complete to final tasting with fruit etc.
sorry i’m using my mobile so photo are all ova the place.
i’ll check the starter at day 7. with pH testing and taste test.

 

[Manxnorton]

i’m essence, i think making a non alcohol brew like kombucha, people could get fixated getting it right.
scoby yeast eats the sugars, same time produce ethanol. it turns the sweets tea into ‘tart’ (acidy) you try and find the sweet spot between sweet n acidy.
you can now either go into F2 (adding fruits etc in bottles etc to probuce co2 for the fizz 8 bubbles) chill when you deside, and taste.
with second fermentation stage.
you can save at least 250ml from the brew and place it into a scoby hotel for using for the next brew.
as i said earlier today i’ll wait til fermentation is finished, and i’ll stop the fermentation by putting the brew in the fridge.
(NOTE AT THIS STAGE IF YOUR DOING THIS)
you need to feed the scoby as the sugars will be depleted from the F1 brewering.
i’d make strong black tea with tea spoons of sugar. measurements not important as long it gets fed via sugar & tea.
doing this every so often your scoby(s) will last for years n years.
BONUS KEEK INFO ON YEAST SURVIVAL!
just as a sour dough starter i have in the fridge it’s now nearly 2 years old. i fed it once a month, if i’m not baking.
There is confusing maybe ref. use of the pH meter or strips.
the pH isn’t a sure way to to check when the brew has stopped fermented. instead take the initial pH, as the days go by note the reading.
IF THE SCOBY yeast is working scoffing the sugars, the reading SHOULD decrease. say for instance:
day 1. 4.1 pH then over the days is falls to say 3.0pH (obv here the yeast is eating the sugars, turning the brew towards acidic ) & YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT FERMENTATION HAS WORKED.
AND you’ve combined the pH & taste test.
us oldy’s lol i’m the beer world were used to a ESTIMATED time of 7-10 days.
for Kombucha (depending on how much tea, sugar & the Temperature. it’ll vary)
but the general i find is test up to 7 days.
like any brew that have yeast that needs to feed in sugars the fermentation will slow down,once all the sugars are scoffed.
IMO I wouldn’t get too hung up with right measurements, weights, etc as long as you make a scoby and a tea starter, can get through F1 onto F2. bottling chilling and final tasting the kombucha you’ll be REET!

 

[Manxnorton]

note to sel Bri:
barrrrr you can waffling some c-rap
how the heck is anyone going to understand what the heck i’m saying..
prob chippy tea, n old clint might lol
sorry guys

 

[Manxnorton]

morning guys!
i’m still astounded that a bloke with 2.5 brain cells in a good day like me can text utter garbage.
chuffed for the old gan know the crack and can read between mountain of ****.
i sitting in a premium inn with limited wifi. so i’m itching to get back to Bri’s HQ.
looking at the coffee version of Kombucha think it’s called Koffbucha.
lataz
bri

 

[Manxnorton]

Hallow,
final got back to Bri's HQ after Friday Motorway mayhem.
Thinking bout this Kombucha milarky & i can get the words for what i mean. doing my head in.
I think Kombucha fermenting needs is:
Forget anything you learnt with other methods of fermentation (beer, wine, lager cider & even sour dough veg, lacto fermentation etc)
i think the confusion and frustration is basically over thinking on a method of Kombucha, doesn't help on the net of small batches.
Lets face it, any starter tea with a scoby will (hopefully) produces a healthy scoby and most important the starter with the yeast.
i done a litre, and its nearly finished. still sweet but going towards ACID TART.
So with this in all tense and purposes to do F2 &bottling with fruit etc. is a waste of time.
Why, to keep the scoby itll need least 2 cups of starter teas for the next batch.
thus leave maby a couple of 500ml flip top bottles at best.
soooooooooo..with my really bad maths ill try and up the game to do 23L (5 gallon)
No messing on with poxy small batches. what have i to lose? price of tea & sugar.
Im looking at using my 30l Fermzilla, & to keep the 'ooohhh you should of use blah blah blah) ill tea towel n laccy band in ferm fridge.
into the unknown i know, but to transfer into the F2 bottles with fruit. Im going to use beer gun under pressure.
If owt goes pete Tong youll know ill tell you, to help others and we can look what when wrong with your help.

Not as if im figting getting the numbers & %'s. Only a non Alcohol fizzy drink.
Mind someone said there 1% ABV...OK ILL LEAVE IT THERE.
AND ILL HAVE A

 

[Clint]

I can read ya posts Bri...but I'm not getting the Kombucha thingy...brewing non alcoholic stuff...and having a dalek baby swimming round in it!
Not 4 me.
Anyway..what you up to in hotels?

 

[Pennine]

I brew mine in a 20l fermenter. Build up a 4l batch and that is usually enough to get the pH where you need it to prevent mold for a full 20l of tea.

 

[Manxnorton]

I brew mine in a 20l fermenter. Build up a 4l batch and that is usually enough to get the pH where you need it to prevent mold for a full 20l of tea.

hallow mate
you just saved my tiny if you don’t know i struggle best o time using my noggin lol.
just so happens i stopped confusing mysel.
and doing:
5 x 4l batches (4l in a pan)
then i’ll do 2 lites and final the 1 litre starter n scoby.
tea is 66g black tea.
5 cups cane sugar + .5 for the 2l total 5.5 cups sugar.
i’ll get photos off lata.
the things is cooling the batch before adding scoby n starter tea…
i’m doing half n half hot n cold steep..check temp using cold ice back method.
people could say there plenty ways to do it.
but your method helps me loads.
if it goes pair shaped lol only lost 2lb sugar n 66g tea n the scoby lol
least my journey and your help, help others.
thx pal chuffed to bits.
best get back to brewing b4 i forget where i was lol

 

[Pennine]

hallow mate
you just saved my tiny if you don’t know i struggle best o time using my noggin lol.
just so happens i stopped confusing mysel.
and doing:
5 x 4l batches (4l in a pan)
then i’ll do 2 lites and final the 1 litre starter n scoby.
tea is 66g black tea.
5 cups cane sugar + .5 for the 2l total 5.5 cups sugar.
i’ll get photos off lata.
the things is cooling the batch before adding scoby n starter tea…
i’m doing half n half hot n cold steep..check temp using cold ice back method.
people could say there plenty ways to do it.
but your method helps me loads.
if it goes pair shaped lol only lost 2lb sugar n 66g tea n the scoby lol
least my journey and your help, help others.
thx pal chuffed to bits.
best get back to brewing b4 i forget where i was lol

Usually I will boil 4l of water, then steep tea and add 5 cups of sugar to dissolve. After 5 minutes of steep time I mix with 12l of cold water in a bucket to cool and then add to the fermenter. It's quick only takes 15min to get a new batch going. I also just keep adding to the fermenter once the last kombucha batch gets low enough.

 

[Manxnorton]

mate your a Ledge.
Normally by this time o day any mention of weights, measure, numbers etc whilst as well be Klingon.
But what cells left i managed this:
hmmmm not sure if the scoby or should i say the yeast/bacteria in the starter tea is

7 days n still bordering on sweet-Acid.
Reet without messing on n not knowing.
Im going to monitor this batch plus scoby (after pH test) if i think it is pair shaped, ill buy a scoby somwhere else.
Not as if the brew is going to go bad lol.
Anyhoo!

Cooling down to add starter.

For a 23l (5 gallon)
22 l of hot n cold filtered water
1l starter & scoby
66g black tea
5.5 cups cane sugar (a full 2lb bag o sugar)

 

[Manxnorton]

I think doesnt matter how you brew it as long as the brew isnt hot and kill the scoby yeast/bacteria starter.
How you get there is own preference.

 

[Manxnorton]

Usually I will boil 4l of water, then steep tea and add 5 cups of sugar to dissolve. After 5 minutes of steep time I mix with 12l of cold water in a bucket to cool and then add to the fermenter. It's quick only takes 15min to get a new batch going. I also just keep adding to the fermenter once the last kombucha batch gets low enough.

 

[Manxnorton]

Just in case i bought a lager scoby, will be here in a few days.

 

[Manxnorton]

I can read ya posts Bri...but I'm not getting the Kombucha thingy...brewing non alcoholic stuff...and having a dalek baby swimming round in it!
Not 4 me.
Anyway..what you up to in hotels?

haha! clint you have to lower the tone as ways! emmm! the Hotel thing just a couple o days away with wor lass honest!
even when they had a fan window open still 1000c in the shade..barrr! i had to drive home to get a decent nites kip.

 

[Manxnorton]

one thing was niggling me from the start of buying a scoby online. AND IM NOT SAYING THAT THE COMPANY IS BAD OR OWT!!
But you look at it, how are you sure that there nuff Yeast/bacteria in the starter tea?
the scoby at itself look healthy?
As long as it pitched at right temp in a sweated tea IT SHOULD start to eat sugars and the scoby start to mske it protective blanket (increase in size)
And
a gauge of pH level drop as the. sugars are ate!!!
even at 7/8 days the pH dint drop still sweet..i thought the ‘Tartness’ was there. but kna..
sooo looking at the reviews from a lot of buyers all i can
make my mind is Either:
scoby was meant to look healthy! BUT THE STARTER TEA, hadn’t nuff yeast/bacteria to support and do it’s job!
hope that makes sence.
if me & others have followed the instructions (and youtube google research ) to the letter
all i think is mine was a Dud!
so my weds i’ll get another larger scoby to try!!
once again fingers x’d.
just like buying a packet of dry yeast when we brew beer n no actitity no garuntees.
doesn’t help i’ve went from a 1 litre starter to 23l bach lol
hayhoo! i’ll get there.
love learning.
bri

 

[Manxnorton]

The pH stands at 4.2 after day 3.

 

[Pennine]

I think the more important thing is the starter tea, I toss my scobys every so often and the kombucha teas never has problem making a new scoby in short. If you can find a commercial batch with live cultures just using that as your starter tea is better than buying a scoby in my experience. You also get the pH drop you need.

 

[Manxnorton]

I think the more important thing is the starter tea, I toss my scobys every so often and the kombucha teas never has problem making a new scoby in short. If you can find a commercial batch with live cultures just using that as your starter tea is better than buying a scoby in my experience. You also get the pH drop you need.

Aye mate, guarantee once i get my medium size Scoby tomorrow i'll find someone comercial batch lol
The old scoby & starter as i suspected is still at 4.2 pH. But i havent forgot the size of the batch im making.
As you said adding fresh SHOULD get to work and in time pH lower.
Fingers crossed

 

[Manxnorton]

Its like waiting for Xmas
Supposed to get the scoby the day.

 

[Manxnorton]

got the scoby yesterday.
But the first things i’m learning is a finished fermentation starter WOULD BE acid, hope you with me on that?
the first scoby starter tea had no acid taste what so ever. only sweet.
where as the new scoby was smell off acidy and taste.
so we can base one thing! the first starter DIDNT have finished starter only a scoby itself.
anyhoo! once i added the new scoby the pH reading went from 4.2 to 4.0.
as i always said i have to understand the size of the batch i’m doing aswell it’s 23l
i think fermentation on this size is going to be a handful to say the least lol.
Getting the yeast/bacteria to do it’s magic turning the sweet starter to the ‘Sweet Spot’.
doesn’t help my inkbird 308 is playing up in my ferm fridge.
it’s switches on n off the cooling/heating but the actual temp is way off!
i used hand held temp (actual temp was 18.6c where as the inkbird showed 24.6c
i calibrate it yearly.
i’ve got a spair..but pain to take the probe out through the hole with 23l in FV with one hand lol.
i’ll faff on with it..
bri