Kombucha: Troubleshooting

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #330 on: January 15, 2009, 01:26:12 PM » by lotsaboys

Quote from: abbilynn on January 11, 2009, 08:14:18 PM

I usually add 1 cup sugar per gallon tea. I will try adding more though. I'm just always paranoid that if it tastes even the slight bit sweet that means it's got nasty white sugar in it still. And with my kids' guts, they just can't have that. Maybe I'll try 1 1/2 cups next time and let it brew the same length of time (7-10 days). Thanks for the tip!

abbilynn

Sorry I didn't see this before... When I do extra sugar I put in 1/4 c. extra at the most. You can try 1/2 c. more, but I would brew it longer. I'm thinking you probably don't need to do that much more.

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #331 on: January 15, 2009, 01:33:28 PM » by lotsaboys

tynnille, the experts say a bowl is actually the best to use because its good to have a large surface area on top. Undecided

But we've had success with our short, fat gallon jars for years and they aren't as awkward as a bowl or take up so much space. I think you want to avoid something too tall and skinny. The ones we use are similar to this, but a squarish shape. That way the tea at the bottom of the jar isn't so far away from the SCOBY. Make sense?

And as for the spout, your bucha brewing container shouldn't have any plastic or metal that the tea would come into contact with.

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #332 on: February 02, 2009, 09:20:45 PM » by tynnille

Thanks Lotsaboys. I will check out a jar like that...it looks like a good one to me. I really do miss drinking it. I will try again sometime soon, maybe when it gets a little warmer down here in Florida.
tynnille

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #333 on: February 02, 2009, 11:13:03 PM » by 4myhoonie

Quote from: lotsaboys on January 15, 2009, 01:26:12 PM

Quote from: abbilynn on January 11, 2009, 08:14:18 PM

hey Abbilynn, just as a side note, i've been brewing black tea with either pear, peach or white plum tea and a cup of white sugar for 7-8 days and i have noticed a dramatic difference in his poop on the days i give it to him. usually they fall apart, but i have been trying to give it to him more often, especially with meals. he is still 3x daily regular, but now they are "normal" looking. i am just amazed at what a little kombucha can do! and it is cold right now in Iowa, though pretty warm in our house. i just decided to let them have it every day, where i hadn't really been pushing it before. they love it and it seems to be doing them good!

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #334 on: March 07, 2009, 04:06:03 PM » by drfalk

Well I didn't get to read through this whole thread, so if I am asking a already answered question let me know.

I have been trying to grow my own "mother" from scratch. I have followed the instructions to the T and allowed for two weeks of brewing for one to grow. Today I'm looking at my kombucha and I can't find a "mother" anywhere. I have some small floaters around the edges and my tea is somewhat fizzy. The tastes is like kombucha too. has anyone had this problem? Did I make Kombucha and not the "mother"? Is this safe to drink? Huh

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #335 on: March 28, 2009, 09:28:33 AM » by ridgerunner

Hi all,

I'm making my first batch of Kombucha, and I didn't realize when I did it that I was supposed to add the liquid that came with the SCOBY. The scoby grew a baby, doesn't appear to have mold, but I also forgot to make a note of the date that I started it. I'm thinking that it's been brewing for about 2 weeks now, and the baby is about 1/8 inch thick and doesn't appear to have grown any for the last couple of days.

Do you all have anything that you check to 'know' when it's done? It smells vinegary, I'm worried that if I leave it in for much longer I'll get mold.

TIA

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #336 on: March 28, 2009, 11:56:47 AM » by joychild24seven

Quote from: ridgerunner on March 28, 2009, 09:28:33 AM

Well this is what I would do...

Save the scoby and the kombucha that you need to start a new batch, toss the other kombucha (unless you like to drink it really strong and vinegary) and just start a new batch. It should be fine.

IMHO HTH :-)

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #337 on: March 28, 2009, 07:34:44 PM » by ridgerunner

Thanks, I ended up trying some and it tasted OK. It's a little fizzy, not sweet, but not really vinegary. I think it's fine, I bottled some and am going to start again. Wink

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #338 on: October 24, 2009, 12:48:09 AM » by NeilK

Hi fellow 'bucha fans

I am growing my second batch. My first batch tasted OK after seven days. It was also effervescent. I added the liquid that came with my SCOBY.

I added 10% of the first liquid to the second batch. I probably put in too much sugar and used too strong tea. This time I used some green tea from a company I'm not 100% certain on the quality. On day 3, I had a black furry mold on one bit of SCOBY which I chopped out. Then I spooned liquid over the whole surface of my individual SCOBY bits (it came in bits in a jar.) Pretty sure that sorted everything out.

The second batch is very vinegary after seven days. It is not really effervescent.

I am in Bangladesh where it is at the high end of the recommended temperature range for Kombucha. Constant 28 degrees C in my factory (where I brew) at the moment.

Does too vinegary + not effervescent indicate I brewed too long for this climate?

Cheers

Neil

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #339 on: October 24, 2009, 03:18:24 AM » by NeilK

Also, what can I do to mask the vinegary taste? I don't want to throw the brew!

Does this stuff still have Kombucha's properties?

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #340 on: October 24, 2009, 06:09:29 AM » by healthyinOhio

Quote from: NeilK on October 24, 2009, 03:18:24 AM

Also, what can I do to mask the vinegary taste? I don't want to throw the brew!

Could you mix it with some juice?

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #341 on: October 24, 2009, 10:38:20 PM » by NeilK

Thanks for your suggestion. By accident I found out what works really well last night. I was going to the refrigerator in a power cut (have 'em all the time in Bangladesh) and thought I was taking diet pepsi. Actually I took some diet coke, the bottle finished, and I accidentally took Kombucha in the rest. Totally masks the acid.

I just hope it doesn't kill the goodness! Oh well, this is just till the next batch is ready.

I tried my next batch just now. I started it Thursday afternoon. It is now Sunday morning. I think it might soon be ready if it isn't already! 3 days?? Is that possible? It is 28 degrees all the time at the moment.

Cheers

Neil

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #342 on: October 25, 2009, 08:36:49 PM » by hi_itsgwen

Neil, don't tell anybody, but I add a bit of 100% juice concentrate sometimes if it tastes vinegary...just before I drink it. It's yummy!

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #343 on: October 25, 2009, 11:09:45 PM » by NeilK

Just harvested my third batch of Kombucha. This is day 4 and the drink is fine. I think it may even be possible to harvest on day 3 in Bangladesh.

I'm growing in my factory where the temperature is about 28 degrees constantly during the 24 hour cycle. The walls are thick concrete and I have three floors above me as insulation. Outside it is more warm!

Come to sunny Bangladesh, the Kombucha paradise!

For my third batch I cut down on the tea and stuck with organic black tea from a good company. The green tea I used last time was from a wobbly company. I used less sugar for the (successful) third batch also.

Now I think I will turn the last batch into vinegar. Perhaps I need to leave it out for a few days to to this.

Thanks for the suggestion of fruid concentrate. Will have to do this for remains of 2nd batch while 3rd batch matures for a few days in the fridge. No, actually the 3rd tastes so good I can't resist!

Power to the Litchen!

Neil

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #344 on: December 03, 2009, 06:51:03 AM » by melodycharlotte

I'm on my third batch of kombucha and I still can't seem to get much effervescence. It's getting nice and sour, but no matter how long I leave it for it stays pretty flat. It's pretty cool in my apartment, so I know I have to brew it a bit longer, but I've been waiting three weeks or so.

Any ideas?

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #345 on: December 03, 2009, 10:35:14 AM » by healthyinOhio

Quote from: melodycharlotte on December 03, 2009, 06:51:03 AM

Are you putting it in a closed container? I know some people that like more effervescence in their bucha, so they remove the mushroom and put it into a mason jar with a tight fitting lid for a few days. It is suppose to bring up some more bubbles. HTH!

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #346 on: December 03, 2009, 04:12:22 PM » by melodycharlotte

Quote from: healthyinOhio on December 03, 2009, 10:35:14 AM

Quote from: melodycharlotte on December 03, 2009, 06:51:03 AM

Brilliant. I'll give it a go.

Thanks!

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #347 on: January 23, 2010, 08:59:59 PM » by Meg

I have been browsing this board for a while and only found one question similar to mine, but no answer Sad

.

This is my first batch of Kombucha. Today is day 12. Around day 8 is when I noticed a thin, clear jelly-like film that completely covered the surface of the liquid. On top of that was a small bubble-like thing that is slightly brown in color. I read on another site that you should pop the bubbles. I did so as well as pushed the top "mushroom" under the liquid. Now there seem to be many more little bubbles. The smell is a faint vinegar and the taste is a little sweeter than I expected and doesn't necessarily have that kick I was expecting. What's going wrong?

Oh golly goodness! I forgot to add that I used Rooibos tea, which is a red tea, which is not actually a "tea".

« Last Edit: January 23, 2010, 09:12:12 PM by Meg »
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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #348 on: January 23, 2010, 11:20:12 PM » by HappyWifey

The bubbles I always got where yeast and are just fine. I just left them no problems.

Kombucha has a slightly vinegary smell by nature.

And I wouldn't recommend using any tea other than green, black or white. Which I only like the taste of kombucha made with green tea.

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #349 on: January 24, 2010, 12:17:26 PM » by boysmama

Meg, sounds like it is progressing normally. It may not ferment the same since you used roobios, but it sounds normal enough to still call it kombucha. Wait long enough and it will develop the "kick". I value the stuff that is tangy without resembling vinegar. Cheesy

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #350 on: January 24, 2010, 03:01:24 PM » by melodycharlotte

It's okay to use rooibus or any other herbal tea. It affects the taste, but doesn't change the process of fermentation. Traditional kombucha is only made with black, green or white tea, but if you want to get creative, theoretically you could use any liquid as long as it has some form of sugar in it.

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #351 on: January 24, 2010, 06:35:11 PM » by Meg

Thanks for the info guys! I'm glad to know these signs are those of natural progression. I'll let it go just a bit longer. We heat our house with only a wood stove, so keeping a constant temperature is difficult not mention keeping it at 70 or above. I guess the temp is what is making it take so long. Thanks again

This is a great site!

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #352 on: January 25, 2010, 06:16:10 PM » by HappyWifey

If the temperature in your home is cooler, then try keeping it in a warmer place. I have to keep my kefir and kombucha in either the cupboard over the sink (heated by the light) or on the refrigerator during the winter to see timely kefir and kombucha.

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #353 on: January 26, 2010, 03:31:23 PM » by camping0902

jan 4 i started a new scoby in a fish bowl with black sweetened tea and about a half bottle of GTs raw kombucha. there's no scoby yet. in fact there's something floating in it that was probably the glob from the bottle. why would it die? at what point to i give up? since there's no mold, i figured i'd keep trying so today i pouring in another half bottle. did i waste my time and my first & second 1/2 bottles of GTS raw?

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #354 on: January 26, 2010, 03:49:23 PM » by Whiterock

Why do you think that the floating blob isn't the start of a SCOBY? Is it not getting any bigger than it was in the bottle?

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #355 on: January 26, 2010, 04:25:09 PM » by camping0902

Quote from: Whiterock on January 26, 2010, 03:49:23 PM

Why do you think that the floating blob isn't the start of a SCOBY? Is it not getting any bigger than it was in the bottle?

the floating glob when it was in the bottle was loose and poofy. this one in my fishbowl (in tea from jan 4) is tight & compact. makes me think it died.

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #356 on: January 26, 2010, 04:54:20 PM » by Whiterock

Hm, if it is not moldy, I'd let it go longer and see if the blob is a baby SCOBY, or if one forms.

WR

« Last Edit: January 27, 2010, 09:06:57 AM by healthybratt »
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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #357 on: February 19, 2010, 10:57:45 AM » by debbiez

I'm on my first batch. It has been brewing 5 days.I have a few questions.
Our house stays about 65 in the winter is this too cold? I just moved it to the top of the fridge.
I used decaf tea.Should I dump it and start over?
I'm really confused on how to make it fizzy. Should I brew for 7 days then cap and let sit for 4 or 5 more days? Or Do I strain before capping? Will it stay fizzy if I don't put it in individual containers?
After how many day does the "baby" appear? Where will it be located?
TIA
Debbiez

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Re: Kombucha: Troubleshooting
« Reply #358 on: February 19, 2010, 12:14:45 PM » by boysmama

Short on time at the moment, but here is a list of all the kombucha info you could ever want. Cheesy

Perhaps someone will come along chat by PM with you to help you get started if you don't have time to read through. Wink