# Kombucha ?



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Has anyone made this; and if so, is it worth the effort?


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## SLFarmMI (Feb 21, 2013)

Haven't made it but I've had it. Definitely an acquired taste.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

I make it. A lot of it. I really love it. 

I am especially fond of the sour flavor- always have been- so this really is my drink. I consume a LOT of kombucha. 

There's a host of health benefits from drinking kombucha, but not many people like the taste. You can use other probiotic drinks as well, but most natural unsweetened fermented foods have that sour flavor. Might be able to get away with adding some sugar but I'd be wary of stomach upset. 

Also, the effort really is minimal. You make tea and set it out for 7 days (or your preference as to length of time). Then you drink it. If you like kombucha, making it is very economical- especially compared to buying it for 2-4$ at the store.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I do like a somewhat sour taste. I drink a lot of Kefir milk and it has a lightly sour taste nearing buttermilk.

Cupcake can you direct me as to where I might get my start into making this Kombucha and what tools I would need? (I read somewhere that the "kits" were not necessary and what many websites suggest are expenses not necessary as well. Thus, my confusion.)


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

The only thing you really need out of the ordinary is a SCOBY, stands for Symbiotic Colonies of Bacteria and Yeast, and this is what actually makes kombucha out of your sweet tea. It is usually a disc shaped rubber like fiberous mass with some brown gunk attached. It looks weird and gross but it's not 

Once you have a SCOBY- and you can get it from anyone who already makes kombucha or check around health food stores/ amazon- you just make sweet tea making sure that black tea is your base, and plop your SCOBY in there. 

I like to use glass containers, or something NOT plastic for a fermentation vessel. Wide mouth canning jars work great. Once it's all in there (tea and SCOBY) cover it with something breathable like a coffee filter or rag. I use a rubber band to keep it in place. 

Then you wait 7 days. It takes that long for the microbes to eat all the sugar, caffeine and polyphenols. The resulting liquid in the jar is kombucha tea. Drink it warm or cold. I prefer to bottle mind and keep it in the fridge. If you leave it out past 7 days it will continue to ferment (not dangerous) but will get so sour and acid it's hard to stomach it. 

Alternatively, you can purchase raw kombucha tea from someone, add your own sweet tea to it in a vessel and a SCOBY will eventually form but it will take a long time and you probably won't be able to drink the tea right away. 

Here's a recipe I found online; https://draxe.com/7-reasons-drink-kombucha-everyday/
I usually do a cup of sugar per gallon of tea.


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## BohemianWaxwing (Sep 13, 2014)

We also keep multiple batches of kombucha going all the time. Our kids love it and we can't keep enough around. My sister does multiple ferments and all kinds of flavors but we just keep ours in ceramic crocks under tea towels until it's good and sour and then pour off most of it to bottle and drink and re-fill the crocks with warm sweet tea. Every couple months the cultures get too big for the crock and we fish most of those out and strain out the sludge to start a new batch with just a portion of the culture. Very low fuss and a refreshing tonic.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you all for the information. Some places say to use 8 oz of the scoby to start. Is this adequate? Too much? How much works best for gallon glass jars?



BohemianWaxwing said:


> We also keep multiple batches of kombucha going all the time. Our kids love it and we can't keep enough around. My sister does multiple ferments and all kinds of flavors but we just keep ours in ceramic crocks under tea towels until it's good and sour and then pour off most of it to bottle and drink and re-fill the crocks with warm sweet tea. Every couple months the cultures get too big for the crock and we fish most of those out and strain out the sludge to start a new batch with just a portion of the culture. Very low fuss and a refreshing tonic.


You said you use a "portion" of the culture to create another crock of kombucha; so what do you do with the rest of that culture? (Can it be frozen like kefir grains without damaging it?)


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

The amount of starter kombucha you use is pretty subjective. If you use a lot the ferment starts with more colonies and it will ferment faster. A little, you still get colonies just not as many. It's actually pretty dang hard get kombucha wrong, it will turn out either way; the safety margin is huge. 

Note that your SCOBY grows and will multiply with each batch. When you siphon off your kombucha, you can split the large SCOBY and start another brew going. Or just stick with it, but eventually your SCOBY will get too big for the same size container and you'll have to split it or get a bigger container. 

Really the growth is a nice factor, as most people need an extended introduction to kombucha- either to acclimate to the flavor or the increased probiotics in the diet. So as you acclimate you gradually make more.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

Also freezing will kill a lot of the bacteria and it won't come back the same. For long term storage, you can keep in the fridge in fresh sweet tea for a few months, but the shorter the duration, the better. 
The SCOBY is a highly diverse colony, with many different strains and species. Some may survive while others may not. You just won't get a really good brew out of it, ime.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thank you. 

I've just watched a video that told of a party feeding the scoby to the chickens...The liquid was divided into glass jars, covered with paper towel and set in a warm/dark area for over a week, closer to two weeks. Another scoby was formed in that container. Then that scoby was given to the chickens, a portion of the liquid put into another glass jar and the rest of the liquid drank. Apparently this party has been doing this for quite a few years, i.e. tossing the scoby to the chickens and creating new scoby. Anyone else ever done this?

I'm a bit confused about this scoby/kombucha process. This is what I'm hearing:

You can start with a scoby or not...yes *not* start with a scoby but *start with* some juice from someone else's scoby...*just the juice*. Apparently this juice creates a scoby if it is permitted to sit long enough. Am I understanding this correctly?


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

Yes, that is correct.

You can start with just kombucha juice, and it will form it's own SCOBY, but it will take longer than if you start out with one in the first place. 

Basically, you can start either way. If you're brewing kombucha regularly, using the SCOBY to start each new brew yields kombucha faster. If you throw out your SCOBY (or feed it to chickens, not sure why you'd want to do that) you can still use a portion of your kombucha tea to create a new batch, and a new SCOBY.


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## BohemianWaxwing (Sep 13, 2014)

We already have multiple batches going so we don't need the extra SCOBYs that grow. I just chuck them onto the blueberry patch or into the compost.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I just created my first batch yesterday. I used about one ounce of the kombucha "culture" (tea part) that had a tiny mushroom-shaped thingy in it. (I had purchased this, along with a second vile of same, from kombuchaamerica.com )

I did not have any white sugar so I used brown (a little less than the 1 to 1-1/2 cup suggested of white). I didn't have any plain black tea or plain green tea so I used some Luzianne tea bags, which is comprised of both orange pekoe as well as black tea. And I used regular apple cider vinegar. It is now sitting in the kitchen on top of the counter (in a cardboard box) in a gallon-size glass container with a coffee filter over the top (fastened by a rubber band). I wrapped a hand towel around leaving only the top exposed. 

The weather has been cool here (high 60s and low 70s); so I suspect this is going to take awhile to ferment. I'll test it in about a week.

Tomorrow I'm planning a trip into town so will pick up some plain white sugar and some plain black tea as well as some plain green tea...and some more ACV.

I'll let you all know how this first batch turns out.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Oh dear! Looks like my first batch is a bust! Sure would appreciate some critique about what I did.

Followed instructions: (Used only 1 of the vials of "culture", setting other unopened in fridge door and understand it will be good for at least 6 months.)

Brought 2 qts water (well water) to boil
Placed eight (8) tea bags (Luzianne tea bags, which is comprised of both orange pekoe as well as black tea) in at boiling, turned burner off and let sit until room temperature.

...Added 1 cup "brown sugar"
...Added 1/3 cup pasteurised ACV
...Strained into sterile glass gallon jar
...Added 1 vial "culture" (only 1 oz)
...Stirred well and covered top with coffee filter (banded)
...Wrapped towel around jar leaving top open and sat into small cardboard box on counter
...Left 7 days

It had a mucky looking scoby on top, which I took off and threw away. It tastes strong with tea as well as strong with ACV, is not sweet, is quite sour yet drinkable. I poured off 6 oz into steril glass container with screw-on lid (only small size had) which is sitting in fridge waiting to be used to start next batch of kombucha.

Presently have only 4 (not 8 as used before) "Bigelow Black Tea" steeping into about 4 cups boiling water. Am planning on putting one (1) cup "white" sugar and only 1/4 cup ACV in this and, when room temp, adding the 6 oz saved from first batch made. Will again cover top of glass gallon jar with coffee filter, wrap with towel, sit in box for 7 days before tasting it. Any pros/cons would be appreciated.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

I'm curious why you are adding ACV? 

I've never added anything to my brew except sweet tea and the SCOBY. Adding ACV will increase the sourness of your final product, adding additional acids. I'm not sure how the SCOBY culture would respond to this- my thinking would be that it slows fermentation, since acid is the product of their metabolism, substrate concentration at the beginning of brew is less. 

Additionally, if the ACV is not pasteurized completely, you're basically adding vinegar culture to the brew, which, just uses your substrate to make more vinegar instead of letting the SCOBY create kombucha. 

These are a few reasons it could end up very sour and acid. Unfortunately since the SCOBY was already used with ACV, the vinegar cultures are likely there to stay, and will probably continue to produce a very sour kombucha. 

Your tea type is also important- it will impart different flavors to the kombucha, but it will also alter the culture composition of your SCOBY. I use only very good black or green tea with my SCOBY's. If I want something flavorful or wild, I start it in a separate batch and throw away that SCOBY when I'm done. IMO, you won't get a good brew out of a SCOBY used with 'flavored' tea or anything other than plain black or green tea.

EDIT; http://www.kombuchafuel.com/2010/10/kombucha-scobys-vs-mothers-of-vinegar.html

I found this on the internet because I was curious why you'd want to add vinegar to your kombucha starter. 

Seems there are different thoughts on what is the best way to start a SCOBY. Like I said, I never throw out my SCOBY's just to start from kombucha tea- it takes too long to produce a ferment, and that in itself can create off flavors. I put a full, thick, robust SCOBY in my brew at the start, and get a delicious, sour but slightly sweet kombucha tea every time. IMO, starting with a robust SCOBY every time is a good insurance to success. 

Vinegar would only be used to lower pH (according to the answers I've read) in a brew that was NOT started with a SCOBY, in order to keep the tea sterile until a SCOBY can form. IMO, I would not drink the kombucha from this initial brew; it would be very sour and unpalatable. This would be used (IMO) to create a good SCOBY that can be used for future good kombucha brews in which no vinegar need be added. Even though, I think the initial formation of the SCOBY would probably include vinegar cultures as well, and would make only a more sour kombucha.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Goodness, I've just created this 2nd batch using the 6 oz from the last batch. I did put only 1/4th cup of ACV in this last batch though I'm hearing you say the ACV from last batch is there to stay even though I had thrown away that scoby. Is this correct? I also heard you say I could use this present brew to form a, "...good SCOBY that can be used for future good kombucha brews in which no vinegar need be added." Is this correct? Is this vial's product still useful or should I just throw it away?

What brand of tea do you use DC?


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

According to the 'internet article' I shared, the vinegar is used only to sterilize your tea while you wait for a good SCOBY to form. You can then use your good SCOBY to brew good batches of kombucha.. 

I've never done that.. It's just what I read on the internet  I *think you'll be fine if you use your new SCOBY for subsequent brews.

I use a loose leaf tea variety from Ireland (or so it says on the tin) can't remember the exact brand. But any good quality black or green tea should do. It's cheaper to get it loose- leaf, and I make gallons at a time anyways, so the bags are just a waste.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

DC the below URL is where I got my "vial of 'culture'". The vial...received two of these well wrapped individually and together...I opened contained what looked like a small SCOBY in it, which I added to the mix. The other vial is still wrapped in the fridge. Also, this is where I saw that I was suppose to use the apple cider vinegar.

I'm planning on brewing this 2nd batch strictly for the SCOBY. I'm leery of even opening the 2nd vial for fear I'll ruin them both. 

http://www.kombuchaamerica.com/how-to-make-kombucha-tea.shtml#RECIPE


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

Well that is the first time I've seen ACV in a recipe for kombucha! 

Learn something new every day. 

I don't see why it wouldn't produce a good SCOBY- my only concern is that the initial brew with ACV in it would be unpalatable and/or too acidic. Kombucha SCOBY's do create acidity on their own, vinegar cultures just produce much more, stronger acidity.

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

The gentlemen who sent me the two vials called me again today in response to an email I had sent inquiring as to the use of ACV. He told me it was not really needed but was useful in that it kept the possibility of contamination down. We spoke at length about how my first batch was created and how it turned out. He stated it fermented faster than expected due to the fact the temps here had been in the 90s and that it was probably ready to be used in about 5 days instead of the traditional 7-10 days because of the heat. Thus, with this next batch I will taste it in 5 days instead of waiting until the 7th to test it.

This gentlemen was so thorough in his explanations telling me I did nothing wrong and did not ruin the culture by using brown sugar. He stated creating kombucha is a matter of taste; and what one person would enjoy another might not, stating experimentation was a good thing. He also told me using the SCOBY was also an option but there was less likely of mold problems without it. Next time I'm going to create some using the SCOBY as well as some saved from the liquid form. LOL

I am feeling quite good about this now knowing it is a process of experimentation as to what I personally will enjoy.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Updating.....

Tasted this 2nd batch of kombucha after only 4 days. It is only slightly sweet and slightly sour...a nice combination. It had a scoby on it about 1/4" thick.

I took the scoby off placing it in another gallon glass jar, added about 1/2 - 1 cup of the kombucha liquid just made and set it aside. Then I boiled 2 qts water, added 8 tea "bags" of Bigelow Black Tea and let steep over an hour with lid on pan (no heat on). Then I stirred 1 cup white granulated sugar into it until I was sure it had dissolved.

Next thing I did was add 2 qts of cold well water to a gallon jar, added this sweetened black tea to it and then added the scoby and kombucha liquid just saved to this, stirring all quite well. I covered the top of this gallon jar with coffee filter, wrapped outsides with towel, placed it in box and have it sitting on counter. Will test it in about 4 more days.

I'm wondering if I can change the taste of this kombucha like I do kefir milk, i.e. by added whatever suits me to it AFTER IT IS CREATED. Yes? No? (I'm thinking I would simply do this to individual glasses as I drank the kombucha.)


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## thekibblegoddes (Jun 24, 2014)

We make several gallons of kombucha a week and there's only 2 of us! I use 2 family sized decaf tea bags, 1 cup of white sugar, 1 Tbs dried hibiscus flowers, a scoby, and water to fill a gallon jar. Never tart, always fizzy & light. The hibiscus flowers/tea adds a fruity flavor and a pretty pink color.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

What is a "family size tea bag"? All I've ever seen are regular teaspoon sizes of tea bags....


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## BohemianWaxwing (Sep 13, 2014)

Many people do a "second ferment" with their kombucha after it's harvested. You can add fruit, juices, spices, etc. Raison and cinnamon is one of my favorites. Ginger is also nice. Put the kombucha, along with whatever flavorings you'd like, into glass bottles and cap tightly. Keep them in a warm place for a couple days and then refrigerate.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

When fruit is in season, I like to add a bit to the bottles as a second ferment, as mentioned, for additional fruit flavors. Blackberry is particularly amazing! 

You can flavor with pretty much anything you can think of- the possibilities are endless


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Let me see if I understand this...You take the kombucha you've just created and, without placing it in the fridge to cool and then drink, you add some type of fruit, recover the top with the coffee filter and sit it up for another few days? (I'm thinking this would turn into something too sour to drink...no?)


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## BohemianWaxwing (Sep 13, 2014)

The second ferment is anaerobic. You bottle it with some kind of air tight cap.

It will be fizzier and slightly (very slightly) alcoholic after the second ferment, but not more sour in my experience. In most cases you're also adding more sugar in the form of fruits and juices so that may be what the microbes are metabolizing the second time around.

It's a process that is certainly worth experimenting with. We don't normally do a second ferment with ours simply because we go through so much of it and have so many other things bubbling all over the kitchen already. But it does make the kombucha even tastier. I don't think I've every dried blackberry, I'll have to give that a shot next summer!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Updating....

Just opened this latest batch of kombucha. It had two scoby mushrooms in it (one attached to the bottom of the other). I took off the bottom layer and added about 6 oz of that liquid to another gallon jar to be used to create another gallon of kombucha. I took the top layer of this scoby and added another bit of the juice to create a 2nd gallon of kombucha.

To the first (lower layer scoby) I added some sweetened tea (8 Green tea with 1 cup white granulated sugar) as well as 1/3 c of ACV. I added the vinegar because, though the scoby did not show any signs of contamination, it did have some black stuff on it that was floating and easily removed. Thus I simply added the ACV to make sure there was no mildew/contamination while it fermented. Then I added enough cold well water to cool the tea down to room temperature and added that bottom layer scoby to it along with the saved liquid from the previous kombucha. It is sitting in a darkened room with coffee filter on top and dark towel wrapped around it.

The top scoby (with some kombucha from last batch) I added to another gallon jar. To this I added 8 Black Tea with 1 cup granulated sugar, cooling it down with well water prior to adding the scoby/juice. I covered this gallon jar with a coffee filter and have it sitting on the counter in the box with a dark-colored towel wrapped around the sides of it.

With both these being done on the same day, i.e. Wednesday and only ACV added to one, I will taste test these the same day to see what the difference is, if any.  (I have some elderberry syrup and am wondering how this will taste with kombucha.

I've read somewhere that three (3) glasses (8oz) daily is all one needs to drink and that drinking more will not provide any better conditions in the gut flora. Has anyone information about this? (I like the taste of it yet am wondering if drinking it just for taste might be more than what would be good for one's body.)


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

I haven't read any studies on the upper limits of intake in fermented foods/beverages. My thoughts on the matter would be, they are citing research on the upper limit studied that ceased to show beneficial changes, not necessarily bad changes at high levels of consumption. 

In today's world of dead, fractioned and devitalized food, it is my opinion that we need every drop of enzyme and probiotic rich foods that we can get. Though, I think you can do better by using the most variety that you can. Including different ferments like sauerkraut, kimchi, kvass, as well as dairy cultures like yoghurt, viili, kefir, etc. If you can include more variety, that is best, but if all you have access to atm is kombucha, more power to it. 

I think it should be noted that everyone is different. A particular ferment or culture may have a strong beneficial effect on some and not on others. Just depends. Usually a very healthy person would feel no effect whatsoever from eating more probiotics- which is a good sign. It doesn't mean that the probiotics have no effect, just that they are not killing or removing unhealthy toxins or replacing pathogenic microbes in your gut at that moment.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Update..............

Been creating Kombucha now for several weeks. Sometimes I use the SCOBY and sometimes I do not use it but use only some of the kombucha juice just created. The result is about the same though it does take a bit longer for the Kombucha to be ready to drink when the SCOBY has not been used.

The last batch I created was an experiment using "chocolate mint" that was growing in my garden and had been dried about a year ago. I made it extra strong (a whole quart of these dried mint leaves) in about a gallon of heated water. I did use 1/4 cup ACV in this batch. I let it set for almost a week and it was still too sweet for my taste, though I had only used the recommended 1 cup of white granulated sugar. So I let it set another day, tasted it, then another day and tasted it. ROFL Seems the mint kept it rather sweet though I could tell there was some tartness to it.

Since I've had the sniffles for a couple of days and had ran out of Alkaselzer Plus and Vit C I decided to add some Elderberry Syrup I had made up earlier this year. (No sugar had been added to this.) So when I strained out the kombucha this time (with that chocolate mint base), I added 4-5 cubes of Elderberry Syrup to each quart jar. Then I let it sit in the fridge for over half a day until it was good and cold. WOW was this good! Still too sweet for my taste; but nice and strong with a very nice combination of sweetness/tarness to it. (I will definately do this again, though I'm thinking I will cut down on some of the sugar, maybe adding only 3/4 cup instead of the full cup this time.) Love the idea of not having to buy tea for creating this drink.  .... Oh I've been drinking this about 3 times a day now for a couple of days and no long have any signs of a cold/flu/whatever it was...


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

I am in the process of making my first batch. I enjoyed reading your posts. Mine has been sitting for 10 days. I am going to go try it when I get off. I tasted it a few days ago and it was sweeter than what I had drank from purchased kombucha.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'm finding my "strained" (refrigerated) kombucha is still creating mushrooms; so I have started making it a practice to strain it again prior to drinking. ROFL


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

Wow! I don't strikingly mine and they don't have mushrooms. I starting my 2 nd batch of continuous brew.


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

Strain not strikingly,sorry.


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## #1 WV BonBonQueen (Sep 16, 2018)

motdaugrnds said:


> Oh dear! Looks like my first batch is a bust! Sure would appreciate some critique about what I did.
> 
> Followed instructions: (Used only 1 of the vials of "culture", setting other unopened in fridge door and understand it will be good for at least 6 months.)
> 
> ...


I have made Kombucha, and I never was even told to use ACV in it. but different ideas out there. I never threw the Scoby away after brewing either.
I saved the Scoby, started a new batch with some of the "tea" left in the jar, poured on fresh made tea, after it cooled to room temp. I had a lot of Scobies going on, and they will get think if you don't take some of them off, periodically, but you can then give them away, or throw out into the compose pile or on the top of your ground around your plants. I have had them to kill of a few plants in planters, I guess they were too strong like ACV and killed the plant, not sure.
anyway, Good luck with your Kombucha. 
I am now looking to acquire another one, as I am having some real Yeast problems, all over my body. I am going back to Fermenting, my Milk, my Veggies and my Tea. lol


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## #1 WV BonBonQueen (Sep 16, 2018)

Do any of you all have any Scobies you would like to share?
I would gladly pay a fair market value and shipping to WV if you were to send me one.
Please, let me know as I really need to get back into this, my body is falling apart, and I need some Kombucha, Milk Kefir, and I am going to start Fermenting my veggies too. 
Thanks for any information or help you can give.


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## #1 WV BonBonQueen (Sep 16, 2018)

Oh and about the Scobies you all have that are forming on your Kombucha, did you know that you can put them into your Smoothies for even more nutrition? 
That would be a good way to use them, and keep them working for you, if you have extras.
Also pets like them too, at least so I have read.


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## vickinell (Oct 10, 2003)

I cut mine up and feed them to my chickens. They scarf them right up.


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