Random Quotes from Wise Mamas |
br>
|
The Cookbook (Recipes, Cooking, & Food Prep) *Public* You can share recipes here, talk about "what's for dinner," and ask all sorts of questions related to cooking and food preparation. A public forum. |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
01-09-2012, 10:39 PM | #136 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
well, I will hang tight on starting anything until more bucha wisdom flows
thanks for the heads up on the vinegar, greatly appreciated. ---------- Post added at 09:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 PM ---------- sorry for my constant questions but..when you say fresh sweet tea what do you mean? I will need to get distilled white vinegar but if fresh sweet tea is what I think it is I already have that. |
01-13-2012, 11:11 PM | #137 |
Rose Garden
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 5,271
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
I'm about to start brewing again!!! I'm excited. I brewed for a while but then I let my SCOBYs die when we moved. I just set out a jar to grow a new SCOBY today.
Does anyone else prefer to drink it at room temperature instead of cold? Does the carbonation add any benefits, or is it just because people like it that way? I hate carbonation, so I like it better if it's room temperature and more flat. I had another question but now I can't remember.
__________________
So there you have it- I'm an INTJ. Embracing my inner geek.
Doula in training. Momma to "Sister" 5yo "Scoomer" 3yo |
01-14-2012, 11:12 AM | #138 |
Rose Garden
Silence is golden unless you have boys. Then it means they're into something!
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 11,564
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
I have been seeing that some people mix their kombucha with fruit juice instead of adding fruit. Is this ok? Also I saw that some people are making kombucha *coffee* is this ok for the scoby? Will the benefits be the same?
__________________
~Normajean~ (isfj) wife to Hubby Hotwheels and momma to all boys The Manatee Lishy Doodles Goose and Charlie the litter trained Chihuahua
|
01-14-2012, 12:38 PM | #139 |
Rose Garden
Why climb a mountain? Because it's there!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Selkirk Mountains
Posts: 52,860
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
I am extremely leery of kombucha coffee. It might be fine, it might be dangerous.
Fresh sweet tea is black tea and white sugar in the proper proportions, freshly made. Yes, you can use juice for your second ferment. I prefer whole fruit. No, the carbonation has no benefit that I know. I just like it and feel pretty proud of myself . |
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Soliloquy For This Useful Post: | backtobasicsmum (01-15-2012), easygoinmomma (01-14-2012), houseforjoy (01-17-2012), JustMandy (01-14-2012) |
01-15-2012, 03:36 PM | #140 |
Rose Trellis
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,768
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
I read through this whole thread and am faaaascinated. A little creeped out at first at this scoby, because I pictured an algae eater type of moving, swimming creature that you see in fish tanks, but then I image searched it, and okay, so it's like a slimy pancake mushroom No face or legs. I can handle that. But the carbonation makes me think of this expired grape juice I had once and think the tea will have rotted so much it starts forming gaseous bubbles. Bleck. HOWEVER. I am up for anything that sounds as cool as this whole process does, so I picked up a bottle of cherry kombucha to try today cuz we are in the city and can go to the organic store. AND IT'S DELICIOUS.
So. I'm in. And I have a few questions: My bottle's ingredients were made of green tea instead of black. What's the difference (I'm not a tea drinker, so have no idea)? There was also cane sugar listed. Is that from before and what the scoby eats? Or is it added afterward to help the flavour? If after, is it going to be a huge difference in taste that I will not like my homemade one at all because it's going to be so plain and gross? Or if it is, can I add some stevia to it? Will that affect the fermentation? I assume there shouldn't be any, of much, sugar left when you go to drink it. Is that correct? Would you trust someone off the World Wide Kombucha Exchange website in mailing a free scoby, or would it be more reliable to get it off etsy for $5 http://www.etsy.com/listing/50293331...facet=handmade ? I see a strainer on that same etsy shop. Do you guys strain yours first before drinking? Okay, I think that's all for now. Thanks!
__________________
Missina Moved across the country for love. Married in the mountains Sept 6, 2008. Former hotel manager turned placenta encapsulation specialist. I'm finally on facebook! Feel free to add me - Link Zahavah Calvary (Oct 2013) |
01-15-2012, 03:37 PM | #141 |
Rose Garden
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 29,784
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
Can you tell me what makes you leery of coffee kombucha? In theory (add freshly made coffee with sugar and a scoby) it sounds good. I'd like to hear your opinions on that.
__________________
Karisa W -17 My talking boy E - 16 My doing boy J - 14 My sparkly girl L - 11 My funny boy O - 9 My snuggly boy
|
01-15-2012, 03:42 PM | #142 | ||
Rose Garden
never be afraid of who you were meant to be
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 43,819
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
Quote:
---------- Post added at 03:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:42 PM ---------- Quote:
I am thinking that the coffee isn't going to have the same benefits as the tea...but not sure. |
||
The Following User Says Thank You to cobluegirl For This Useful Post: | shekinah (01-15-2012) |
01-15-2012, 04:11 PM | #143 |
Rose Garden
Why climb a mountain? Because it's there!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Selkirk Mountains
Posts: 52,860
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
You can use a green tea as a portion of your tea but if you use 100% green tea, the SCOBY will not ferment the sweet tea properly. It will take much longer to ferment and will never ferment as completely as it would in black tea. If you repeatedly use 100% green tea your SCOBYs will die eventually.
All white, green, and black tea come from the same plant, the tea plant. (herbal teas aren't truly teas, they're herbal infusions.) Black tea is made when the tea leaves are left out to ferment. Green tea leaves are not left to ferment. Black tea has significantly more tannins and a kombucha SCOBY needs tannins. The cane sugar is put in BEFORE the kombucha is set to ferment. Some residual sugar is in the finished product, how much depends on how long you let it ferment. I ferment mine twice so there's very, very little left. I add fruit to the second ferment. If you wanted cherry flavor kombucha, you would add cherries or cherry juice to your second ferment. If you only ferment it once or ferment it twice w/o adding fruit, it tastes like somewhat like hard cider. You can use other sweeteners to ferment like rapadura/sucanat or honey but not stevia. Stevia does not have the carbohydrates that the SCOBY needs to eat. (You could add stevia after it's done, though, I suppose, but I'm not sure why anyone would want to.) I have no experience using anything other than white cane sugar and blonde evaporated cane juice but-- I used to be on a Yahoo group for kombucha and some people there had the time and money to experiment. There were some that used honey and rapadura or sucanat regularly. Using a blonde sugar like evaporated cane juice or a dark sugar like rapadura/sucanat will work BUT it will not ferment quite as well and you will be left with more residual sugar than if you use white sugar. The carbonation comes from the yeasts consuming the carbohydrates and releasing CO2. Just like making homemade beer or homemade root beer. The reason I am extremely leery of putting a kombucha SCOBY into coffee is because you have NO IDEA what you will get. Kombucha SCOBYs have been around for a very long time and have evolved to survive off black tea, sugar, and fruit/fruit juice. Coffee is very different from tea--tea are leaves, coffee beans are legumes, just very different. It is possible to get sick when you experiment with fermentation. You can google it and maybe you'll find enough people who've done it w/o issue. I have my hands full with brewing my 12 gallons of regular kombucha every two weeks plus we just love it the way it is--I might get in big trouble if I changed it. |
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Soliloquy For This Useful Post: | backtobasicsmum (01-15-2012), domesticzookeeper (01-15-2012), easygoinmomma (01-15-2012), Hopetobe (02-01-2012), shekinah (01-15-2012) |
01-15-2012, 04:23 PM | #144 |
Rose Trellis
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,768
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
Thanks so much for all the information. I really appreciate it. Do I need to use cane sugar, or would refined white sugar work as well?
__________________
Missina Moved across the country for love. Married in the mountains Sept 6, 2008. Former hotel manager turned placenta encapsulation specialist. I'm finally on facebook! Feel free to add me - Link Zahavah Calvary (Oct 2013) |
01-15-2012, 04:24 PM | #145 |
Rose Garden
Why climb a mountain? Because it's there!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Selkirk Mountains
Posts: 52,860
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
refined white sugar is cane sugar.
Rapadura, sucanat, Florida crystals, evaporated cane juice, etc are all from sugar cane. I use the horrid white stuff for kombucha and only for kombucha. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Soliloquy For This Useful Post: | shekinah (01-15-2012) |
01-15-2012, 04:35 PM | #146 |
Rose Garden
Dinosaurs are people too
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,981
|
|
01-15-2012, 04:42 PM | #147 |
Rose Trellis
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,768
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
Good to know! Ha, yes, this will be the first time I have bought sugar in a couple years.
__________________
Missina Moved across the country for love. Married in the mountains Sept 6, 2008. Former hotel manager turned placenta encapsulation specialist. I'm finally on facebook! Feel free to add me - Link Zahavah Calvary (Oct 2013) |
01-15-2012, 07:03 PM | #148 |
Rose Garden
Why climb a mountain? Because it's there!
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Selkirk Mountains
Posts: 52,860
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
|
01-15-2012, 10:21 PM | #149 |
Rose Garden
Dinosaurs are people too
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,981
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
Two tablespoons in two liters. I don't remember if any of the mother got in. Sigh.
Posted via Mobile Device |
01-29-2012, 07:00 PM | #150 |
Rose Garden
never be afraid of who you were meant to be
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 43,819
|
Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
just for the fun of it.. My scoby
|
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to cobluegirl For This Useful Post: | AngelaVA (02-03-2012), melliethepooh (01-30-2012), ReedleBeetle (02-14-2012), Soliloquy (01-29-2012) |
Bookmarks |
|
|
X vBulletin 3.8.3 Debug Information | |
---|---|
|
|
More Information | |
Template Usage:
Phrase Groups Available:
|
Included Files:
Hooks Called:
|