I have been brewing a Kombucha made with black tea for 7 days. It's ph today is 4. Is this a safe level for bottling, or does it need to be below 4?
236271
It should be safe, but im no expert. As long as you don't have mold, it's really more a matter of where you like the flavor to be. This changes with longer brew. Also, will you do a secondary brewing cycle with flavoring? Or just drinking it?My go to measurement (other than pH of 4 or below) is to try some! Sounds like you are on the fresh side for my tatse, but every set up will find its own rate...I personally like a 10-12 day original brew, with a couple days of secondary w/ flavoring, before i drink or refrigerate them. I have one now at 18 days in the jar ill be using as a substitute for vinegar in salad dressing and possibly meranade. It should be safe, but im no expert. As long as you don't have mold, it's really more a matter of where you like the flavor to be. This changes with longer brew. Also, will you do a secondary brewing cycle with flavoring? Or just drinking it?My go to measurement (other than pH of 4 or below) is to try some! Sounds like you are on the fresh side for my tatse, but every set up will find its own rate...I personally like a 10-12 day original brew, with a couple days of secondary w/ flavoring, before i drink or refrigerate them. I have one now at 18 days in the jar ill be using as a... » Read More It should be safe, but im no expert. As long as you don't have mold, it's really more a matter of where you like the flavor to be. This changes with longer brew. Also, will you do a secondary brewing cycle with flavoring? Or just drinking it?My go to measurement (other than pH of 4 or below) is to try some! Sounds like you are on the fresh side for my tatse, but every set up will find its own rate...I personally like a 10-12 day original brew, with a couple days of secondary w/ flavoring, before i drink or refrigerate them. I have one now at 18 days in the jar ill be using as a substitute for vinegar in salad dressing and possibly meranade. « Show Less
236272
It should be safe, but im no expert. As long as you don't have mold, it's really more a matter of where you like the flavor to be. This changes with longer brew. Also, will you do a secondary brewing cycle with flavoring? Or just drinking it? My go to measurement (other than pH of 4 or below) is to try some! Sounds like you are on the fresh side for my tatse, but every set up will find its own rate... I personally like a 10-12 day original brew, with a couple days of secondary w/ flavoring, before i drink or refrigerate them. I have one now at 18 days in the jar ill be using as a substitute for vinegar in salad dressing and possibly meranade.
1837727
You need a container to "brew" the kombucha. I strongly recommend glass instead of plastic. I use a 2 gallon glass container with a spigot. I also recommend Grolsch-style beer bottles with pressure caps for the flavoring and secondary ferment. It helps with the carbonation. I hope this helps.
360154
1-1/2 to 2 hours to brew. Add yeast and then you wait a week (fermenting) before bottling. Then, an hour or so to bottle. Wait another 2 to 3 weeks before drinking. There is time involved in cleaning equipment before and after each step.
189413
Mine is OK as long as you drink it black. I like how it still tastes good after an hour or more. But, you have to nuke it to get it not enough after that amount of time. I wouldn't buy another one.
1133486
If 1ppm solute of unknown identity went in and 59 more came out, I'd bet it's the carbon from the carbon filter. Nothing to worry about. Your water is still absolutely drinkable and mostly pure.
1265655
I have no way of testing whether the bacteria survives in hot tea but everything I have read about kombucha indicates that it definitely does NOT survive in hot water. I hope this helps.
2252683
They do provide step-by-step instructions on how to get your first batch (and all subsequent batches) started, and they are very clear and easy to understand. You will need black or green tea (10 bags), a cup of sugar, a cup of vinegar, a glass jar (I use 1 gallon jars), a wooden spoon (I've read not to let metal touch the kombucha), and a pot large enough to hold a gallon of water/kombucha. I cover my jars with a flour sack and rubber band which has worked really well.
170733
I don't know. I've had my kombucha brew exceed the maximum on the strip which is, I think, 78 or so, as I use a seed mat, a thermostat regulator, and, when trying to "rush" my kombucha batch, probably reach temps of 85. The strip hasn't ruptured or broken, but boiling is another temperature range, entirely. I'd email the manufacturer. My brews are "low voltage" and warm, not ever, hot. Good luck.
1142217
Virtually. There are trace amounts of alcohol from the brewing process. Less than 0.1% though.
1224052
That shouldn't be a problem. Set the unit on a higher alkaline level and don't run the water real fast. It gives the machine more time to raise the pH.
1532721
Yes its a great product! I would recommend 1/4 of the suggested amount to be used. First and foremost PH your water!!
1109576
It says that on the ingredients, but I'm not sure why... However it is an EXCELLENT tea.I would say that to get any benefits from the Kombucha out of it, you would have to do a cold brew on this tea, as adding this tea bag(s) to boiling water would ruin/kill that benefit.I use this tea as the "green" tea portion of my Kombucha tea recipe (4-black, 3-green, 1C sugar, 3Qt water) This tea both tastes and smells amazingly good!!!
1439429
Boil 1 gallon of water. Once it reaches a boil, turn odd the heat and brew your tea for 20 minutes. Then stir in the sugar. Make sure it's totally dissolved. You can pour tour tea into whatever container you're going to use at this time, but don't add the scoby until the tea reaches room temperature. Put the scoby and all the juice in there. After you add the scoby, cover the container with either a paper towel or thin, clean cloth. It needs to breath, but you don't want dirt or bugs getting in. Keep your kombucha out of direct sunlight and at 70-75 degrees (best temp, but will brew at cooler just takes longer). Taste your brew after 7 days. If it's too sweet, wait a few days and taste again. It will probably take 7-14 days. Once it's how you like it, you can bottle it in glass. I use mason jars with plastic lids and old carbonated water bottles. You want to use glass because the bacteria will eat the plastic, and metal will kill the good bacteria. Leave at least a cup or two of your first batch to add to the next. Hope that helps!! You can flavor it too in the bottles. Apple and ginger is really good. I've also used lemon juice and fresh strawberries.
2146467
I haven't a clue--maybe a soil test kit will give you the ph--all I know is I put a heaping teaspoon of the chicory on top of the dark roast coffee when I make a pot with my Bunn Coffee Machine and the result is rich and flavorful. With out it the coffee tastes thin/weak. I'm spoiled.
385831
I am pretty sure with the NB kit all your equipment needs will be covered, maybe even better than the BBS kit .. This Chocolate Maple Porter was one of the favorite kits I brewed before moving on to 5 gallon all grain recipes and I am planning on brewing a big batch this fall - just make sure it is fresh, old ingredients don't make good beer - and make sure the yeast is still viable, maybe make a small starter before you start brewing and if it isn't alive get some new style-compatible yeast from your local homebrew store (or amazon).
1103336
Sir, if you are brewing your own beer my suggestion is this. Do what I did, when you get your kit, promptly go to your nearest Kmart, walmart etc, and get a tub of Oxy Clean. Be sure to get the stuff without Chlorine or bleach**! As this would be dangerous. I sanitize all my equipment with this. Happy brewing! Regards, Mattasaurus
131981
Your question suggests you are not familiar with the basics of home brewing. I suggest you read some of the many good books or websites explaining the process of brewing, fermenting, and bottling beer. You will not bottle out of this kettle. You then need to cool the wort, add yeast, ferment for several weeks, then bottle when fermentation is complete.