Kombucha

[Kind024]

Greetings to the Lab community and beyond. 

 

There is an awareness about healthy eating around the community here. I hope this will help fortify the movement. 

 

There is alot of information out there about the health benefits of Kombucha and how it's made. This is the method I use.

 

It's kind of a perpetual cycle once you get started. I'll try to put them in steps...

 

A couple notes: 

...Clean your hand well before handling the Scoby...that's the slimy looking thing in the jars.

 

...Dont use metal utensils. Metal will kill some of these microbes.

 

...Careful when carbonating the brew in the final stage. As with all sealed ferments they can explode! I've never had a flip top bottle explode before. The rubber graumet usually gives to the pressure first. You'll see the overflow of foam dried on the outside of the bottle.

 

...Temperature influences how fast things ferment. The cooler the temperature the longer it takes. I've had it take almost 2 weeks. At a certain point it's too cold and the microbes cant function properly and the brew will develop an unpleasant taste. 

 

...If a bottle is left in the hot car. The microbes will activate and start producing more Co2. Dont open warm kombucha in the car or anywhere you dont want to paint the ceiling with it!

 

Step 1.

Brew one gallon of black tea and add one cup sugar per gallon. Make sure the tea has cooled below 100*F before adding the scoby.

 

These are one gallon vessels. Each has a scoby culture and about 1 cup of brew from the previous batch. The added brew will help set the microbes off in the right direction for the next batch and help keep pathogens from growing. 

 

Cover the jars with something breathable. The yeast produce Co2 and ethanol as they make available to themselves the oxygen molecules in the sugar. This is parchment paper with a few pin holes will allow it to breathe. Muslin cloth works well too.

 

These will go into the veg room under paper bags...no light. The veg room is about the warmest place in the house. Fermentation microbes work best at consistent warm temperatures. 85*f - 98*f depending. Making whiskey mash is a different process. But the yeast still needs consistent temperatures...quality moonshine is an art form and im not proficient in creating it so I'll spare you the gibberish.

 

These will ferment for about 7-9 days or when the flavor shifts from sweet to tangy.

 

Step 2.

It's been 9 days on this brew and it's done. This is ready to drink at this point. It can be bottled or put in a pitcher in the fridge. It can also be flavored...

 

The scoby will grow every batch. Eventually it can be peeled in half to make another starter culture.

 

Now the scoby goes to the next jar and a cup of the finished brew is added... ready for another gallon of sweetened black tea.

 

Now that the tea is fermented it can be flavored. I add from 1 - 1.5 cups of fruit per 1 gallon of plain kombucha. This one is going to be mango and ginger. I add ginger to most of the brews. 

 

It helps to chop the fruit well or a quick puree to make good surface area and release the juice. Everything is strained before bottling so I dont remove the ginger skin. 

 

When the fruit is added I give it a gentle stir. The yeasts will stoke up when more sugars are added so careful it doesn't foam over.

 

After the fruit is added this goes back to the veg room to ferment for another 3 days or till the sweet from the fruit goes away. You'll be able to taste the shift. The jar on the right is ready to make another batch. 

 

Step 3.

Strain and bottle the flavored kombucha. 

This is a different brew used for the photo. I keep 3 gallons staggered in constant rotation so I didn't have to follow one batch to the finish.

 

Now the fruit has been fermented it is strained and the brew can be bottled. 

 

 

This one was blackberry and ginger. This stuff makes great worm food. All the left over fruit and any extra scoby gets fed to the worms. The worms cover the scoby like baseball in the worm bin. I've never seen that much excitement over any other food. Its basically a patty of living microbes and worms eat microbes.

 

A muslin bag works well. The fruit mash is squeezed well to keep all the juice in the brew. Some folks will blend the fruit really well and put it in the bottles unstrained. 

 

Once its strained its put in these 500ml flip top bottles. You'll get about 6+, 500ml bottles out of a finished gallon. Depending on the displacement of fruit.

Now it can be consumed as is or it can go back into the warm veg room for another 3 days to build carbonation. I like to add about 1/2 tsp of sugar to each bottle before they get closed and go back into fermentation. This will keep the yeast active and feed their production of Co2.  

 

Step 4.

After 3 days in the sealed bottles it should be ready. You can test one bottle to make sure the carbonation is correct. It's a good idea to chill the brew before opening the bottle. Also keep your palm over the top as you release it at first and do it in the sink! It can foam over fast. The cold will slow the processing of the microbes and settle the carbonation a little. 

 

When it's done just right it will pop like champagne and hold that same crisp effervescence. The carbonation can easily fill half a glass after opening. I open and pour at the same time. 

 

I'll put some links up in another post about the health benefits. This is a post to set things off and let the members continue to share their kombucha experience. 

 

I'll do my best to help along the way. 

 

I'm sure this post needs editing...I'll be back later.

 

Unconditional, 

kind

 

 

[Guest 3rdCoaster]

Ahhh!...those look refreshing indeed.    

 

If you like Kombucha you may enjoy a nice tart Lambic also...like Lindemans Peach Lambic, my all time favorite on a hot summers evening.  Just a little sweet and sooo tart and sour...Ahhhh!

 

I just started working with some milk Keifer grains.   Trying to make some coconut keifer cream,  getting closer.

 

Thanks for sharing this.....the power of a healthy digestive biome is way under rated these days.    

 

If anybody needs grains let me know.

 

 

[Slick rick]

Wow awesome info bro

[Kingfish]

Thank You for sharing that information @Kind024. I have always been a bit leery and never really understood Kombucha. You have certainly piqued my interest, I look forward to learning more and sampling this fermented microbial beverage. 

 

[Kingfish]

2 hours ago, 3rdCoaster said:

Ahhh!...those look refreshing indeed.    

 

If you like Kombucha you may enjoy a nice tart Lambic also...like Lindemans Peach Lambic, my all time favorite on a hot summers evening.  Just a little sweet and sooo tart and sour...Ahhhh!

 

I just started working with some milk Keifer grains.   Trying to make some coconut keifer cream,  getting closer.

 

Thanks for sharing this.....the power of a healthy digestive biome is way under rated these days.    

 

If anybody needs grains let me know.

 

 

That coconut kefir cream sounds interesting as well. For someone that has had gerd /  stomach issues my entire life and a walking petri dish of antibiotics (have refused antibiotics for about 5 years now) from tick borne diseases, I am most excited to see these posts. Much appreciated!!

[Guest knucklehead bob]

2 hours ago, 3rdCoaster said:

the power of a healthy digestive biome is way under rated these days.    

 

^^^ Truth ^^^

 

The Brain-Gut Connection

If you’ve ever “gone with your gut” to make a decision or felt “butterflies in your stomach” when nervous, you’re likely getting signals from an unexpected source: your second brain. Hidden in the walls of the digestive system, this “brain in your gut” is revolutionizing medicine’s understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health and even the way you think. 

Scientists call this little brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). And it’s not so little. The ENS is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection

 

The Brain-Gut-Microbiome Axis

 

Abstract

Preclinical and clinical studies have shown bidirectional interactions within the brain-gut-microbiome axis. Gut microbes communicate to the central nervous system through at least 3 parallel and interacting channels involving nervous, endocrine, and immune signaling mechanisms. The brain can affect the community structure and function of the gut microbiota through the autonomic nervous system, by modulating regional gut motility, intestinal transit and secretion, and gut permeability, and potentially through the luminal secretion of hormones that directly modulate microbial gene expression. A systems biological model is proposed that posits circular communication loops amid the brain, gut, and gut microbiome, and in which perturbation at any level can propagate dysregulation throughout the circuit. A series of largely preclinical observations implicates alterations in brain-gut-microbiome communication in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, and several psychiatric and neurologic disorders. Continued research holds the promise of identifying novel therapeutic targets and developing treatment strategies to address some of the most debilitating, costly, and poorly understood diseases.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6047317/

 

The gut-brain connection

 

The gut-brain connection is no joke; it can link anxiety to stomach problems and vice versa. Have you ever had a "gut-wrenching" experience? Do certain situations make you "feel nauseous"? Have you ever felt "butterflies" in your stomach? We use these expressions for a reason. The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, elation — all of these feelings (and others) can trigger symptoms in the gut.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection

[Kind024]

Thanks @3rdCoaster, that coconut keifer cream sounds interesting. Do you train the grain to eat something in the coconut? Or mix it with milk? They eat lactoB or is there lacto in coconut? 

 

Grains?...I left my grain in the fridge too long in the same jar of milk. I tried to save them. There were less then a 1/4 tsp, I couldn't get them to multiply before they dissolved. Had them trained on raw unpasteurized milk. 

 

Right on @knucklehead bob! Thanks for sharing that. Saves me some time.

 

Thats what it's all about...fortify the bodies microbes. Just like in soil, microbes in our guts pre digest our food to make it more available to be absorbed by the intestinal walls.

 

And yes, the stomach is the first brain. Brain functions are directly associated with the health of the gut.

 

@Kingfish, I'm sorry to hear about your health issue. Antibiotics do serious damage to the bodies microbes...and can save our lives at the same time. Fermented foods can help build a healthy gut heard. Garden fresh foods, prewash can help to...pull a carrot, stir it in the water barrel for a second and chow down. Wild foraging can help too. Many of the microbes living in soil, live in our guts. Kombucha is good for fortifying gut biology which helps us digest all these processed foods were consuming these days.

I'm not a doctor...please consult a licensed medical professional or whatever goes next...

 

This goes for anyone who is serious about giving kombucha a try. I have a few extra scoby culture around and more are always growing. Send a PM if you're interested. 

 

[unregistered190]

Thanks for sharing....I just recently got interested in fermentation and tried making my first batch of sauerkraut last weekend. Will be watching this thread and learning

[Guest 3rdCoaster]

20 hours ago, Kind024 said:

that coconut keifer cream sounds interesting. Do you train the grain to eat something in the coconut? Or mix it with milk? They eat lactoB or is there lacto in coconut? 

 

The milk grains need the LactoB from milk for complete nutrition.    However, well fed milk grains can process the sugars found in coconut milk but will lack proper nutrition to reproduce or stay  productive for very long.   The key is to cycle them...one or two batches in coconut milk or coconut cream and then back to whole milk for a few runs to revitalize them.   Using a portion of your grains in coconut or other nut milks and them bringing them back to whole milk is a good way to work it.

 

The cream keifer is a bit of a overripe culture....chilled and strained through a cheese cloth to remove lots of whey.    There is a local company that makes extraordinary coco keifer cream,   sooo f@cking good...OMG!    and then I recently found a brand "CocoYo"  that has a live coco yogurt.  You know it good because the stated shelf life is just a  few weeks.   Open the container and it hisses some with the escape of c02 and fizzes on your tongue...sooo tart ....soo good.

 

23 hours ago, Kingfish said:

That coconut kefir cream sounds interesting as well. For someone that has had gerd /  stomach issues my entire life and a walking petri dish of antibiotics (have refused antibiotics for about 5 years now) from tick borne diseases, I am most excited to see these posts. Much appreciated!!

 

I will take pics next time they go in coconut milk or make some sauerkraut.   

 

 

23 hours ago, knucklehead bob said:

On 5/21/2019 at 6:28 AM, 3rdCoaster said:

the power of a healthy digestive biome is way under rated these days.    

 

^^^ Truth ^^^

 

 

Thats what I'm saying.....many of us have never, ever and I mean ever had a truly well functioning digestive system.   Between eating all the  "food like agents of disease" found in the grocery store isles, way too many daily stressors...environmental and psychological and for many a largely sedentary lifestyle between commuting and then sitting more at work and again at home and just a disconnect between man and the natural world...no wonder hospitals and doctors offices are overflowing with people looking for answers in all the wrong places.    Civilization is killing us all...haha.

 

 

[Guest imiubu]

Exceptional presentation @Kind024 Thank you so much for taking your time and energy etc, to share your knowledge with us.

I appreciate it greatly and am eager to learn more.

 

I too am becoming awakened to fermented foods and gut health.  I do eat a fair amount of sauerkraut but that's about it currently.

Kimchi though... ugg... gross haha.  I've tried store bought kombucha and while I do like the flavors I've sampled, I simply do not

care for carbonation.  Probably why I rarely drink beer, soda pop etc. 

Is there something as beneficial as kombucha that I can make at home that does not carbonate? 

 

Does whole milk plain yogurt contain probiotics?  I eat that on a regular basis just because I love the stuff haha.

 

I am not as industrious (or motivated?) as some of you but I did recently and successfully make my first batch of LactoB

after 3 attempts haha.

My first batch separated perfectly yet there were fungus gnat larvae in there and since I have a great aversion to maggots,

I could not bring myself to just strain them out, eww.  The second batch didn't separate correctly I think due to low temps.

This batch turned out beautifully.  The 2nd stage is jarred and in the fridge to be activated as needed.  I fed some of the milk

curds to my dog and she scarfed them up.  The noticeable results were better formed an non smelling elimination.  I should have

researched further to see if I could freeze the curds so I could feed them to her regularly.  Personally...I couldn't gag them down so

the remainder went to the compost bin. 

 

 

[Coastal]

Ha ha, @imiubu that’s funny I was just going to recommend kimichi! Although some are a bit over fishy, I love the mix of spicy peppers and stuff in with mine, and now do a more hybrid kimchi/sour Kraut mix...I hate carroway so I get put off by some krauts.

 

was doing the kambucha for a while, and will again soon! Much thanks for the thread @Kind024, and all the other contributions!

 

just a quick off topic /on topic... how many of you eat your plants as they grow?

 

i always snack on the thick sun leaf stems and find the taste to be not only a good indicator or health(not too bitter) but also variety to variety taste different as well! Wonder if you could include those in you drink too... I often thought of adding them to my smoothies!

[unregistered190]

1 hour ago, Coastal said:

just a quick off topic /on topic... how many of you eat your plants as they grow?

 

I freeze any fresh fan leaves and then when I have enough I chop them really fine and add water to make ice cubes. I add them to my smoothies.

[Kind024]

Hi @imiubu, the final stage of fermentation in the bottles is optional. So is the flavoring stage. The kombucha is ready with the probiotic benefits after the first step. It can be bottled and put in the fridge at that point. It will be plain without carbonation. 

 

It can be flavored and left without carbonation too. Finish up to step 3 and skip the final (4th) step and skip the added sugar to the bottles in step 3. Its only added to enhance the carbonation. Put it straight into the fridge after flavoring and bottling. Kombucha does cure a bit after it's in the fridge a few weeks but shouldn't build much if any carbonation in the fridge.

 

 

[Guest imiubu]

Once I reread, I discovered that I didn't have to carbonate it, oops.  I just located my gallon jars, yay, one step closer

[Kind024]

Right on @Coastal, we used to juice veg leaves every morning before going into the garden. I could feel the change in the way the body felt afterwards. However straight cannabis juice is pretty bitter and needs some apples and berries to mask it a bit till a taste is developed. Wheat grass juice is a pleasant taste in comparison. Im always chewing on a stem. Fresh cannabis is loaded with nutritional benefits for the body. We should have more fresh cannabis in our diets.

 

I agree 100% bro, I think we can begin to get an idea if the nutrients are balanced in the plant tissue from taste. Another way of developing a deeper relationship with the plant. 

[Kind024]

Hi @3rdCoaster, thanks for the information! That coco keifer cream sounds tasty. I'm going to get some more grains and start up the keifer projects again. My roommates friend down the street has some.  My old neighbor who turned me on to keifer (she gave me the kombucha scoby culture and taught me how to make it, I owe all if this knowledge to her, she gave me my first set of flip top bottles too. Thank you much sister!) used to make keifer icecream and keifer cheese...and keifer cheese cakes. I think the probiotics are cooked out after baking but it sure was tasty. The probiotics are still in the icecream cause it didnt need to be reduced or thickened. 

[Bugman]

i chew /eat yong fan leafs while working with my weed, so do my dogs while im trimming, i ues to colect fan leafs & put in my salids.

i need to try the Kombucha.