iHearAll
Well-Known Member
So, I'm convinced that Kombucha is more cost effective than LABS and EM culturing. I'll back this claim up later with some examples prices from my experiences culturing microbes!!
The difference is, it is not a concentrate like LABS or EM. It is about the concentration strength of EM or LABS diluted 1:100 in water BUT it has a huge variety of beneficial bacteria strains.
The following is pulled from the WWW and i have provided their sources as well.
Around the world, people have been drinking fermented tea for many hundreds of years, calling it by various names and praising its probiotic benefits as well as its refreshing flavor.
Many people are familiar with that leathery pancake called a scoby. That stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. “Symbiotic” means that the bacteria and yeast strains live together in a complex, mutually supportive community, supporting and depending on each other. [1] The scoby is sometimes called themushroom because it resembles the smooth, thick body of a mushroom.
The specific bacteria and yeast strains in the kombucha are what make it act the way it does, and what produce the fizz and flavor of kombucha. Not all kombucha cultures will contain the exact same strains, but these are some that have been recorded in studies:
Kombucha also contains a variety of other nutrients, particularly various acids and esters that give the drink its characteristic tang and fizz. Included in these components is gluconic acid, which is the primary difference between the makeup of kombucha and the makeup of apple cider vinegar.
The actual bacteria, sugar, and acid content of kombucha depend on many factors, including the initial culture, the type of tea used, the type of sugar used, the strength of the tea, the type of water, the brewing time, the culturing temperature, and more. Due to the nature of kombucha, it is not possible to state an exact microbial composition for Kombucha. [1]
While different scobys may vary in their exact makeup, what is common to all kombuchas is gluconic acid, acetic acid, and fructose. [2]
1. Ai Leng Teoha,, Gillian Heard, Julian Cox.(2044). Yeast ecology of Kombucha fermentation. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 95(2), 119-126. doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2003.12.020
2. Jayabalan, R., Malini, K., Sathishkumar, M., Swaminathan, K., & Yun, S. E. (2010). Biochemical characteristics of tea fungus produced during kombucha fermentation. Food Science and Biotechnology, 19(3), 843-847.
3. Kurtzman, C. P., Robnett, C. J. and Basehoar-Powers, E. (2001), Zygosaccharomyces kombuchaensis, a new ascosporogenous yeast from ‘Kombucha tea’. FEMS Yeast Research, 1: 133–138. doi: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2001.tb00024.x
So, how do I make it????
The culture starts from an existing, healthy culture and a healthy gelatinous colony of bacterium. For a fresh start, I would run down to the grocery store and pop into the refrigerated part of the health food section. Here I can find a bottle of commercial kombucha. The flavor doesn't matter...unless you're thirsty.
Hey down here!!!
hi,
Ok so you have a SCOBY "mushroom" which is the gelatinous body, and you picked up a bottle of healthy kombucha from the store or grandma. Take a swig of the store bought Kombucha and see if you like it as well as get a taste for the tangy fermented flavor. You'll want to get familiar with the taste.
The following from here is a quoted recipe from the WWW also.
The Benefits of Temperature Control
For the best results, kombucha needs to be fermented in a fairly narrow range from about 72-76F / 22-24C. Temperatures warmer than that can work but often bring out a little too much “funk” in kombucha’s flavor. Temperatures below 72F / 22C are more concerning, because the risk of mold contamination rises as the temperature falls. Using a Proofer to brew kombucha in cooler environments reduces the risk of contamination, keeps the culture balanced and helps produces the most desirable flavors. Kombucha brewing temperatures can also be tweaked to maintain a once-a-week schedule that is convenient (for example, you prefer to brew on weekends).
Finding a Culture to Use
The key to making kombucha at home is obtaining a scoby, the cellulose disc that contains the culture. A new scoby is formed with each batch of kombucha, so a friend who makes kombucha can be a great source for a spare scoby. Or you can get started with our excellent method for growing a scoby from a bottle of store bought kombucha.
Printable Instructions
Yield: one gallon / 4 liters. This recipe can easily be halved or doubled, the Proofer will hold up to 2 gallons of kombucha, as long as the containers are no taller than 8” / 20cm.
Timing: Brewing and bottling together take about 30 minutes of active time. The brewing cycle is approximately one week long (unattended).
Ingredients
U.S. Volume U.S. Weight Metric
Water 3 C 24 oz 700 ml
Sugar 1 C 7 oz 200 g (dont use stevia or artificial sweeteners for the fermentation. They are not digestable by the yeast)
Tea* 6-7 tea bags 0.5 oz loose tea 12-14 g loose tea
Fermented Kombucha* 2 C 16 oz 500 ml
Additional water, non-chlorinated 10-11 C 80-88 oz 2.5-2.75 L
Scoby, fresh 1 1 1
*Tea can be black, oolong, green, white or decaf, or a blend of any of those types. Herbal teas should not be used as they do not provide adequate nutrition for the culture. (iHearAll knows that spiced chai works/taste great too!)
**Unflavored, mature kombucha, usually reserved from the previous batch.
Equipment: Brød & Taylor Folding Proofer, one gallon non-metal brewing jar no more than 8″ /20cm tall, tightly woven fabric or paper cover and rubber band. An instant-read thermometer can be helpful for making sure the tea has cooled adequately. One widely available glass container that works well in the Proofer is Anchor Hocking’s Heritage Hill 1-gallon jar (without lid).
Get Ready. Set up the Proofer with the rack in place and the thermostat at 75F / 24C. Choose a location where the Proofer is away from direct sunlight because light can reduce nutrients. For best scoby formation, place the Proofer where it will not need to be moved so the jar and scoby remain still.
Make the Tea Concentrate. Bring 3 cups / 700ml water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add all of the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add black or oolong tea and brew for 20 minutes. If using green or white tea, brew for only 4 minutes or the resulting kombucha will be bitter. Remove the tea at the end of the brewing time.
Cool the Tea Concentrate. When brewing is complete, allow the tea concentrate to cool for at least ten minutes.
Tip: It often works well to bottle your previous batch of kombucha while the tea concentrate is brewing and cooling.
Fill the Brewing Vessel. Add the two cups of kombucha (reserved from a previous batch) and at least half of the remaining water to the brewing jar. Slowly pour in the tea concentrate (adding the hot concentrate after the jar is partially filled helps protect glass from abrupt temperature changes). Top off with as much water as necessary to bring the level up to a generous 6 inches / 6 cm below the rim of the jar.
Tip: Leave some airspace at the top of your brewing jar, because carbon dioxide can build up under the scoby and cause it to bulge upwards. If the container is too full, the scoby will spill kombucha as it rises.
Check the Temperature. Before transferring your scoby to the new batch of kombucha, check to see that the temperature is below 85F / 29C. Cool further if necessary.
Add the Scoby. When the mixture in the brewing jar has cooled, place the scoby into the jar. Cover with a clean cloth, tea towel or commercial size coffee filter and secure the rim with a rubber band.
http://brodandtaylor.com/how-to-brew-and-bottle-kombucha/
The difference is, it is not a concentrate like LABS or EM. It is about the concentration strength of EM or LABS diluted 1:100 in water BUT it has a huge variety of beneficial bacteria strains.
The following is pulled from the WWW and i have provided their sources as well.
Around the world, people have been drinking fermented tea for many hundreds of years, calling it by various names and praising its probiotic benefits as well as its refreshing flavor.
Many people are familiar with that leathery pancake called a scoby. That stands for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. “Symbiotic” means that the bacteria and yeast strains live together in a complex, mutually supportive community, supporting and depending on each other. [1] The scoby is sometimes called themushroom because it resembles the smooth, thick body of a mushroom.
The specific bacteria and yeast strains in the kombucha are what make it act the way it does, and what produce the fizz and flavor of kombucha. Not all kombucha cultures will contain the exact same strains, but these are some that have been recorded in studies:
- Acetobacter [2] is an aerobic (requiring oxygen) bacteria strain that produces acetic acid and gluconic acid. It is always found in kombucha. Acetobacter strains also build the scoby mushroom. Acetobacter xylinoides and acetobacter ketogenum are two strains that you might find in kombucha.
- Saccharomyces [2] includes a number of yeast strains that produce alcohol and are the most common types of yeast found in kombucha. They can be aerobic or anaerobic (requires an oxygen-free environment). They include Saccharomycodes ludwigii, Saccharomycodes apiculatus, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Zygosaccharomyes, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
- Brettanomyces [2] is another type of yeast strain, either aerobic or anaerobic, that are commonly found in kombucha and produce alcohol or acetic acid.
- Lactobacillus [2]: A type of aerobic bacteria that is sometimes, but not always, found in kombucha. It produces lactic acid and slime.
- Pediococcus [2]: These anaerobic bacteria produce lactic acid and slime. They are sometimes, but not always, found in kombucha.
- Gluconacetobacter kombuchae [2] is an anaerobic bacteria that is unique to kombucha. It feeds on nitrogen that is found in tea and produces acetic acid and gluconic acid, as well as building the scoby.
- Zygosaccharomyces kombuchaensis [3] is a yeast strain that is unique to kombucha. It produces alcohol and carbonation as well as contributing to the mushroom body.
Kombucha also contains a variety of other nutrients, particularly various acids and esters that give the drink its characteristic tang and fizz. Included in these components is gluconic acid, which is the primary difference between the makeup of kombucha and the makeup of apple cider vinegar.
The actual bacteria, sugar, and acid content of kombucha depend on many factors, including the initial culture, the type of tea used, the type of sugar used, the strength of the tea, the type of water, the brewing time, the culturing temperature, and more. Due to the nature of kombucha, it is not possible to state an exact microbial composition for Kombucha. [1]
While different scobys may vary in their exact makeup, what is common to all kombuchas is gluconic acid, acetic acid, and fructose. [2]
1. Ai Leng Teoha,, Gillian Heard, Julian Cox.(2044). Yeast ecology of Kombucha fermentation. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 95(2), 119-126. doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2003.12.020
2. Jayabalan, R., Malini, K., Sathishkumar, M., Swaminathan, K., & Yun, S. E. (2010). Biochemical characteristics of tea fungus produced during kombucha fermentation. Food Science and Biotechnology, 19(3), 843-847.
3. Kurtzman, C. P., Robnett, C. J. and Basehoar-Powers, E. (2001), Zygosaccharomyces kombuchaensis, a new ascosporogenous yeast from ‘Kombucha tea’. FEMS Yeast Research, 1: 133–138. doi: 10.1111/j.1567-1364.2001.tb00024.x
So, how do I make it????
The culture starts from an existing, healthy culture and a healthy gelatinous colony of bacterium. For a fresh start, I would run down to the grocery store and pop into the refrigerated part of the health food section. Here I can find a bottle of commercial kombucha. The flavor doesn't matter...unless you're thirsty.
Hey down here!!!
hi,
Ok so you have a SCOBY "mushroom" which is the gelatinous body, and you picked up a bottle of healthy kombucha from the store or grandma. Take a swig of the store bought Kombucha and see if you like it as well as get a taste for the tangy fermented flavor. You'll want to get familiar with the taste.
The following from here is a quoted recipe from the WWW also.
The Benefits of Temperature Control
For the best results, kombucha needs to be fermented in a fairly narrow range from about 72-76F / 22-24C. Temperatures warmer than that can work but often bring out a little too much “funk” in kombucha’s flavor. Temperatures below 72F / 22C are more concerning, because the risk of mold contamination rises as the temperature falls. Using a Proofer to brew kombucha in cooler environments reduces the risk of contamination, keeps the culture balanced and helps produces the most desirable flavors. Kombucha brewing temperatures can also be tweaked to maintain a once-a-week schedule that is convenient (for example, you prefer to brew on weekends).
Finding a Culture to Use
The key to making kombucha at home is obtaining a scoby, the cellulose disc that contains the culture. A new scoby is formed with each batch of kombucha, so a friend who makes kombucha can be a great source for a spare scoby. Or you can get started with our excellent method for growing a scoby from a bottle of store bought kombucha.
Printable Instructions
Yield: one gallon / 4 liters. This recipe can easily be halved or doubled, the Proofer will hold up to 2 gallons of kombucha, as long as the containers are no taller than 8” / 20cm.
Timing: Brewing and bottling together take about 30 minutes of active time. The brewing cycle is approximately one week long (unattended).
Ingredients
U.S. Volume U.S. Weight Metric
Water 3 C 24 oz 700 ml
Sugar 1 C 7 oz 200 g (dont use stevia or artificial sweeteners for the fermentation. They are not digestable by the yeast)
Tea* 6-7 tea bags 0.5 oz loose tea 12-14 g loose tea
Fermented Kombucha* 2 C 16 oz 500 ml
Additional water, non-chlorinated 10-11 C 80-88 oz 2.5-2.75 L
Scoby, fresh 1 1 1
*Tea can be black, oolong, green, white or decaf, or a blend of any of those types. Herbal teas should not be used as they do not provide adequate nutrition for the culture. (iHearAll knows that spiced chai works/taste great too!)
**Unflavored, mature kombucha, usually reserved from the previous batch.
Equipment: Brød & Taylor Folding Proofer, one gallon non-metal brewing jar no more than 8″ /20cm tall, tightly woven fabric or paper cover and rubber band. An instant-read thermometer can be helpful for making sure the tea has cooled adequately. One widely available glass container that works well in the Proofer is Anchor Hocking’s Heritage Hill 1-gallon jar (without lid).
Get Ready. Set up the Proofer with the rack in place and the thermostat at 75F / 24C. Choose a location where the Proofer is away from direct sunlight because light can reduce nutrients. For best scoby formation, place the Proofer where it will not need to be moved so the jar and scoby remain still.
Make the Tea Concentrate. Bring 3 cups / 700ml water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add all of the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add black or oolong tea and brew for 20 minutes. If using green or white tea, brew for only 4 minutes or the resulting kombucha will be bitter. Remove the tea at the end of the brewing time.
Cool the Tea Concentrate. When brewing is complete, allow the tea concentrate to cool for at least ten minutes.
Tip: It often works well to bottle your previous batch of kombucha while the tea concentrate is brewing and cooling.
Fill the Brewing Vessel. Add the two cups of kombucha (reserved from a previous batch) and at least half of the remaining water to the brewing jar. Slowly pour in the tea concentrate (adding the hot concentrate after the jar is partially filled helps protect glass from abrupt temperature changes). Top off with as much water as necessary to bring the level up to a generous 6 inches / 6 cm below the rim of the jar.
Tip: Leave some airspace at the top of your brewing jar, because carbon dioxide can build up under the scoby and cause it to bulge upwards. If the container is too full, the scoby will spill kombucha as it rises.
Check the Temperature. Before transferring your scoby to the new batch of kombucha, check to see that the temperature is below 85F / 29C. Cool further if necessary.
Add the Scoby. When the mixture in the brewing jar has cooled, place the scoby into the jar. Cover with a clean cloth, tea towel or commercial size coffee filter and secure the rim with a rubber band.
http://brodandtaylor.com/how-to-brew-and-bottle-kombucha/
