Your videos are the best Kombucha guides I've come across on TH-cam! And your production value is high on top of that. Keep up the great work! Love your channel. :D
@@YouBrewKombucha kombucha lady pls help i have failed loads of times. This time i did everything but tried to ad 50%tea 600ml with 2 extra teaspoons. I used a green and black tea bag... it has mold again... arghhhhh
Girl, these videos are amazing! You describe the process with great detail, which is super helpful when trying to "eyeball" things and explore the beauty of kombucha creativity!
All my questions about flavoring kombucha answered in one clear, concise, 5 minute video complete with measurements. All done by a smart woman with a pleasant voice. Thanks, I subbed.
I love kombucha and just started to do it myself and watching your videos helped to make a better one than I used to buy from stores... thanks so much for sharing your knowledge
Just as others have mentioned, your video is the best kombucha guide I have come across yet! I'm really excited to get started following your guides and recommendations. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Your videos have literally guided me through my first time brewing experience. I bottled for the first time last night. Raspberry ginger. Can't wait to taste it! Thanks so much for sharing all your experience and knowledge.
I’ve found that drinking booch gives me a natural energy and mental boost. It’s particularly noticeable when I’m at work. So I decided to try to brew my own at home. These tips are incredibly helpful. Thank you!
I’ve just started brewing recently and am going to try blending my fruit and not burping my bottles help with getting more fizz, I love the fizz! I actually found your channel because a video of a super fizzy kombucha of yours popped up on my IG feed and looked so good! I realize the more sugary the fruit, the more it helps with getting fizz so I’m curious about banana. I know they have a lot of sugar content but idk it seems like it wouldn’t work very well. Anyone tried banana in their kombucha?
just a quick fact, pureeing or mashing fruit for your brew will not create smaller molecules that would require a chemical separation process. Instead what is happening when you use mashed or pureed fruit is you have created a much greater surface area for the yeast to have contact with. Cheers.
I'm gonna try to flavor with saffron! (typical christmas-spice in Sweden) and a teaspoon of sugar. Exciting! Thanks for great videos! /pernilla, Sweden
Hi. I'm assuming you stop the second fermentation by putting the bottles in the fridge but how come it see kombucha on supermarket shelves...wont it continue to ferment? Cheers
A lot of supermarket brands use yeast inhibitors or use other methods (like watering down kombucha or pasteurization) to stop fermentation. They don't all own up to it because they like to hide behind their "secret recipes." I know I may get flack for saying that, so I'll say -- not all supermarket brands do this. And if you're going to buy kombucha, go for local, craft made stuff! But I'm always an advocate of making your own stuff if you want, and if you're able to. So while homemade kombucha is a little less predictable and consistent than the supermarket stuff, at least you know you're getting the real deal. :) You can watch my video on second fermentation if you want my full step-by-step on that.
That was an excellent primer - could you speak to the turmeric issue for us? I understand that turmeric in fermentation 1 can kill the scoby but I know I've had a powdered turmeric kombucha from a store. Is the powder inert or is it the issue of putting something that oily into an F1? Hoping it's the latter? Thanks again - really helpful video. I didn't expect after seeing so many kombucha that I needed to add another to my sub list, but you're totally on the list now :).
You are too cute and knowledgeable! I’ve only done continuous brew and I’m finally going to try bottling. Great video 💗 thank you 😊 I suspect you ferment lots of stuff! Would be interested in other ferment videos too. What’s going on in the rainbow of jars behind you near the stove 😍
I just take fresh fruit and put it in my blender or my juicer. :) Or if I'm using frozen purees (like my favorite Goya Fruta Passionfruit pulp), I just defrost them. Hope that helps!
I am a beer homebrewer and wanna start make my on buche as well! What if I want to force carbonation into a mini keg instead with co2 cylinder? Should I had fruits into the keg or just add them into same vessel as first fermentation after removing scoby? Thanks 😊
I don't have experience with kegging kombucha, unfortunately! :/ I've heard that certain fruits don't work well with a keg because it gets to fizzy or foamy. Wish I could be more help there, but if you give it a try, let me know how it goes! Would love to hear your experience with it. :)
What about cubing fruit and boiling it down in water with a little sugar then straining. Essentially making a light fruit syrup. Want to make pear and ginger but don't have a juicer.
I like freshly juiced ginger (I have an electric juicer I use for it). Full list of my materials are here if helpful: www.youbrewkombucha.com/byo-starter-kit :)
I think the trick for doing unflavored kombucha is bottling it a day or 2 before you normally would, while there's still enough sugar in the base tea. I've had good success with that, without adding any sugar to it.
Would really appreciate some info on how much sugar to add (per gallon of first fermentation) if you are using only herbs or anything else with a lower sugar content. Thanks so much!
Okay, so I bought fresh rasberries to add for my second fermentation. I guess I’ll just throw them in the blender and puree them? and then add 1 tsp. sugar to each bottle to start the 2nd?
I have a few question about passion fruit puree in your picture. I love passion fruit but it's hard to come by. Also does it come frozen and you just blend it? Do you combine passion fruit other flavors? I can't find any at my local stores. Do you buy that Goya Fruta at a Spanish market? Thanks!
DeAna Rodriguez I’m a huge fan of passionfruit too! I agree, it’s hard to come by. I buy frozen Goya Fruta from Mexican/Hispanic grocery stores. I basically just defrost them and use the liquid to flavor my kombucha. It’s not sweetened so I usually have to add some sugar or mix it with another, sweet fruit juice/purée to get it to the sweetness level I like. Hope that helps!
Hi, , I’m trying my first K for the first time. I was hoping you can help me out. 🙏🏼 I want to make lemon & ginger, could you let me what would be the process. Thank you
What is your take on how best to use herbs, fresh vs dry? And if fresh, do I need to wash them first? If if my basil leaf or rosemary sprig is still a little damp, will that interfere with my kombucha? Am I overthinking this?
In the bottle with the white lid, it looks like you added real peach juice and towards the top it's getting dry and crusty, which is what I'm finding in my brew at home too. Do you have to worry about the fruit-foam that rises to the surface and sticks to the bottle-neck going rancid over time? I thought exposed fruit sugars could be bad for consumption.
Hi! I've never actually tried to make kombucha with CBD (at least for now!), but I'm sure I'll eventually play around with it get and get a video/recipe up on my site. Thanks for the tip! :)
Maybe just put some high CBD cannabis tea (flower) in with it on the second fermentation, - then, you'll have not just the CBD, but other cannabinoids in it, as well. Granted, it won't fully extract all the medicine from it, but hopefully some of it. And strain out the remainder of the flower for another recipe, ie, consume it all, somewhere else, don't waste any of it. And, P.S., I've noticed that kombucha seems to potentiate the effects of hemp tea, an added plus of combining both, together!
Not sure if this is a thing, but I added a small bit of coconut oil to my damaged water kefir and it bred new life into my scoby. I'm not sure if it was a fluke but definitely worth trying. the idea was inspired by another TH-cam channel that tried making an avocado kombucha. He mentioned how explosive it made the brew and I wonder if it's the Omega-3s that gave the Kombucha a jumpstart?
Do you think that adding a bit of fresh lavender to, say for example a raw pu erh tea in the first fermentation will be too aggressive? Lavender contains oil, which makes it so fragrant, but I feel like it might be too aggressive.
I haven't, personally. I think the kombucha brewer community is pretty split on this. Some people do it, and others don't because essential oils can have anti-microbial properties that could mess with the good symbiosis of bacteria and yeast in kombucha. Plus, the essential oil market can be a bit sketchy on whether/not the oils are food-safe. You can't always trust labels to tell the truth about these things, so I've personally avoided it. But I have heard of homebrewers that do it! I just can't recommend any brands/practices myself, since I don't have any experience there. :)
New to kombucha, still waiting on supplies to be delivered to get started at home, love your videos. Can raw honey be used in 2nd fermentation for flavoring?
Yeah, I personally make honey syrup from honey so the kombucha can digest it easier. Doesn’t change the flavor too much and it doesn’t change it for the worse
How much is a little sugar? I’m a new brewer and was planning on using frozen peaches but I’m not sugar they’re sweet enough. I’m going to be ready to bottle my brew in a day or two 🤞
Have you ever made Jun? It sounds really neat and I found a website where you can train a scoby for kambucha to brew jun eventually. It's honey and green tea based. I would try it but honey is expensive!
Jun Boo I’ll definitely put it on my list of video ideas! In the meantime, you can check out my favorite flavor combos here: www.youbrewkombucha.com/flavor-ideas Hope that helps!
I use a Ninja single serve blender and puree fruit. I do somewhere between 10-30% juice to kombucha. For more Tart/sour flavors you can dial back the percentage but to no less than 10%.
Diane Love Hi there Diane! Sure - once you’re bottling/about to drink the bottle, you can add whatever you like to it. You can’t use honey as a substitute for sugar during first fermentation though, since the scoby won’t be able to digest the enzymes in the honey properly. Regular white sugar is still necessary for first fermentation. And you may hear that some people brew a different type of kombucha (using a different type of culture) called Jun Kombucha - which uses green tea and honey during first fermentation instead of sugar. But I’ve never done it myself - and like I mentioned, it requires a different type of scoby that can handle honey. But I digress - long story short, when you’re about to drink it, you’re totally free to add whatever you like to it. :)
Yes, definitely! After you finish your first fermentation process, just go ahead and add your flavoring and it's ready to drink. You can bottle it if you like or store it in a pitcher (whatever you prefer). But as long as you don't second ferment in an airtight container at room temp, it won't get fizzy.
Hi there, thank you for the very educational video! I’m wondering how to make a non-flavored original kombucha but still very fizzy. Do you have any suggestions please? Thanks!
I there, check out this page: www.youbrewkombucha.com/flavoring -- then scroll down to the section down at the bottom: "What if I want carbonation but no flavoring?" :)
Hi, I just started my first fermentation today!! I´ve learned a lot thanks to your great channel. Do you think there would be any issue if I make a flavored simple syrup to add flavor to my kombucha??
You could totally try it! I prefer fresh fruit because depending on the flavorings in the syrup, certain chemicals/additives can add weird off-flavors during fermentation. But if you find a syrup that you like and it works for you, use it!
You Brew Kombucha thanks, I will try it. I'm not going to use a store bought syrup. I'll make my own it is very easy so there won't be any chemicals involved and I think maybe the fruit syrup will last longer and get more flavor from herbs.
I've been hearing a lot about hops in tea lately. I have some pellet hops leftover from dry hopping a batch of beer I brewed a few weeks ago. Have you ever made a hopped kombucha? How did it go, and did you use pellet hops, or whole cones? Thanks in advance!
I am on day 3 of second fermentation (1st time ever brewing kombucha). Some of my fruit puree has settled to the bottom and some is floating on top. Should I give it another day or 2 until the rest of the puree settles to the bottom? I am using swing top bottles (heavy duty glass).
@@PayneintheMembrane mason jars worked just fine for me . I have already made a few batches . Ps you can pressure cook mason jars and they won’t explode.
Whatever your preference is totally fine! For some fruit, I prefer fresh (like pineapple, raspberries, apple), but some fruits (like passionfruit puree), I prefer frozen. Both work, it's just up to you and what you like to use.
Oh hello! I am a big fan of ginger ale. I saw in an article they say to use candied ginger during second ferment to get the taste but my teacher said not to have any undissolved sugar grains as they can kill the bacteria/fermentation process. Can you advise on this or even better, a video ;) thank u so much!
Jeanne Wong Hey again Jeanne! You can totally use undissolved sugar. It’s usually best to have it dissolved so the bacteria and yeast can access it easier, but undissolved sugar will not harm/kill your bacteria. I’m not sure where they got that information but it makes absolutely no sense scientifically. There’s no difference in the chemical composition of sugar whether it’s dissolved or not - sugar is good for the fermentation process. It can’t hurt it. :) Maybe they were talking about alternate sources of sugar (things like brown sugar, stevia or things that are not cane sugar could harm your scoby during first fermentation) but naturally-occurring sugar in fruit are OK. And once you get to the bottling/flavoring stage during second fermentation, you can flavor with pretty much anything (even brown sugar/stevia/alternate sources of sugar) because at that point, you’ll just be drinking it so it’s all just for taste. In any case, long-winded answer but I hope that helps! I’m really starting to wonder where your teacher learned about making kombucha. :/
I don't recommend it. You can't re-use scobys that have already been infused with flavorings (even fruit) because they degrade and weaken the scoby over time. You can read more details here: www.youbrewkombucha.com/scoby-care-hotel -- under the "How flavorings can harm your scoby" section. :)
I just add sugar to taste. Not all fruit has the same sugar content, so I don't have a hard and fast rule about it. I generally add just a bit too much sugar than I prefer the sweetness level to be at (knowing some of that sweetness will go away in the fermentation process).
Please do a coffee kombucha video. I'm trying to replicate a batch I tried a few months ago and would love to see your take on it. Your videos are fantastic! Thanks for creating these for us newb 'bucha brewers to learn from
I will definitely add it on my list of experiments! To be totally honest, I'm not a huge fan of the taste myself, so that's really what's been making me drag my feet on trying it out. But I'm always looking to experiment and see what people are interested in learning about kombucha, so thanks for requesting it! Adding it to my to-dos! :)
I was first exposed to it at SOMA Komboucha and fell in love with the unique flavor. Since then I've tried a few different brands but haven't found one that duplicates that taste. Now that I don't live near SOMA, I'm desperate to replicate that experience. I'll keep messing up and experimenting until you make a video and set me straight with more 'bouch knowledge.
I've left bottles in the fridge for upwards of 6 months or more. :) They don't go bad, but since the fermentation doesn't come to a complete stop in the fridge -- (it'll slow down greatly, but won't come to a total halt) -- it'll continue to ferment super gradually. So over time, you may find that it'll get too carbonated or get less sweet. You may want to burp the bottles every month or so if you plan to keep them in the fridge long-term (to prevent over-carbonation and messy spills when you open them). But I've actually "aged" a bottle of apple kombucha in my fridge for around 8 months, and when I drank it, it tasted like a nice dry cider! :)
I've left bottles in the fridge for upwards of 6 months or more. :) They don't go bad, but since the fermentation doesn't come to a complete stop in the fridge -- (it'll slow down greatly, but won't come to a total halt) -- it'll continue to ferment super gradually. So over time, you may find that it'll get too carbonated or get less sweet. You may want to burp the bottles every month or so if you plan to keep them in the fridge long-term (to prevent over-carbonation and messy spills when you open them). But I've actually "aged" a bottle of apple kombucha in my fridge for around 8 months, and when I drank it, it tasted like a nice dry cider! :)
Kombucha lady my 50/50 brew has mold again. What did i do i cleaned and rinsed with bleach... is it the tea. I gave it 2 extra teaspoons to get it going
If your second fermentation is at three days and there isn't much carbonation, can you add some fruit juice at this point and let it ferment longer to get the fermentation that you desire?
Totally -- if it's not as fizzy as you'd like, just leave it at room temp a bit longer to increase the carbonation. Depending on what flavorings I use, sometimes certain fruits need longer to build fizz than others. It's up to you whether/not you want to add more fruit juice at that point. If you tasted it and it's flat + too acidic, then yes -- you may want to add more fruit juice so the kombucha has more sugar to convert into CO2 (and so that it still tastes good/sweet enough for you to drink).
Hello! Thank you for your awesome videos! It’s really helpful. I am trying to grow a scoby but I started with a scoby that came from an already flavored kombucha. It seems that is growing and I already changed it once but I listened that you said those scobies doesn’t work :( Why is that? Is it bad? Because I already drank from it 😆 thank you!! Have a nice day!
Hey there -- in general, flavorings can degrade/weaken the scoby over time (it could cause bacteria/yeast imbalances or mold growth), so that's why I recommend sticking to plain kombucha when growing a scoby. I have heard of people growing scobys from flavored kombucha, so it's definitely possible -- it's just not advisable. But if it produces good kombucha for you, then keep using it. If later on down the line, you notice issues with it or it produces a moldy batch out of nowhere, then just be aware that it may be because of the flavoring from a few batch “generations” back. But I’d say if it tastes good to you, keep using it until you get to the point where you’re having issues.
There's a lot of debate about this in the kombucha community. I prefer to stay away from it because I honestly don't trust most essential oil sellers to be selling food-grade oils (even if they claim they're food-safe). There's not a lot of transparency and regulation around it, so for me personally, it's risky and not worth it. Some people do it, though.
Question: I have some freeze dried raspberries that I normally put in hot cereals, do you think that freeze dried fruit would be ok to use? I was thinking of crushing them into a powder and putting them in the 2nd ferment to make a raspberry kombucha with a raspberry syrup (I like sweet things).
These are not sweet and the vitamins are dead in freezedried fruit so I'd think that would not provide what you need, but if you added a raw honey (I usually soak mine in water so it doesn't seize up and glop to the bottom) then the FD fruit will essentially flavor the honey a bit. Best to use a live fruit, though. Of all the options, including pasteurized concentrate, freeze dried will work the least. Great question!
@@lindsaywilliambrown808 If the vitamins were "dead" in freeze-dried foods everyone that has ever gone to space or eaten MREs on a battle field would have died of malnutrition.
So honey is a no-go for the first fermentation, but what about the second fermentation/flavoring? Do you think that it would destroy the health benefits of local, raw, and unfiltered honey?
Not sure if it would destroy the health benefits in the fermentation process, but you can definitely use honey to flavor the kombucha. It tastes lovely!
Yep! I do it all the time. I prefer to use a juicer to get all the fibrous pulp out of my ginger. But honestly, if I'm lazy, I'll just throw it in my blender with some other fruit juice/kombucha and use that to flavor my batches.
Your videos are the best Kombucha guides I've come across on TH-cam! And your production value is high on top of that. Keep up the great work! Love your channel. :D
Yay! Thank you so much for watching. I'm glad you love 'em. :D
Lauren Shirley I agree.
@@YouBrewKombucha kombucha lady pls help i have failed loads of times. This time i did everything but tried to ad 50%tea 600ml with 2 extra teaspoons. I used a green and black tea bag... it has mold again... arghhhhh
Girl, these videos are amazing! You describe the process with great detail, which is super helpful when trying to "eyeball" things and explore the beauty of kombucha creativity!
All my questions about flavoring kombucha answered in one clear, concise, 5 minute video complete with measurements. All done by a smart woman with a pleasant voice. Thanks, I subbed.
I love this channel! Currently brewing my own kombucha, all from a bottle from the store!
Love the channel. Youve helped me so much for starting home brewing during this quarantine! The best on TH-cam
I love kombucha and just started to do it myself and watching your videos helped to make a better one than I used to buy from stores... thanks so much for sharing your knowledge
Just as others have mentioned, your video is the best kombucha guide I have come across yet! I'm really excited to get started following your guides and recommendations. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Your videos have literally guided me through my first time brewing experience. I bottled for the first time last night. Raspberry ginger. Can't wait to taste it! Thanks so much for sharing all your experience and knowledge.
Brewing my first batch now and super excited to binge watch your videos. Subbed.
This answered all of my questions. Thank you, very well done.
I’ve found that drinking booch gives me a natural energy and mental boost. It’s particularly noticeable when I’m at work. So I decided to try to brew my own at home. These tips are incredibly helpful. Thank you!
I’ve just started brewing recently and am going to try blending my fruit and not burping my bottles help with getting more fizz, I love the fizz! I actually found your channel because a video of a super fizzy kombucha of yours popped up on my IG feed and looked so good!
I realize the more sugary the fruit, the more it helps with getting fizz so I’m curious about banana. I know they have a lot of sugar content but idk it seems like it wouldn’t work very well. Anyone tried banana in their kombucha?
Tell us how it went
Thanks!
Hibiscus and strawberry is what I love to combine together for my booch 😍
just a quick fact, pureeing or mashing fruit for your brew will not create smaller molecules that would require a chemical separation process. Instead what is happening when you use mashed or pureed fruit is you have created a much greater surface area for the yeast to have contact with. Cheers.
You're a pro! Amazing. Ugh, super excited for my first ferment. Still waitin' on Momma' to keep growing.
Peach and ginger juice is amazing 👌
Do you use juices or purees?
Ginger + Honey + Lemon go really well together
Add some mango to it too.... yummm
Thanks for all of this information. You have covered every aspect of making Kombucha and kindly share it. I really appreciate that. :-)
I'm learning so much from your videos. Thanks for making them!!
I'm gonna try to flavor with saffron! (typical christmas-spice in Sweden) and a teaspoon of sugar. Exciting! Thanks for great videos! /pernilla, Sweden
What a creative idea! I'm going to try that, too
Your videos are awesome. So much information! Thank you x
How much sugar should I add to the second ferment if I am making ginger flavored Kombucha?
Making my first kombucha and thinking about to try to flavour it like glögg since it's december with cinnamon rod, clove and cardamom
You have great channel, thank you for the information
can you use brown or white sugar for this instead of sugar cane?
Great videos!!! I always learn new ideas!
Making my first batch now.
Jillian Hoover how did it go?!
Just love everything about your videos and your explanations. New Subbie. Your channel is great.
Hi. I'm assuming you stop the second fermentation by putting the bottles in the fridge but how come it see kombucha on supermarket shelves...wont it continue to ferment? Cheers
A lot of supermarket brands use yeast inhibitors or use other methods (like watering down kombucha or pasteurization) to stop fermentation. They don't all own up to it because they like to hide behind their "secret recipes." I know I may get flack for saying that, so I'll say -- not all supermarket brands do this. And if you're going to buy kombucha, go for local, craft made stuff! But I'm always an advocate of making your own stuff if you want, and if you're able to. So while homemade kombucha is a little less predictable and consistent than the supermarket stuff, at least you know you're getting the real deal. :) You can watch my video on second fermentation if you want my full step-by-step on that.
@@YouBrewKombucha thanks
That was an excellent primer - could you speak to the turmeric issue for us? I understand that turmeric in fermentation 1 can kill the scoby but I know I've had a powdered turmeric kombucha from a store. Is the powder inert or is it the issue of putting something that oily into an F1? Hoping it's the latter? Thanks again - really helpful video. I didn't expect after seeing so many kombucha that I needed to add another to my sub list, but you're totally on the list now :).
This is for secondary fermentation. Won’t kill the scoby in the primary ferment.
is there a way to prevent forming any scoby during f2?
You are too cute and knowledgeable! I’ve only done continuous brew and I’m finally going to try bottling. Great video 💗 thank you 😊 I suspect you ferment lots of stuff! Would be interested in other ferment videos too. What’s going on in the rainbow of jars behind you near the stove 😍
Hi! If my room temp is kind of low, like in the mid 60s will that prevent it from carbonating?
Could you demonstrate how you make your purée?
I just take fresh fruit and put it in my blender or my juicer. :) Or if I'm using frozen purees (like my favorite Goya Fruta Passionfruit pulp), I just defrost them. Hope that helps!
Do you need to dissolve the sugar before adding it to the bottles or just put it right in?
I am a beer homebrewer and wanna start make my on buche as well! What if I want to force carbonation into a mini keg instead with co2 cylinder? Should I had fruits into the keg or just add them into same vessel as first fermentation after removing scoby? Thanks 😊
I don't have experience with kegging kombucha, unfortunately! :/ I've heard that certain fruits don't work well with a keg because it gets to fizzy or foamy. Wish I could be more help there, but if you give it a try, let me know how it goes! Would love to hear your experience with it. :)
Thank you for the very useful vedio I'm going to do it Appreciate very much
Super great quality videos! You are amazing
What about cubing fruit and boiling it down in water with a little sugar then straining. Essentially making a light fruit syrup. Want to make pear and ginger but don't have a juicer.
Hi there, how can I add ginger to the 2nd fermentation to flavour it. Will use ground ginger, crushed ginger, dried ginger? Love your videos.
I like freshly juiced ginger (I have an electric juicer I use for it). Full list of my materials are here if helpful: www.youbrewkombucha.com/byo-starter-kit :)
I think the trick for doing unflavored kombucha is bottling it a day or 2 before you normally would, while there's still enough sugar in the base tea. I've had good success with that, without adding any sugar to it.
Would really appreciate some info on how much sugar to add (per gallon of first fermentation) if you are using only herbs or anything else with a lower sugar content. Thanks so much!
Very helpful thank you
you're so helpful. thank you!
Which do you think is better to keep carbondioxcide between plastic cap or aluminum twist kind of cap which are available in my country?
Okay, so I bought fresh rasberries to add for my second fermentation. I guess I’ll just throw them in the blender and puree them? and then add 1 tsp. sugar to each bottle to start the 2nd?
I have a few question about passion fruit puree in your picture. I love passion fruit but it's hard to come by. Also does it come frozen and you just blend it? Do you combine passion fruit other flavors? I can't find any at my local stores. Do you buy that Goya Fruta at a Spanish market? Thanks!
DeAna Rodriguez I’m a huge fan of passionfruit too! I agree, it’s hard to come by. I buy frozen Goya Fruta from Mexican/Hispanic grocery stores. I basically just defrost them and use the liquid to flavor my kombucha. It’s not sweetened so I usually have to add some sugar or mix it with another, sweet fruit juice/purée to get it to the sweetness level I like. Hope that helps!
Hi, , I’m trying my first K for the first time. I was hoping you can help me out. 🙏🏼 I want to make lemon & ginger, could you let me what would be the process. Thank you
What is your take on how best to use herbs, fresh vs dry? And if fresh, do I need to wash them first? If if my basil leaf or rosemary sprig is still a little damp, will that interfere with my kombucha? Am I overthinking this?
In the bottle with the white lid, it looks like you added real peach juice and towards the top it's getting dry and crusty, which is what I'm finding in my brew at home too. Do you have to worry about the fruit-foam that rises to the surface and sticks to the bottle-neck going rancid over time? I thought exposed fruit sugars could be bad for consumption.
Can you do a video on how to make CBD kombucha? Thanks!
Hi! I've never actually tried to make kombucha with CBD (at least for now!), but I'm sure I'll eventually play around with it get and get a video/recipe up on my site. Thanks for the tip! :)
You just add CBD to it.....
@@cmrnk3554 hi! I'm not sure if it's that simple! If I use oil it will separate and I'm unsure the ratio with the CBD tea.
Maybe just put some high CBD cannabis tea (flower) in with it on the second fermentation, - then, you'll have not just the CBD, but other cannabinoids in it, as well. Granted, it won't fully extract all the medicine from it, but hopefully some of it. And strain out the remainder of the flower for another recipe, ie, consume it all, somewhere else, don't waste any of it. And, P.S., I've noticed that kombucha seems to potentiate the effects of hemp tea, an added plus of combining both, together!
Love your videos
I second ferment with ginger and lemon. My kombucha eats the little sugars off the lemon only and still gets fizzy.
Not sure if this is a thing, but I added a small bit of coconut oil to my damaged water kefir and it bred new life into my scoby. I'm not sure if it was a fluke but definitely worth trying.
the idea was inspired by another TH-cam channel that tried making an avocado kombucha. He mentioned how explosive it made the brew and I wonder if it's the Omega-3s that gave the Kombucha a jumpstart?
Do you think that adding a bit of fresh lavender to, say for example a raw pu erh tea in the first fermentation will be too aggressive? Lavender contains oil, which makes it so fragrant, but I feel like it might be too aggressive.
Hello there! Thanks for amazing videos! How long is the shelf life in the fridge when you make with fresh fruit?
Check out my video on when kombucha expires: www.youbrewkombucha.com/kombucha-expire-aging
Hello, have you ever added essential oils to flavor? Thanks
I haven't, personally. I think the kombucha brewer community is pretty split on this. Some people do it, and others don't because essential oils can have anti-microbial properties that could mess with the good symbiosis of bacteria and yeast in kombucha. Plus, the essential oil market can be a bit sketchy on whether/not the oils are food-safe. You can't always trust labels to tell the truth about these things, so I've personally avoided it. But I have heard of homebrewers that do it! I just can't recommend any brands/practices myself, since I don't have any experience there. :)
New to kombucha, still waiting on supplies to be delivered to get started at home, love your videos. Can raw honey be used in 2nd fermentation for flavoring?
Yeah, I personally make honey syrup from honey so the kombucha can digest it easier. Doesn’t change the flavor too much and it doesn’t change it for the worse
How much is a little sugar? I’m a new brewer and was planning on using frozen peaches but I’m not sugar they’re sweet enough. I’m going to be ready to bottle my brew in a day or two 🤞
Have you ever made Jun? It sounds really neat and I found a website where you can train a scoby for kambucha to brew jun eventually. It's honey and green tea based. I would try it but honey is expensive!
Hi. In the future could you make a video of how you make fruit puree or which combinations you like most?, thank you for your great videos.
Jun Boo I’ll definitely put it on my list of video ideas! In the meantime, you can check out my favorite flavor combos here: www.youbrewkombucha.com/flavor-ideas
Hope that helps!
You Brew Kombucha Thannkk you the moment I entered the page I bookmark it, just amazing material.
Jun Boo You are such a good and experience presenter and knowledgeable. Thank you so much I love your videos.🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼❤️❤️👩🎤❤️
I use a Ninja single serve blender and puree fruit. I do somewhere between 10-30% juice to kombucha. For more Tart/sour flavors you can dial back the percentage but to no less than 10%.
The best guides on yt! But can you put measurement in litres too? for like the rest of the non american world
Is it OK to add a sweetener after the fact. In the bottle that I’m about to drink. is it OK if I add honey and Stevia?
Diane Love Hi there Diane! Sure - once you’re bottling/about to drink the bottle, you can add whatever you like to it.
You can’t use honey as a substitute for sugar during first fermentation though, since the scoby won’t be able to digest the enzymes in the honey properly. Regular white sugar is still necessary for first fermentation.
And you may hear that some people brew a different type of kombucha (using a different type of culture) called Jun Kombucha - which uses green tea and honey during first fermentation instead of sugar. But I’ve never done it myself - and like I mentioned, it requires a different type of scoby that can handle honey.
But I digress - long story short, when you’re about to drink it, you’re totally free to add whatever you like to it. :)
Thank you! 🤗
Thanks for your advices 🤓
Great info. Can i add flvour without carbonnation
Yes, definitely! After you finish your first fermentation process, just go ahead and add your flavoring and it's ready to drink. You can bottle it if you like or store it in a pitcher (whatever you prefer). But as long as you don't second ferment in an airtight container at room temp, it won't get fizzy.
Hi there, thank you for the very educational video! I’m wondering how to make a non-flavored original kombucha but still very fizzy. Do you have any suggestions please? Thanks!
I there, check out this page: www.youbrewkombucha.com/flavoring -- then scroll down to the section down at the bottom: "What if I want carbonation but no flavoring?" :)
Got it! Just read! Thank you!
Hi,
I just started my first fermentation today!!
I´ve learned a lot thanks to your great channel.
Do you think there would be any issue if I make a flavored simple syrup to add flavor to my kombucha??
You could totally try it! I prefer fresh fruit because depending on the flavorings in the syrup, certain chemicals/additives can add weird off-flavors during fermentation. But if you find a syrup that you like and it works for you, use it!
You Brew Kombucha thanks, I will try it. I'm not going to use a store bought syrup. I'll make my own it is very easy so there won't be any chemicals involved and I think maybe the fruit syrup will last longer and get more flavor from herbs.
I've been hearing a lot about hops in tea lately. I have some pellet hops leftover from dry hopping a batch of beer I brewed a few weeks ago. Have you ever made a hopped kombucha? How did it go, and did you use pellet hops, or whole cones? Thanks in advance!
I haven't hopped my kombucha yet, but will at some point soon!!
@@YouBrewKombucha I just finished an attempt at hopping Kombucha. It came out pretty good. Let me know if you're interested in the recipe.
Iam doing keto so just wondering what will be the best to add iam new to this haven’t made any as of yet
Can preserved (fermented lemons) be used in secondary fermentation, along with a simple sugar made with raw cane sugar?
I am on day 3 of second fermentation (1st time ever brewing kombucha). Some of my fruit puree has settled to the bottom and some is floating on top. Should I give it another day or 2 until the rest of the puree settles to the bottom? I am using swing top bottles (heavy duty glass).
Can I use a mason jar with a mason cap . Instead of those jars thanks new to the channel ❤️ the information.
Probably not due to risk of explosion. Use fermentation rated bottles, or save the bottles you get from store bought booch.
@@PayneintheMembrane mason jars worked just fine for me . I have already made a few batches . Ps you can pressure cook mason jars and they won’t explode.
To avoid risk of explosion just don’t use wide mouthed mason jars. The slim necks on the second ferment bottles help with that
can I use flavored syrup?
Eugenio Muñoz sure try it!
Can you use honey as a flavor for Kombucha?
THANK YOU for these videos! Question about adding a tsp of sugar to the 16 oz unflavored: should we mix it in or just drop it in and leave it sit?
I recommend mixing it in/swirling gently to dissolve!
Hi! If I wanted to make mine ginger flavored, how would you recommend I do this?
I like to puree/juice fresh ginger, then use that to flavor my brews. :)
Is it better to purée fresh fruit or frozen fruit??
Whatever your preference is totally fine! For some fruit, I prefer fresh (like pineapple, raspberries, apple), but some fruits (like passionfruit puree), I prefer frozen. Both work, it's just up to you and what you like to use.
Oh hello! I am a big fan of ginger ale. I saw in an article they say to use candied ginger during second ferment to get the taste but my teacher said not to have any undissolved sugar grains as they can kill the bacteria/fermentation process. Can you advise on this or even better, a video ;) thank u so much!
Jeanne Wong Hey again Jeanne! You can totally use undissolved sugar. It’s usually best to have it dissolved so the bacteria and yeast can access it easier, but undissolved sugar will not harm/kill your bacteria. I’m not sure where they got that information but it makes absolutely no sense scientifically. There’s no difference in the chemical composition of sugar whether it’s dissolved or not - sugar is good for the fermentation process. It can’t hurt it. :)
Maybe they were talking about alternate sources of sugar (things like brown sugar, stevia or things that are not cane sugar could harm your scoby during first fermentation) but naturally-occurring sugar in fruit are OK. And once you get to the bottling/flavoring stage during second fermentation, you can flavor with pretty much anything (even brown sugar/stevia/alternate sources of sugar) because at that point, you’ll just be drinking it so it’s all just for taste.
In any case, long-winded answer but I hope that helps! I’m really starting to wonder where your teacher learned about making kombucha. :/
You Brew Kombucha oh thank you again and it was not long winded, very good explanation. I will try it out! Have a good day!
Can i keep the scoby that forms in a flavored kombucha?
I don't recommend it. You can't re-use scobys that have already been infused with flavorings (even fruit) because they degrade and weaken the scoby over time. You can read more details here: www.youbrewkombucha.com/scoby-care-hotel -- under the "How flavorings can harm your scoby" section. :)
@@YouBrewKombucha thank you 💞
Does it matter what funnel you use to bottle your kombucha? What do you use?
As long as it's clean and food safe, it's good. I use a plastic funnel I got from Amazon.
Have you ever used strawberries? Just got a few packs of fresh ones and was planning on using them.
I have! I typically puree them fresh. Works great with lemons and lots of other fruit :)
As a rule, how much sugar should I add to the fruit, for example, if I’m making a puree from frozen peaches, which are not that sweet?
I just add sugar to taste. Not all fruit has the same sugar content, so I don't have a hard and fast rule about it. I generally add just a bit too much sugar than I prefer the sweetness level to be at (knowing some of that sweetness will go away in the fermentation process).
I have frozen mangos I plan on using for the second fermentation, do I need to thaw it or can i just drop the frozen mango in the kombucha?
Either way works :)
Thanks!
Please do a coffee kombucha video. I'm trying to replicate a batch I tried a few months ago and would love to see your take on it.
Your videos are fantastic! Thanks for creating these for us newb 'bucha brewers to learn from
I will definitely add it on my list of experiments! To be totally honest, I'm not a huge fan of the taste myself, so that's really what's been making me drag my feet on trying it out. But I'm always looking to experiment and see what people are interested in learning about kombucha, so thanks for requesting it! Adding it to my to-dos! :)
I was first exposed to it at SOMA Komboucha and fell in love with the unique flavor. Since then I've tried a few different brands but haven't found one that duplicates that taste. Now that I don't live near SOMA, I'm desperate to replicate that experience. I'll keep messing up and experimenting until you make a video and set me straight with more 'bouch knowledge.
Lint Hikes Sounds good! And if you have any tips or lessons learned from your experiments, please do share! I’d love your perspective on it too!
How long can you leave it in the fridge?
I've left bottles in the fridge for upwards of 6 months or more. :) They don't go bad, but since the fermentation doesn't come to a complete stop in the fridge -- (it'll slow down greatly, but won't come to a total halt) -- it'll continue to ferment super gradually. So over time, you may find that it'll get too carbonated or get less sweet. You may want to burp the bottles every month or so if you plan to keep them in the fridge long-term (to prevent over-carbonation and messy spills when you open them). But I've actually "aged" a bottle of apple kombucha in my fridge for around 8 months, and when I drank it, it tasted like a nice dry cider! :)
Love your videos! How long can i leave flavored/bottled kombucha in the fridge? Will it go bad?
I've left bottles in the fridge for upwards of 6 months or more. :) They don't go bad, but since the fermentation doesn't come to a complete stop in the fridge -- (it'll slow down greatly, but won't come to a total halt) -- it'll continue to ferment super gradually. So over time, you may find that it'll get too carbonated or get less sweet. You may want to burp the bottles every month or so if you plan to keep them in the fridge long-term (to prevent over-carbonation and messy spills when you open them). But I've actually "aged" a bottle of apple kombucha in my fridge for around 8 months, and when I drank it, it tasted like a nice dry cider! :)
Kombucha lady my 50/50 brew has mold again. What did i do i cleaned and rinsed with bleach... is it the tea. I gave it 2 extra teaspoons to get it going
If your second fermentation is at three days and there isn't much carbonation, can you add some fruit juice at this point and let it ferment longer to get the fermentation that you desire?
Totally -- if it's not as fizzy as you'd like, just leave it at room temp a bit longer to increase the carbonation. Depending on what flavorings I use, sometimes certain fruits need longer to build fizz than others. It's up to you whether/not you want to add more fruit juice at that point. If you tasted it and it's flat + too acidic, then yes -- you may want to add more fruit juice so the kombucha has more sugar to convert into CO2 (and so that it still tastes good/sweet enough for you to drink).
Okay, great. Thanks!
Hello! Thank you for your awesome videos! It’s really helpful. I am trying to grow a scoby but I started with a scoby that came from an already flavored kombucha. It seems that is growing and I already changed it once but I listened that you said those scobies doesn’t work :(
Why is that? Is it bad? Because I already drank from it 😆 thank you!! Have a nice day!
Hey there -- in general, flavorings can degrade/weaken the scoby over time (it could cause bacteria/yeast imbalances or mold growth), so that's why I recommend sticking to plain kombucha when growing a scoby. I have heard of people growing scobys from flavored kombucha, so it's definitely possible -- it's just not advisable. But if it produces good kombucha for you, then keep using it. If later on down the line, you notice issues with it or it produces a moldy batch out of nowhere, then just be aware that it may be because of the flavoring from a few batch “generations” back. But I’d say if it tastes good to you, keep using it until you get to the point where you’re having issues.
You Brew Kombucha thank you for your answer! :)
Wait, so are you not supposed to chill them right away for F2?
You can, but the longer they are at room temperature, the fizzier they are. I leave mine out for 3 days. My booch is always nice and fizzy!
in the second fermentation by adding fruit juices, the kombucha will contain alcohol or no
Maybe a little bit 2% but bread contains alcohol too through the yeast. Fruit juice contains Alkohol too if you store it outside the fridge up to 2%
@@Johnfrancis405 Thanks so much for your reply 😍
Thank-you!!
Can you flavor with essential oils?
There's a lot of debate about this in the kombucha community. I prefer to stay away from it because I honestly don't trust most essential oil sellers to be selling food-grade oils (even if they claim they're food-safe). There's not a lot of transparency and regulation around it, so for me personally, it's risky and not worth it. Some people do it, though.
Question: I have some freeze dried raspberries that I normally put in hot cereals, do you think that freeze dried fruit would be ok to use? I was thinking of crushing them into a powder and putting them in the 2nd ferment to make a raspberry kombucha with a raspberry syrup (I like sweet things).
These are not sweet and the vitamins are dead in freezedried fruit so I'd think that would not provide what you need, but if you added a raw honey (I usually soak mine in water so it doesn't seize up and glop to the bottom) then the FD fruit will essentially flavor the honey a bit. Best to use a live fruit, though. Of all the options, including pasteurized concentrate, freeze dried will work the least. Great question!
@@lindsaywilliambrown808 If the vitamins were "dead" in freeze-dried foods everyone that has ever gone to space or eaten MREs on a battle field would have died of malnutrition.
So honey is a no-go for the first fermentation, but what about the second fermentation/flavoring? Do you think that it would destroy the health benefits of local, raw, and unfiltered honey?
Not sure if it would destroy the health benefits in the fermentation process, but you can definitely use honey to flavor the kombucha. It tastes lovely!
Love your booch videos! Have you ever used cinnamon sticks? It's all over the island at the moment and I wanted to test it with apple puré.
Yes! I've used cinnamon with apple and cinnamon with orange for some more fall/holiday themed flavors and they've been lovely! :)
Has anyone flavored with fresh ginger? How would that work?
Yep! I do it all the time. I prefer to use a juicer to get all the fibrous pulp out of my ginger. But honestly, if I'm lazy, I'll just throw it in my blender with some other fruit juice/kombucha and use that to flavor my batches.
Yum. POWDER @ about 1/4 tsp per pint works too.
Omg rosemary tangerine sounds incredible
Danina Avery It’s one of my ultimate faves. 😍
Have u tried instant coffee ? I know u need sugar also
Once your Kombucha is done. Its bottled and ready to go in the fridge. How long will it last in the fridge???
Melanie Field watch my video on “Does kombucha expire?” 😊
you could write a book on how to do TH-cam videos