kombucha happiness

[snugglekitty]

I just decanted two more batches of kombucha this morning. The roobois/green is really good. The roobois/green/honeybush has a powerful kick and will probably be great mixed with juice. Woot!

I'm discovering that I like having a mellow brew (like one made with just green tea) and an earthier blend both in the house at the same time, for drinking on different occaisions. The earthy stuff is great first thing in the morning - probably comparable to drinking coffee for someone who likes that sort of thing.

If you want a baby to start your own brew, now's a good time to ask.

In other news, I am behind in my pickling. :( Busy week. Maybe this afternoon/tonight I'll have a chance to cook down the watermelon rind and grate the cabbage, and then I can start two more batches.

Comments

[pinkdom.livejournal.com]

When I saw Kombucha at a deli, I knew I had to try it. It was green. With spirulina. And $4.50? Whoah, was it potent. As I drank it, I kept thinking, do I like this?

Later in the week I saw some red Kombucha at Whole Foods. Slightly sweetened. $1.79, on sale for $1. I tried it. Yum!!! Milder. Still not a taste I'm used to, but yum, yum, yum!

Can I use store-bought Kombucha as a starter/baby? I've done my own yogurt before but never beverages.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

I tried using store-bought kombucha as a starter - that was my first attempt. It didn't work out very well, but I did a lot of things wrong, so you might have better luck. I would also ask around and just see if someone has them in your area. Or, some whole foods places also sell the cultures.
A baby is not the same as a starter - it's a SCOBY, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. It looks like a flat rubbery pancake basically.

[queen-of-wands.livejournal.com]

I might take your baby. (Uh, that feels like a really strange thing to say.) Does it take much maintenance or does it mostly do its own thing?

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

It mostly does its own thing. It needs to be fed every few weeks (water, tea, and sugar). It also needs a relative amount of stillness - both lack of motion and quiet in the room that it's in. Kombucha does not like to be shaken or stirred! But, obviously, that's a thing you don't do, rather than a thing you do.
IMO, the most tedious part is waiting for the brew to cool down, but even that isn't so bad. I just make it before I go to bed and then put it with the baby when I wake up, or make it when I'm starting my day and put it with the baby after dinner.

[queen-of-wands.livejournal.com]

Ah, cool. I'd love to try this. Can you share a baby? When would be good for me to pick it up?