Moluv

Just thought I'd share a pic of my 2 1/2 gallon SCOBY and brew, Denver, started by a dear friend and jazz musician several years ago from a bottle of GT's. He passed it along to me when he moved to Denver to pursue his music. I have passed out many babies from this one.
To make 2 1/2 gallons I use 15 bags of organic oolong tea, 2 1/2 cups organic sugar. I bottle in Grolsh bottles, usually unflavored, but leave it out for a day or two to get fizzy before storing in the fridge. I always brew my sweet tea the night before I bottle so as soon as I bottle I can dump in room temp tea and start it fermenting right away.

1 1/2 gallons- pot of hot water, dissolve 1 1/2 cup of sugar (or little less), then steep 9 tea bags. I make this the night before and leave it on the stove to cool to room temp (take out tea bags after a while). In the morning add to scoby jar and fill the rest with room temp water.

Just thought I'd share a pic of my 2 1/2 gallon SCOBY and brew, Denver, started by a dear friend and jazz musician several years ago from a bottle of GT's. He passed it along to me when he moved to Denver to pursue his music. I have passed out many babies from this one.
To make 2 1/2 gallons I use 15 bags of organic oolong tea, 2 1/2 cups organic sugar. I bottle in Grolsh bottles, usually unflavored, but leave it out for a day or two to get fizzy before storing in the fridge. I always brew my sweet tea the night before I bottle so as soon as I bottle I can dump in room temp tea and start it fermenting right away.

Megmac, if you had a high-powered telescope you'd probably be quite pleased with your little guys growth!

When I explain to people what kombucha is and how the scoby works I liken it to yogurt (so mainstream!). I say that yogurt is made by certain strains of bacteria that eat the sugar in the milk and produce a byproduct that makes it taste tart. Then I say that kombucha uses a different bacteria (scoby) to eat the sugar out of sweet tea (also so mainstream, ESP in Texas) and leaves a tart byproduct. Anyone can understand that and get past the ick factor. It is amazing to me how many people don't realize that beer is fermented with yeast also- and that we have facilitated bacterial/yeast cultures for all sorts of foods and drink (uh, cheese? Sourdough? Pickles?)

When I explain to people what kombucha is and how the scoby works I liken it to yogurt (so mainstream!). I say that yogurt is made by certain strains of bacteria that eat the sugar in the milk and produce a byproduct that makes it taste tart. Then I say that kombucha uses a different bacteria (scoby) to eat the sugar out of sweet tea (also so mainstream, ESP in Texas) and leaves a tart byproduct. Anyone can understand that and get past the ick factor. It is amazing to me how many people don't realize that beer is fermented with yeast also- and that we have facilitated bacterial/yeast cultures for all sorts of foods and drink (uh, cheese? Sourdough? Pickles?)

You may try green or oolong (unflavored) both of which have less caffeine than black- then if you do your pre-steeping you should get it down to an acceptable level.

Susan, just go ahead and rename this thread "Booch Porn"

Susan, just go ahead and rename this thread "Booch Porn"

Nope, I got the cheaper version without. The only heat it gets is being near my hotness, ha ha.

1 1/2 gallons- pot of hot water, dissolve 1 1/2 cup of sugar (or little less), then steep 9 tea bags. I make this the night before and leave it on the stove to cool to room temp (take out tea bags after a while). In the morning add to scoby jar and fill the rest with room temp water.

Okay sorry. I just got SO excited.

Susan, GET A LOG. Ahahahahahaha. If they fire me, I blame you.

Just thought I'd share a pic of my 2 1/2 gallon SCOBY and brew, Denver, started by a dear friend and jazz musician several years ago from a bottle of GT's. He passed it along to me when he moved to Denver to pursue his music. I have passed out many babies from this one.
To make 2 1/2 gallons I use 15 bags of organic oolong tea, 2 1/2 cups organic sugar. I bottle in Grolsh bottles, usually unflavored, but leave it out for a day or two to get fizzy before storing in the fridge. I always brew my sweet tea the night before I bottle so as soon as I bottle I can dump in room temp tea and start it fermenting right away.

That is a thing of beauty Michelle!

Michele, it's a yeast tutu :D

Just thought I'd share a pic of my 2 1/2 gallon SCOBY and brew, Denver, started by a dear friend and jazz musician several years ago from a bottle of GT's. He passed it along to me when he moved to Denver to pursue his music. I have passed out many babies from this one.
To make 2 1/2 gallons I use 15 bags of organic oolong tea, 2 1/2 cups organic sugar. I bottle in Grolsh bottles, usually unflavored, but leave it out for a day or two to get fizzy before storing in the fridge. I always brew my sweet tea the night before I bottle so as soon as I bottle I can dump in room temp tea and start it fermenting right away.

Just thought I'd share a pic of my 2 1/2 gallon SCOBY and brew, Denver, started by a dear friend and jazz musician several years ago from a bottle of GT's. He passed it along to me when he moved to Denver to pursue his music. I have passed out many babies from this one.
To make 2 1/2 gallons I use 15 bags of organic oolong tea, 2 1/2 cups organic sugar. I bottle in Grolsh bottles, usually unflavored, but leave it out for a day or two to get fizzy before storing in the fridge. I always brew my sweet tea the night before I bottle so as soon as I bottle I can dump in room temp tea and start it fermenting right away.

Just thought I'd share a pic of my 2 1/2 gallon SCOBY and brew, Denver, started by a dear friend and jazz musician several years ago from a bottle of GT's. He passed it along to me when he moved to Denver to pursue his music. I have passed out many babies from this one.
To make 2 1/2 gallons I use 15 bags of organic oolong tea, 2 1/2 cups organic sugar. I bottle in Grolsh bottles, usually unflavored, but leave it out for a day or two to get fizzy before storing in the fridge. I always brew my sweet tea the night before I bottle so as soon as I bottle I can dump in room temp tea and start it fermenting right away.

Grolsch bottles: my aren't they useful! In high school we used to use them for another recreational activity. I can't even remember how exactly but it was something to do with smoking grass.