pjena

You're slipping, MissMary, if you can't keep up with 1195 posts. LOL M - so glad the scoby came back to life! Yay!

No. I keep mine in the basement in a cool dark place. I don't think they have to be in the fridge. I don't know that it would hurt, though.

I just swapped out my scobys - put the one I've been using for almost a year into the hotel and took out the hotel one. So far so good. The hotel'd scoby is working just fine. I'm sure yours will, too.

I've never had mine explode. And, I don't burp them. I get plenty of fizz, too, though not as much as KB's picture!

I'm with Bethany and KB - I drink mind at "cocktail hour" or as mom's often call it "the witching hour" - that hour before dinner when everyone is hungry and the kids are going nuts and Mom is trying to get dinner on the table. The fizz helps me wait until dinner is ready. I think you're allowed to drink it anytime, though.

You can use both at once to make it go a little faster! Mine usually are fused (though it's pefectly fine if mama hangs out at the bottom) so I usually just use the whole thing until it seems too big and then I peel off a layer or two. My simple schedule is just 6 or 7 up from here. There is a LOT of great information on the 54 pages, though.

Let the flavored booch sit at room temp for a while. I do 5 days to get some fizz. You'll want to test it and find what you like best. The mama and baby can stay in the hotel until you're ready for them or you can leave the mama in the hotel as a backup and start a new batch with the baby. It is scary at first! But, once you get into a routine, it's so easy. Read my post above (#1063) for my weekly schedule. It keeps me in enough booch to have a bottle a day, which is perfect for me.

Mary - a month? WOW! You like it strong! I didn't mind the couple extra days, but my son didn't like it that way. I may have to change my process once it gets cold. Brrrr! I downsize my scoby. I have 2 in the scoby hotel and so when the main one gets too big, I just peel off a layer or two and toss it (I know - horror!). I probably should replace the scobys in the hotel next time just to keep them fresher. I don't burp them and I've never had anything eplode. Knock on wood!

You have to do it, Bethany! Once you get into a rhythm, it's easy. Helen - this has worked for me since May: Friday night - bottle flavored booch and refridgerate (I use mason jars and old store bought kombucha bottles - usually get 7 - one per day) Saturday - brew tea and leave (covered) out to cool Sunday - move unflavored booch (less 2 C) to flavoring jar(s), add flavoring. Fill booch jar with 2 C of saved booch, scoby and brewed tea. Return all to pantry. Start over the next Friday. So, 1st ferment is 7 days and 2nd flavoring ferment is 5 days. The only week I had a problem was when we were at the cabin so I couldn't do the Friday process and it went a couple days too long in the flavoring stage. It was a big vinegary, but I still drank it.

I'm using green tea. Others use white or black or a combo of types. Nadia has some posts here about whether or not white tea is good for kombucha. It is fun!

KB - where are you getting the concentrates? Blackberry basil didn't work. I think we let it go too long and it turned to vinegar. I'll have to try it again. I think with the heat we have now, 5 days for the 2nd ferment is too long. My son liked it plain before we added the flavor and let it sit. I have raspberry mint going right now. I think I'll try it after three days (Wed) and see. I have mine in a a cupboard. My husband didn't like looking at it on the counter. It freked him out. LOL

Yep, my 8yo is helping with the kombucha science experiment and requested orange. I may have to add a little vanilla - great idea, Nadia! Blackberry basil will be on my list this summer, too!

Definitely trying peach ginger basil next time! I just swapped out a new batch. Orange flavored starting 2nd ferment, new batch brewing with scoby and baby scoby moved to the hotel with grandma. Fun!

kb - my baby just had a baby. I know you want to grow your own, but if you get too impatient, let me know and I'll be happy to share.

double post

My mom has the Desert Rose dishes, too! So pretty!

I just use a paper towel. A pretty cloth towel would be prettier, though.

I just use a paper towel. A pretty cloth towel would be prettier, though.

So maybe I shouldn't let my 8 yo drink a bottle a day? Luckily, I'm too cheap to buy him a $4 bottle so he only gets occasional sips. I have never felt a buzz from kombucha, though...

Anyone know how long it should take for a new baby to start forming at the top of a new batch? My mama sunk to the bottom and there doesn't appear to be anything going on at the top after 3 days. Am I just being impatient? Kb - not warm enough for anything, let alone scoby growing. That could be my issue, too.

I don't know CB. GT is a brand name store bought kombucha. Mama scoby is the scoby you put in your sweetened tea to start. The scoby will start growing a new scoby as a film at the top of the jar - that is the baby. Mine were stuck together. I heard that they may not always be stuck together. I just peeled them apart with clean hands. I started a new brew with the baby (the half that was on top) and put the mama (the botom part) in a small jar covered with kombucha, but without any add'l sugar, cover with a plastic wrap lined jar lid and put it in a back corner of a shelf in the basement (to stay cool, but not cold). It should not grow, but should stay alive in case I need it. So much to learn! Susan - I'd guess it might take longer with a baby. I'm not sure. I'm so sorry for your scoby loss! now I know CB!

I have 1 mama scoby in my hotel so far. I have my fingers crossed that the baby does a good job with my 2nd batch so that eventually, I can have 2 backup scobys in the hotel.

I hope I someday have so many scobys that I don't know what to do with them. Do you have a scoby hotel already?

Has anyone read Pollan's Cooked? He fermeted and exploded red grapes in his parent's living room when he was a kid! That would be bad! One site I read suggested putting the bottles in a cooler for the 2nd ferment, just in case. Not a bad idea.

Thanks, Mary. I'll try to be patient and give the 2nd ferment some time. I didn't do a 2nd ferment at all last time. I hate being patient! Which co-op do you go to for fresh ginger juice? I don't think Fresh & Natural has fresh juice. If it wasn't threatening to storm, I'd bike down there today to check. There is a small super crunchy co-op not too far from my office (midway-ish). I could try that one.