megmac

Excellent! Now could you please start harassing Chipotle? They need to clean up their act. They could so easily be Whole30 compliant.

Excellent! Now could you please start harassing Chipotle? They need to clean up their act. They could so easily be Whole30 compliant.

Excellent! Now could you please start harassing Chipotle? They need to clean up their act. They could so easily be Whole30 compliant.

Excellent! Now could you please start harassing Chipotle? They need to clean up their act. They could so easily be Whole30 compliant.

Excellent! Now could you please start harassing Chipotle? They need to clean up their act. They could so easily be Whole30 compliant.

 
My only advice is this:
 
1. Have fun
2. There are no kombucha failures.  Just lessons on how to improve the next time .  Kind of like the whole30.  Or life
 
Seriously, have a great time with it!

If you have a healthy looking scoby (whitish and thick, like a rubbery disk) I wouldn't bother to make a new one. I find the recipes often have way more sugar than needed. The sweeter the tea the longer it takes to eat it all up! FWIW I use one cup of sugar in about two-1/2 gallons of strong tea. I let it brew for at least a couple weeks, more like a month in the winter.
 
If your scoby doesn't seem healthy. though, go ahead and start a new one. easy peasy.   I've had great luck using the GTs plain for this.

 
My favorite show

My husband called me "Breaking Bad Kombucha".
 
That's a reference to a Netflix show about a chem teacher who cooks meth, for those of you not familiar.
 
Last booch batch was only good with tequila.  Oh well, that works too. 

Even when I burp mine (I always burp mine) they fizz like crazy and sometimes blow up if I use real fruit.  I had a BAD blow up the other morning-front door, ceiling, floors, computer, my clothes of course...
 
I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up and was off to work.  About an hour later I got a text from my hubby who had finally gotten up, "is that kombucha on the sliding glass door or is one of the pets bleeding?"  Seriously-that's a good 30 feet away.  I now open every bottle either with a towel around it, or in the front yard if I'm really worried about it.

I do my second ferment for 5 days.  Always.  I burp on day 3 or 4, whenever I remember.  I keep mine in a box as well, and have never had an explosion there.  It's only when I go to open them to drink.

Even when I burp mine (I always burp mine) they fizz like crazy and sometimes blow up if I use real fruit.  I had a BAD blow up the other morning-front door, ceiling, floors, computer, my clothes of course...
 
I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up and was off to work.  About an hour later I got a text from my hubby who had finally gotten up, "is that kombucha on the sliding glass door or is one of the pets bleeding?"  Seriously-that's a good 30 feet away.  I now open every bottle either with a towel around it, or in the front yard if I'm really worried about it.

Even when I burp mine (I always burp mine) they fizz like crazy and sometimes blow up if I use real fruit.  I had a BAD blow up the other morning-front door, ceiling, floors, computer, my clothes of course...
 
I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up and was off to work.  About an hour later I got a text from my hubby who had finally gotten up, "is that kombucha on the sliding glass door or is one of the pets bleeding?"  Seriously-that's a good 30 feet away.  I now open every bottle either with a towel around it, or in the front yard if I'm really worried about it.

Okay, I'll say it...my booch is better than GT's booch. 

I am happy to announce that my booch is back to being fuzzy!  Lizzard you are my hero! Second fermenting for a few extra days has definitely brought my fizzy back!
 
Now that coffee booch has me intrigued!  I am glad I started a new SCOBY a few days ago!

Okay, I'll say it...my booch is better than GT's booch. 

 
Shut the front door! Ok, I need to pin that to try once I master (start?) the tea.

OMG. I have to share. I need to make it. Has anyone tried it?
http://www.culturesforhealth.com/kombucha-coffee-recipe

Okay, I'll say it...my booch is better than GT's booch. 

That's so funny...I never thought of not flavoring mine.  You've inspired me-I'm going to do one bottle with no flavoring.  I've never even tried a plain GT!
 
I'm also going to try to make something like gingerade.  I think I'll try it in a white batch so it's light.  Nothing but ginger.  Maybe a drop of lemon.

Okay, I'll say it...my booch is better than GT's booch. 

I got back from vacation on Saturday and both my batches were ready to go.  I have been thinking about the continuous brew option and the comments here about the "constant project".  I decided against CB, and will just deal with a few hours of bottling and brewing every few weeks.  (2 weeks works great for my first brew, so it's always over the weekend.)  I dumped Scooby, who never quite became strong, but my second one is flourishing. 
 
I have about 18 bottles in 2nd brew, which I will shorten and burp in 2 days so they don't explode.  (Maybe 4 days to the fridge.)  I had 2 bottles yesterday of my first batch and so far the blueberry/cherry/ginger is my favorite.  This time I did some of those, some strawberry/blueberry/ginger.  Of course I didn't label anything, so every bottle will be a surprise. 

Okay, I'll say it...my booch is better than GT's booch. 

I got back from vacation on Saturday and both my batches were ready to go.  I have been thinking about the continuous brew option and the comments here about the "constant project".  I decided against CB, and will just deal with a few hours of bottling and brewing every few weeks.  (2 weeks works great for my first brew, so it's always over the weekend.)  I dumped Scooby, who never quite became strong, but my second one is flourishing. 
 
I have about 18 bottles in 2nd brew, which I will shorten and burp in 2 days so they don't explode.  (Maybe 4 days to the fridge.)  I had 2 bottles yesterday of my first batch and so far the blueberry/cherry/ginger is my favorite.  This time I did some of those, some strawberry/blueberry/ginger.  Of course I didn't label anything, so every bottle will be a surprise. 

My CB project is up and running and I've already got a new film across the top, in addition to the original scoby that is at the bottom.  I have another gallon in my closet from Scooby.  He is still a rather strange animal, and behaves very differently. 
 
I tasted one of the bottles that exploded on me and it's delicious!  I am leaving on vacation tomorrow and will have a lot of bottling to do upon my return.  I may drain most of my CB project to bottle since it will be 2 weeks in, and then start a real CB process after that.  I'll have to see how it tastes.  My hubby assures me he can drink Grolsch as fast as I can bottle my booch! 
 
Thanks for checking in Liz-it was getting a bit lonely out here!