quotidianlight Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I'm so proud I have to share RIGHT NOW! I started growing my kombucha scoby Sunday night but didn't use GT's. I used revive because it has 4 different microbs but I wasn't sure if it would grow cause there wasn't any slime. Well... I have a scoby green thumb! At 5 days it looks like 2.5 weeks old. It's even thickening already! When I told my boyfriend he says, "its about time you find something you don't kill in the first week." my entire house is a plant graveyard but so far my scoby loves me! Maybe I should name it;) Now, what's a proud mama without baby pics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Holy Crap! Mine is super pathetic. Its growing SO SLOWLY. I'm at 2 or 3 weeks and it doesn't look a thing like yours. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 It's insane, I've watched a ton of youtube vids and none look like this at day five. Where are you keeping yours? I have mine in a dark warm cabinet and i'm sure that's helping. Now I'm just praying I don't mess it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 The dark warm cupboard next to my stove :0) It doesn't help that about the time I started mine the weather cooled down to normal temps (from 106ish). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Yeah, I'm wondering when I'll know it's time to refeed. I have water kefir grains coming tomorrow so that should help me stay patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Wait, I have to add more food to it?? My instructions didn't tell me that... maybe that's why it's puny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura B Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Cool! I am going to try to brew my own when I get back from a trip next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homerfrizzell Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Should I be adding water kefir grains to my kombucha SCOBY? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Homerfrizzell No, they are two different drinks and need different things. I'm going to grow both for variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 After 3 weeks it's probably running out of sugar and caffeine so check your date. If it's only two weeks and it can probably go another week unless smells like vinegar. To refeed just brew more sweet tea and stick the scoby in there like you're growing your first batch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Robin, this link talks about refeeding. I think a lot of people just don't do it and live with a weak mother the first few times. http://www.paprikahead.com/2009/07/how-to-brew-your-own-kombucha-from.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Thanks! I'll get some sugar and do that today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Thanks! I'll get some sugar and do that today! Omg, be careful you don't get caught by the paleo police buying sugar !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Derval- My gym is doing a W30 right now, and I'm totally scared I'll get caught! They all know who I work for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Well, I bought the tiniest box of sugar I could find (first time I've bought granulated white sugar in over a year!), no paleo police in sight, and fed my mother this afternoon. Now I can't stop looking at it, thinking it must have doubled or tripled by now. This is where we were at lunchtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Wow you're right. It really is small. How did you start it? I just bottled my first water kefir. The grains weren't super robust so put them in water w/ molasses to help them grow after shipping. I may feed my kombucha mother tomorrow instead of waiting till Sunday... It's so hot and growing so fast I'm scared it'll run out of sugar. Here's my baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Well, I bought the tiniest box of sugar I could find (first time I've bought granulated white sugar in over a year!), no paleo police in sight, and fed my mother this afternoon.Now I can't stop looking at it, thinking it must have doubled or tripled by now. This is where we were at lunchtime. Robin, did feeding your mother help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 This is so awesome... I want to make one! <adding it to the list!> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homerfrizzell Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Mine is ready to be refed. Look out - self-made kombucha is in my future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 That's great! I refed mine Saturday but from the looks of it... It'll be my first batch of kombucha. I tasted the kombucha I breed my mother in and WOW it was like the strongest apple cider vinegar ever. Didn't have anything to store it in but the strength and flavors after two weeks were intense. So I'm probably looking at one week to drink. I found 7 5-liter glass jars on craigslist for only 35 bucks so I'm going to try making krout tonight and will be able to experiment with different teas and flavors of kombucha soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 It's definitely bigger (*gets up to look*)! It pretty much covers the surface now, so I'm letting it beef up a bit. I'm having a hard time keeping it warm now, though, because it's cooled off here in MO and we aren't really running the heat yet. Wondering if I should use my heating pad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 It's definitely bigger (*gets up to look*)! It pretty much covers the surface now, so I'm letting it beef up a bit. I'm having a hard time keeping it warm now, though, because it's cooled off here in MO and we aren't really running the heat yet. Wondering if I should use my heating pad... Yay! I'm so glad it helped. I'd be a tad nervous about a heating pad since they can run hot but happy herbalist sells a heating band that only keeps it a couple degrees above you room temp. If it's finally covering the surface I'd leave it and see what happens over the next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaine Ross Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Ok, help on this please!!! I had a similar situation as Robin except I was just too AFRAID to put the right amount of sugar in and then in a moment of brilliance (not) put in lemon and ginger (both anti-microbial) tea!!! Luckily, a friend intercepted and fixed my scoby (and gave me one of hers) in time to save him! So here is my question... How do you know when it's delicious to drink without still having a lot of sugar in it? When I have tasted other people's home brews and even the GT brand, they taste sweet... But I'm too afraid of being left to my own devices that I left mine in for way too long and it was almost undrinkable. The next rotation was delicious but I'm afraid it was sugary. Any advice on when it's done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quotidianlight Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 I gently poured out a little and taste tested. You have to pour gently so your scoby doesn't try to escape and when you tilt the jars back the scoby will stay on top. You can also use a straw along the side of the scoby will to taste test (use one in a paper sleeve to avoid contamination). You can also measure alcohol and sugar content with a hydrometer. Happy herbalist has one for a good price that I plan to get next paycheck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Okay booch buddies, I think my little mother is finally big enough. Now, though, I'm paranoid of mold. It has one biggish whitish circle the sits above the water line. It doesnt scrape off and it feels firm when I poke it there. Could it just be that this part is lighter because it sits above the water line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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