Brewing kombucha question

[Jtandi]

Sorry this is a double post but I don't know how to delete the other one, no one answered me over there so I'm trying here!

I ordered my scoby. I ordered some bottles. my wallet is getting excited that it doesn't have to empty itself out every time I go to WF. WF is bummed because they will be losing so much money after I start making my own. BUT, I have a question

I plan on flavoring my kombucha, I know you can do it with either fresh fruit or juice. is it ok to use juice? I ask because I plan on bottling it in grolsch bottles and I don't want to have to get the fruit out. also, I'm assuming I can re-use my bottles - do I need to wash and sterilize them? my favorite flavor is GT synergy trilogy, so I know it's ginger juice, lemon juice, and raspberry juice. but of course I'll try some other flavor combos - what are your favorites?

thanks guys!

[RevKT]

So, if you are whole30 the suggestion is not to use fruit juice because it can make the sugar content quite high unless you ferment it for a long time. Pieces of fruit are better. You need like one strawberry to flavor a GT size bottle. Also, I assume you know adding flavor comes during the second ferment, not the first ferment with the scoby.

[Kirsteen]

I don't know about the flavouring, I've been so happy with mine plain but I just rinse the bottles and refill them. I've never sterilised them and haven't had any problems.

[Lisa@SwissPaleo]

Hi JTandi! Very excited you are going to try this

I bottle all of my kombucha in mason jars after brewing. If I'm doing a second fermentation (adding fruit) I do that in mason jars as well, but instead of putting it the fridge (which is what I do if I'm just making plain kombucha), you have to put those mason jars back in the closet/cupboard for several days while the fruit is fermenting. I've never tried with just fruit juice (probably a little high in sugar content) but have used fruit puree or plain old fruit. Once I've added fruit and let it ferment, I pour it through a strainer to remove the fruit bits. I wash all my mason jars and lids in the dishwasher.

Kombucha Kamp has has everything you would ever want to know about kombuch brewing, jaring, flavoring etc...

[Jtandi]

thanks guys! OK, so I can do my second fermentation in a mason jar with fruit, then filter and put into the bottle, then put into the fridge? will this still give me carbonation? or would I have to leave it in the mason jars from the second fermentation without opening in order to get the carbonation? did that question even make any sense?! thanks guys for your help!

[Robin Strathdee]

So, if you are whole30 the suggestion is not to use fruit juice because it can make the sugar content quite high unless you ferment it for a long time. Pieces of fruit are better. You need like one strawberry to flavor a GT size bottle. Also, I assume you know adding flavor comes during the second ferment, not the first ferment with the scoby.

Actually, using juice is perfectly fine. The general guideline is to add 1/4 to 1/3 the amount of juice as you have kombucha. The sugar from the juice then (primarily) ferments out while it's sitting in the cupboard for those few days.

Personally, I like blueberry and ginger. I'm also excited to try cranberry on my next go round. I haven't done a lemon, but I want to do that too!

[simonec]

Actually, using juice is perfectly fine. The general guideline is to add 1/4 to 1/3 the amount of juice as you have kombucha. The sugar from the juice then (primarily) ferments out while it's sitting in the cupboard for those few days.

Personally, I like blueberry and ginger. I'm also excited to try cranberry on my next go round. I haven't done a lemon, but I want to do that too!

i'm so glad i saw this...i'm thinking of trying pureed strawberries with a few bottles that i'm about to bottle and that blueberry ginger sounds great...now i wish i had some blueberries...well, something to think about for the next batch i guess.

[pjena]

There is a super long thread on this in the Recipes section with TONS of information. 

 

Personally, I ferment with the scoby in a huge jar for 7 days.  Then, I move it to a few smaller, but still big, mason jars, add some flavor (usually whole fruit), cover with lids and ferment for 5 days.  Then, I strain and bottle and move to the fridge.  I seem to get some fizz this way. 

[megmac]

I like mine flavored with fruit much better than the one I did with juice, and it's much fizzier.  I do 14 days for my first ferment (I don't like it sweet) and 4-5 on my second.  I burp at day 2 now, because my burps on day 4 were explosions.

 

Blueberry/ginger/cherry is my favorite so far, but I have blueberry/strawberry/ginger in a second ferment now so we'll see.