A Lot of Fizz

Back again and this time I think I've got my sugar amount just right. The batch i made back in April, a while ago I know, had 1/2 a tsp of granulated white sugar added before I bottled it. Well this morning after a night in the fridge, the bottle that is, I opened it up cautiously just in case I got an uncontrollable explosion of Kombucha, and was relieved to have a fantastic pop, a mist forming inside the neck of the bottle and when I poured it, a cascading torrent of bubbles. It was ever so slightly dry but a wonderful feeling on the palate. I'll see if I can get a video put on so you can see.

A Few Months On

I've been away for a while now and my Kombucha bottles are still intact.
The bottles with 1/2 tsp of sugar were lovely and clear and almost sparkling wine like. Not too dry and with plenty of fizz.


The bottle with the 1/4 tsp was disappointing to say the least. Slightly fizzy and very dry.


I've still got 8 bottles to use up before i go back to making it again.


I've discarded the Kombucha culture that I left in the fermenting container. It looked tired and dark in colour. I have still got a culture in the fridge and it looks healthy as ever.

Kombucha Sugar and Ginger

I bottled my Kombucha on the 3rd April 2010 and thought I'd experiment with some Ginger and different amounts of sugar.


I thinly sliced root ginger and added about 4 or 5 slices about the size of your index finger nail plus different amounts of sugar ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 an teaspoon.


Well I thought I'd open a bottle today to see what it tasted like and got a bit of a shock!!


There was plenty of gas produced and I managed to get the lid back on before I sprayed the entire kitchen with Kombucha.


I release the stopper a tiny bit to let out the gas and all I can say is that this is one explosive mixture.


Once the pressure had dissipated, I could smell the ginger in the air. I poured some out and WOW!! Very fizzy and a subtle hint of ginger. 


My only concern now is what the remaining bottles are like and have I generated my own accident waiting to happen.


I'll see if I can get some video footage when I next open another bottle. I think I'll open it on the decking in the safety of the outdoors.

Stopped Drinking Kombucha

I've stopped drinking Kombucha fro the time being as suggested by a few books I've read. They mention the 'Interruption Theory' to suppress the bodies reliance on the product you are using. It allows the body a chance to 'return to normal' if you like. A suggested time scale is anywhere from 2 weeks to a month.
We will see what happens.

Apple in my Kombucha

I put the apple pulp in a batch of Kombucha I made on the 18th March 2010. I had hoped it would make a huge difference to the fizz. I must say I was a bit disappointed but the flavour was still acceptable.

The fizz that was there was still noticeable but may be i should use filtered apple juice with a higher sugar content.

I had better success with the Blueberries although they were a wee bit on the bland side when it came to flavour. Perhaps I should have use the cooking apple instead. Come to think of it, maybe the Bramble cooking apple would make the difference.

I've left my Kombucha for too long.....or have I?

I have been side tracked for the last week or so with on goings in the house that I neglected my Kombucha brew. I normally have it fermenting for about 9 days which gives my 6 Litre batch enough time to convert the sugars. After this time period, there has been a consistent loss of liquid of around a litre. Well this time it has been reduced by 2 litres which is quite a lot considering that I only let it ferment for 2 weeks.


I was expecting too see an exhausted Scoby but too my surprise, it was beautifully white and healthy. On removing it to see the colour of the liquid, I was chuffed to bits to see that it hadn't been affected by this longer period. OK the 'yeasty threads' were more abundant and the liquid appeared darker but all I did was place my tea strainer in the liquid at the mouth of my tap, that way at least I could be happy that I would get a clearer liquid when I bottled.


Having tried the apple juice route last time, i thought I'd try something different....


I like the flavour of 'ginger ale' and thought 'what would it taste like if I added some slithers of ginger root?'. So this time I have put about a 1/2" cube of thinly sliced ginger root in and added a 1/4tsp of caster sugar to assist a second fermentation and provide me with some fizz. I have also added a 1/4tsp of caster sugar to 2 other bottles and 1/2tsp to another 2 to see what happens.

So what's going on with them apples?

Well it has been some time since I added the apple juice to my Kombucha brew and I have to disappoint. I am still going through my previous batches of Kombucha. However, I have introduced a few of my work colleagues to the beverage and may be around to trying the apple experiment pretty soon.


All I can say is it appears that the apple pulp and Kombucha have had a party and a new Scoby has formed and will need straining when I try it. That's if it doesn't get jammed in the bottle neck!!

Kombucha and Apples

I've just bottled my latest batch of Kombucha and have added a good dose of freshly juiced apples to 3 of the bottles I've made. I've laid them on their side to give the greatest surface area exposed to the yeast products left in the brew. I've kept these next to a new batch of Kombucha where it is warm and once a day I'm sharply turning the bottles a quarter turn to expose the apple pulp to the yeast products. A bit of a vain attempt at the Champagne Method.

My intentions are to leave this Kombucha to ferment for another 5 days with a turn a day before I take them out of their nice warm location and store them upright with my other bottles in the coolness of the under sink cupboard. This will give the contents a chance to settle before I consume. The way I'm producing Kombucha at present I'm going to have to either drink more or reduce the production.

How am I feeling with Kombucha

I've been making Kombucha now for quite some time and have in the region of 12 bottles in my cupboard. I am drinking a glass first thing in the morning before I get myself ready for work and before I sit down to a normal breakfast.

I do feel more awake and alert by the time I sit down to eat, about 20-30mins. By this time I have made my lunch for work and got the kids lunches ready too.

I'm at the stage now where I feel that I can continue with a glass before my lunch and evening meals so will begin that after I harvest my next brew as I am collecting a large amount.

I am having to ensure that I continue to drink plenty of water throughout the day though which can easily be forgotten as it is part of the success of Kombucha in removing toxins within the body.

Common Kombucha Tea Questions

If you have been looking around the folk medicine or organic weight loss communities for very long at all then you've almost certainly stumbled across kombucha tea at some point or another. This is a natural remedy that has been used in some form or another by the Chinese for over two thousand years, but it is only just beginning to catch on in the West.

However there have been some negative reports about kombucha tea, as well, and it's always important for anyone considering a natural remedy to know what they're getting into. If you've been unsuccessful in looking for answers, just read on.

Does kombucha really cure everything that the claims say it does? Obviously this depends on what individual claims you've been reading. Some of the most sensational claims, like helping to prevent cancer, are very hard (if not impossible) to prove. The short answer is that lab tests indicate there are a lot of potential health benefits from kombucha tea, but these tests have never been proven with human subjects.

Does kombucha tea help dieters lose weight? There are some tests that seem to indicate that kombucha can help speed up the metabolism and assist dieters in losing weight. However, there have not been any tests to see if this is in addition to the green tea mixed with kombucha, or if the benefits are just from the green tea.

Is kombucha dangerous? There has been a lot of debate on this. There have been a few reports of severe conditions, and even one or two of death that may have been caused in part by contaminated kombucha tea. In these reported cases, the tea was brewed by hand and most likely contaminated while brewing. No major reports have come from the kombucha that has already been brewed and bottled in energy drink form.

These are probably the three most common questions posed about the kombucha tea mixture, and I hope that this article has provided enough information so that you can make an informed decision about this folk health drink on whether or not it's right for you.

If you would like to know more about kombucha tea please feel free to read that article or check out this online kombucha tea review. Thanks for stopping by! Monty Dayton Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monty_Dayton

Kombucha and Fruit

I don't know if you've ever made Sloe Gin before where you pierce the skin of the Sloes and add them with an equal measure of sugar to a bottle of Gin. Well I thought I'd try a similar thing with Kombucha only this time I was using Blueberries and no sugar.

I pierced about a dozen Blueberries and placed them in a bottle of Kombucha, ensuring that I still had room at the top for the pressure build-up. After about 5 days or so, I checked the bottle and it gave a reddish tinge when viewed through the brown bottle. On opening, I got a lovely 'fizzt' and a rose coloured liquid pored out.

On tasting the Kombucha, I was a bit disappointed as I expected the flavour to have taken on that of the Blueberries. I must admit that they were a wee bit bland a taste before I put them in, so perhaps that was why. But there must have been a sugar content for the yeast to live on to give off the extra carbon dioxide.

Next time I'm going to use a more sweeter berry and increase the ratio to see if that works better.

Making Kombucha: My Second Batch

I've now made my second batch of Kombucha and produced another health Scoby. If you watch the video below, you can see the Scobys produced, how I'm bottling and what I'm doing with the original Scoby.

What's Happening With My Second Batch Of Kombucha

It's to 8 days now and there is definitely a different smell coming from my under stairs cupboard. my first batch began with a brand new Scoby without a reasonable amount of nutrient just some Apple Cider Vinegar to give it a boost. Well this batch has had the left overs, about 200ml from the bottom of my container to give it a good start. With the addition of the new arrival, the baby Scoby, both seem very happy and hence the lovely smell. I've taken a sample and tested using my Ph strip(see my testing bellow) and it changed straight away to yellow. So it will be back to bottling and preparing for my next batch.

Kombucha Books Of Interest

Have a look at the Book Shop I've created that has a selection of interesting books about Kombucha. If you want to return to this page, click on the Navigation Button to bring you right back.

Yes! The Wife Likes It!!

In the past when I first started making Kombucha, I probably let the fermentation go a wee bit too far. It became more acetic as vinegar is. Not a problem as it was still drinkable. The wife however, didn't find it too palatable. This time I have kept a closer eye on it and she and I have a half a glass first thing in the morning giving it a good 20-30 mins before we sit down to breakfast.


To have this first thing in the morning is a major benefit as the stomach is empty so the kombucha can enter the digestive system quicker and start doing it's job sooner.


I find that it helps me wake up and gives my day a good kick start.


Now, my wife has been trying to lose weight since giving birth to two lovely daughters and it is a sore and emotional topic as I am sure most of you ladies that are reading can appreciate and any of you gents that have gained weight over the years. She has been to many diet classes and tried many different ways of losing weight.


Yes, I'm a bloke and I am fortunate enough not to be in a position where weight becomes an issue. But what I did notice and was advised about when I first began to make and drink this wonder drink Kombucha, was that it has an amazing ability to allow your body to naturally rid itself of toxins and help assimilate or burn fat quicker.


I had gained an extra stone over a period of some months and my jeans were a bit uncomfortable. Over about a month or so of drinking a half a glass in the mornings, I did notice my jeans fitting more comfortably and my weight and dropped by several pounds. Nothing had changed in the way I went about my daily business so naturally came to the conclusion that this drink has something to do with it.


So now that the wife has been drinking Kombucha and enjoying it, she even took a glass after finishing a night shift before going to bed, I'm hoping that she will get some fantastic results.


Our intentions are not to change our lifestyle with of course the exception of drinking Kombucha in the mornings. If after a month there are improvements, then we will probably increase the dose to another half glass before lunch.


Please be aware that for the body to get rid of toxins efficiently, you must ensure that you are taking your daily amount of water - 8 glasses. This helps that flushing process from becoming sluggish and keeps all your vital organs hydrated.


Here's to good health.

Kombucha Brew A Few Days Later

After a few more days fermenting, 9 days in total, I took a sample and checked the Ph level then gave it a taste. Looking at the sample, it is almost wine like in colour. Looking closer still, you can just make out some of the by-products of the process. As for the Ph, the previous sample was in the purple zone indicating the need for a few more days wait. This sample on the other hand is definitely between 3.0 and 2.8 if not 2.8. On tasting I have a slightly effervescent sensation on the tongue and a not too sweet a taste. 

Watch this video of mine about my progress:

Here is a picture of the bottles I have been using with the Kombucha liquor inside. Please take note of the gap at the top of the beverage. Whilst the bottle can take 500ml, I fill to about 450ml as the beverage still gives off Carbon Dioxide so pressure will build up inside. The gap allows for this build up.

You will find that as the Kombucha matures over time in the bottle, it may taste a little sour and more effervescent. Mix with fruit juice or add a little cordial to give it a lift. The Kombucha still holds all the natural goodness you'd expect.

Storage:

Keep your beverage stored somewhere cool and dark, like the garage and when you are drinking it, keep the bottle in the fridge.

5 Compelling Reasons Why Green Tea Should Be Part of Your Daily Diet

Whilst I am waiting for the Kombucha to finish it's process, I thought this article would be of interest to you:

Green tea has been a part of eastern culture for thousands of years and the health benefits that people see are varied and in some cases dramatic. Those benefits range from weight loss to lowering of cholesterol to disease prevention. Here  are some compelling reasons to drink green tea:

1.) Weight Loss

Studiies are showing that consumption of this drink increases thermogenesis (or fat burning) by using it's  antioxidant  epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG ) to stimulate the release of fat in to the blood stream and which is then flushed out of the body. Studies are showing that green tea weight loss happens because it helps to speed up your metabolism by as much as 43%. Other studies are showing that the polyphenols in it help to reduce hunger pains as well.

2.) Lowering of  Cholesterol

Research is showing that drinking it can help to lower cholesterol and it is believed to work by inhibiting lipids absorption in the digestive tract. Also, studies are finding (as mentioned before) that EGCG, an antioxidant, helps to release fats in to the blood stream which are removed as waste from the body.

3.) Diabetes Protection/Blood Sugar Control

A study out of Japan in 2006 showed that those folks that drank 6 cups daily had less of a chance to develop diabetes than those that drank 1 cup per week. Also, another study out of Japan showed that in those people that are considered borderline or pre-diabetic, green tea consumption lowered the hemoglobin A1c levels, which is  a measurement of the glucose levels in the blood.

4.) Cardiovascular Health

The antioxidants, primarily ECGC or epigallocatechin gallate, found in green tea promote heart health by providing anti-inflammatory, antithrombogenic effects. ECGC helps to prevent heart muscle damage by blocking inflammatory chemicals that produce oxidation and destroy heart cells during a heart attack.  Also, it is believed that green tea antioxidants can help restore heart cells following a heart attack.

Also, researchers say that there is evidence to suggest that it is beneficial for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, which is the build up plaque in the arteries. ECGC helps to lower LDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides and some free radicals. When cholesterol becomes oxidized, it's surface becomes rigid or sticky which in turns can cause it to adhere to the walls of the arteries.

5.) Anti-Aging Effects

Because green tea is a rich source of antioxidants, which are responsible for neutralizing free radicals, it is not surprising that so many different health benefits can occur including anti-aging effects. Free radicals cause oxidation which is the aging and death of cells. Rust is a perfect example of oxidation. If the protective coat on a car is damaged or removed eventually oxidation will take a toll and the metal will become oxidized. The same thing happens to our cells. When free radicals attack our cells, they can become damaged which can eventually lead to disease. Green tea is rich in antioxidants like ECGC which neutralize free radicals and in turn help to prevent premature aging and disease.

A study out of Japan analyzed data collected over an 11 year period with over 40,000 participants, ages 40-79. All of the participants were considered healthy, this is that they were void of diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer. After the 11 year study was completed it was found that those who consumed 5 cups of green tea per day had a much lower risk of death from all causes (with the exception of cancer) especially cardiovascular related diseases and stroke.

In eastern cultures, green tea has become a staple of the Asian diet and while we can't say that green tea is the only reason why their rates of diseases like heart disease and cancer are less, it is safe to conclude that the consumption green tea on a daily basis is a contributing factor as to why their overall health is much better than that of western cultures.

My name is Carey Dodson and I have studied the impacts of good nutrition on health for the last 10 years. If you are ready to learn how green tea and weight loss can impact your life then visit my website to learn more! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carey_Dodson

How Is The Green Tea Kombucha Coming On?

It has been just 5 days since I started my batch of Green Tea Kombucha and already the level (bare in mind I was making a triple batch (6 Litres)) has dropped down to 5 1/2 Litres. This is a result of 1. the temperature of the Kombucha process and 2. the Kombucha needs to drink too. Later on today I will be taking a sample to test for Ph and taste. If you can remember from the video below, I'm looking for a Ph of 3.0 using the Ph strips. I'm also look for a not too sweet a taste with a slight 'zing' to it. 

As I am doing a triple batch, I'm not expecting the Kombucha to be ready just yet. Hopefully though, the conditions that it has been in, dark space in the warmth (heat pad), the culture should be 'happy' and could possibly be ready. We shall see.


Looking at these pictures below, you can see from the glass, a lovely clean sample with a slight sediment from the Kombucha. This is entirely normal. As for the Ph, the sample part at the center of the strip, is showing a purple sign around about 4.0. So not quite ready. As for the taste, it is still sweet and not quite got that tingle or zing. So I'll come back to this after a couple more days.

Do Not Spend A fortune!

Making Kombucha is easy. It is not 'Rocket Science' in the slightest. As with any new venture, there are always the initial spend to get things going. For instance, the hot plate, the vessel, the tea, sugar, and the vinegar and the Scoby itself and some bottles to store it in You could even go that little bit further and have installed an under sink filter unit for your tap water. But once you have all the these items it will cost pence/cents to make.


I bought one book recommended by a friend: Kombucha - Miracle Fungus, the Essential Handbook by Harald Tietze, ISBN 1-85860-042-1. It is a very good read and gives some interesting anecdotal evidence of it's benefits. There are also other ingredients that you can play with for different flavours.

A Reminder

WARNING/DISCLAIMER:

I must stress that it is advisable to seek professional medical advice before attempting to drink Kombucha. Every person has different experiences with the product and should cease consumption if any symptoms persist. Pregnant or Lactating women should contact their Mid-wife or health practitioner before consumption.

Making of Green Tea Kombucha

How I came across Kombucha

I first came across Kombucha via our local Supermarket. They had a commercial product by a Latin name that read pretty well. So I bought it and enjoyed it as a refreshing drink. But it wasn't until I was at my new job in a fabrication workshop that I happened to asked what a friend of mine had in his bottle.

'This is Kombucha' he said. 'I make it at home, want to try some?' So I did. It tasted like a scrumpy cider, very close to turning into vinegar. 'How did you get into this then?' I asked. He began telling me about one of our other work mates who was away at the time. He introduce the beverage to him as my friend was an avid home brewer of wine and pretty much anything. When he heard about the health benefits he thought at 50, he'd give it a go.

He'd been making it over the last couple of months and been drinking it pretty regularly. When our mutual colleague returned, he explained about  it a bit more. It had me interested and intrigued. He said it has different effects on everyone. He found that he had a regular morning constitutional and it stripped him of fat. One thing he did say was that you had to make sure that you drank plenty of water during the day to assist in getting rid off all the toxins that the Kombucha removes from your body. As an engineer, I could imagine what toxins and rubbish were laying inside a body after 30yrs or so of abuse. So I continued asked about getting started and our mutual friend said he has a spare brewing kit if i want to buy it off him. So I did.

I went to town and bought myself a couple of books on the subject and was extremely amazed about the Kombucha drink and its combination with green tea and this thing called a Scoby(Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast). I started my first brew/batch and began with a 2ltr amount. He and the books said that you can do multiple quantities so I continued to make triple brews in the one container.

After the first 5 days, I gave the brew a taste. I was really surprised, pleasantly so. Still a wee bit sweet but you could tell that it was fermenting as there was a slight effervescence and the colour had turned to a clear almost wine like appearance. I checked the Ph as recommended by the books and when I got a Ph of 3.0, I was ready to bottle. I used the standard brown brewers bottles with the integral cap and got about 6 bottles made. I stored them in one of our cooler cupboards and put one in the fridge before making my next batch.

I got into quite a routine. I started every morning with half a wine glass full first thing on an empty stomach then continued with a normal breakfast after getting washed and dressed. It gives the drink a chance to enter you body after 20mins and start doing its thing. I must confess that the first 5 days were somewhat unpleasant as I had many visits to the bathroom but I persevered continuing with my daily intake of water(2 ltrs/day, 8 glasses). After about a week I was having one morning constitutional and I felt pretty good.

I only stayed with the one glass in the morning and on visiting my mum, she noticed that I'd lost a lot of weight but not to the extent that I looked unhealthy. I wasn't exactly big at 6ft and 13 and 1/2 stone with a 34" waist but I weigh myself and yep i had lost a stone and down to a 33" waist.

I stopped making the brew for a bout 3 years now since I spend a lot of my time at sea. Now I have finished that job I have some time at home to getting back into it. I've put a Video together in the hope it might at least create a bit of curiosity of how to make a batch.

WARNING/DISCLAIMER:

I must stress that it is advisable to seek professional medical advice before attempting to drink Kombucha. Every person has different experiences with the product and should cease consumption if any symptoms persist. Pregnant or Lactating women should contact their Mid-wife or health practitioner before consumption.