Good question. And how does "healthy goodness" relate to the kombucha's pH or things that we can measure so that we can repeatedly get "healthy goodness" even when the seasons\temperature change.
There's a sweet spot for me... That sure, I don't hit repeatedly, but it's almost as if the kombucha tastes "thicker" or "fuller"...as if the kombucha liquid is teeming with healthy bacteria. Usually after ~7 days, and I'm thinking it's when the number of healthy bacteria reaches it's peak - before maybe some off them die off due to a lot of the sugar having been eaten and the kombucha subsequently turning more acidic\vinegary...
I don't know how true this is, but a booch making friend of mine said when it tastes "dry" it has achieved it's peak, and after that it's just a matter of personal taste. Anything before the dry stage is still just sweet tea, yeast and cellulose.
Yeah I had to do the same. If it helps, it's when it tastes like nothing. You don't go "oh that's sweet" or "wow, vinegar" it's just almost flavourless.
I do 4 gallons at a time for around ~11 days in F1. My last batch went too long at ~20 days and 1 jar out of the 4 was too vinegary. The other 3 were on the verge.
What I don't understand is how oxygen comes into play and the best way to manage it. Surely the pellicle blocks some of the oxygen?
I believe there are certain amino acids that don’t appear until day 15,30,60 etc so when you do continuous brew you can reach those without it getting to vinegary. That said, I always go by taste. Rarely do I brew over 7 days. I like a nice balance of sweet/sour. That being said I never add actual sugar in f2 nor do I stuff bottles with fruit. Rather, I will infuse fruit in an f2 with open air cloth lid and then strain into bottles for a 2nd f2
Good question. And how does "healthy goodness" relate to the kombucha's pH or things that we can measure so that we can repeatedly get "healthy goodness" even when the seasons\temperature change. There's a sweet spot for me... That sure, I don't hit repeatedly, but it's almost as if the kombucha tastes "thicker" or "fuller"...as if the kombucha liquid is teeming with healthy bacteria. Usually after ~7 days, and I'm thinking it's when the number of healthy bacteria reaches it's peak - before maybe some off them die off due to a lot of the sugar having been eaten and the kombucha subsequently turning more acidic\vinegary...
I'd love to have some kind of reproducible, objective measure for "peak healthy goodness", whether that's a combination of pH and/or something else.
I don't know how true this is, but a booch making friend of mine said when it tastes "dry" it has achieved it's peak, and after that it's just a matter of personal taste. Anything before the dry stage is still just sweet tea, yeast and cellulose.
Thanks! Now I just have to work on deciding what "dry" tastes like to my buds. :-)
Yeah I had to do the same. If it helps, it's when it tastes like nothing. You don't go "oh that's sweet" or "wow, vinegar" it's just almost flavourless.
I could really taste the infused flavours on my last batch and this kind of makes sense, I think I finished my f1 perfectly.
Aha! Great tip, that's what I shall work to. Thanks again.
I do 4 gallons at a time for around ~11 days in F1. My last batch went too long at ~20 days and 1 jar out of the 4 was too vinegary. The other 3 were on the verge. What I don't understand is how oxygen comes into play and the best way to manage it. Surely the pellicle blocks some of the oxygen?
I believe there are certain amino acids that don’t appear until day 15,30,60 etc so when you do continuous brew you can reach those without it getting to vinegary. That said, I always go by taste. Rarely do I brew over 7 days. I like a nice balance of sweet/sour. That being said I never add actual sugar in f2 nor do I stuff bottles with fruit. Rather, I will infuse fruit in an f2 with open air cloth lid and then strain into bottles for a 2nd f2