kombucha recipes--sugar ?

[riomidwife]

Perhaps this is not a "traditional" food, but it seemed to go here more than on the nutrition board....

Please share your favorite recipes. Most I'm seeing call for straight up white sugar. Will other sugars suffice? Thanks!

[TzippityDoulah]

white sugar works best b/c the scoby feeds well on it... other sugars and honey don't feed the scoby as well and it starts to die quicker. But don't worry b/c if you brew it well none of the actual sugar will be left - kinda like when you make pizza and use a bit of sugar for the yeast - the yeast eats it.

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by HennyPenny

white sugar works best b/c the scoby feeds well on it... other sugars and honey don't feed the scoby as well and it starts to die quicker. But don't worry b/c if you brew it well none of the actual sugar will be left - kinda like when you make pizza and use a bit of sugar for the yeast - the yeast eats it.

:

[Norai]

:

Noticed that with making hard cider too - was dumping cups of sugar into the apple cider and was like "oh goodness don't want this to be that sweet", but apparently it's just yeast food and is turned into alcohol.

In kombucha, then, the bacteria eat some of the alcohol that the yeasties are producing and poo out acid, which makes it taste sour.

[riomidwife]

Thanks ladies! I get the mechanics, but I am wondering if other sugar varieties raw, turbinado, etc., would work as well? Also, looking for recipes!

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by riomidwife

Thanks ladies! I get the mechanics, but I am wondering if other sugar varieties raw, turbinado, etc., would work as well? Also, looking for recipes!

I haven't done much experimentation personally because everything I read says white sugar is best and anything else just doesn't work as well. The main issue with kombucha is maintaining a proper ph balance so it doesn't mold and for whatever reason, white sugar seems to best facilitate that.

Now of course the question would be what did traditional societies use...I'm guessing beet sugar or something similar (since I think it would be most readily available) but I don't know what would be close to that.

[TzippityDoulah]

Originally Posted by dogmom327

everything I read says white sugar is best and anything else just doesn't work as well. The main issue with kombucha is maintaining a proper ph balance so it doesn't mold and for whatever reason, white sugar seems to best facilitate that.

yup, that's exactly what I was going to say.

I know it seems healthier to use raw or whatever, but the scoby just doesn't do well with it and it tends to mold.


the beat sugar idea is very interesting though! I will have to look into that one! good point

[TzippityDoulah]

p.s. you CAN use organic white sugar ...

[linz2491]

crud! I forgot to put suger in my kumbuncha that is brewing right now. It this going to not work then? Can I put sugar in now? It has been going for about 3-4 days.

[dogmom327]

I'd start over (throw out the brew it's been sitting in) and watch the new batch very closely.

[mbravebird]

So I'm pregnant, and I've been craving GT's raw green spirulina/algae Kombucha. I don't know if I'm needing the bacteria or the super-greens, or both, but I'm trying to figure out how to make it, b/c I can't afford as much as I want from the store!

I've never made Kombucha before, but I know someone who has a scoby. I'm assuming I can go find out how to make traditional Kombucha, but how do I combine it with the super-greens? When would I add them?

And am I really going to like it as much as I love GT's?

[riomidwife]

Ok, thanks ladies! I did have a store bought kombucha with greens in it the other day. ...it was yuuuuuuuuuuuumy!

[mystic~mama]

interesting...I've been using organic evaporated cane juice and just did a green tea batch w/ honey, tastes really good, real bubbly...I'd like to try agave, maybe i will do cane sugar and alternate ?

[riomidwife]

Mystic mama I would love to know how your alternatives pan out.

My kombucha is on day 6 in the linen closet. It sure smells vinegary in there. Is this typcial? Does the vinegar smell subside?