What sweeteners work for kombucha?

[JMJ]

I'm gathering supplies for when I get a kombucha scoby.  I don't normally buy sugar, which I don't think of as a traditional food, but every recipe I find says to use white sugar.  This seems strange, since kombucha is supposed to be a traditional food, so theoretically, it wasn't traditionally prepared using refined sugar, right?

I assume honey would be a bad idea since its antibacterial properties would kill some of the cultures.  What about maple syrup or sugar?  Evaporated cane juice?  Coconut sugar?  Date sugar?  Any others?  Would you still do the 1 c per gallon of water?

[deditus]

Evaporated cane juice is fine - the scoby eats it and apparently needs sucrose.

Here's a decent run:

http://www.kombuchakamp.com/what-is-kombucha/kombucha-mushroom-tea-brewing-safety-tips/types-of-sugar-to-use-for-brewing-kombucha

[wardeh]

I'm with you on the white sugar. And in fact, I have never used white sugar for my Kombucha. Even if many say it is the best, I figure it was not the traditional choice.

You can use honey. Yes, it has anti-bacterial properties, but that is when it is undiluted. An example of this: Honey mead. A fermented beverage made from honey, but diluted so the organisms still flourish. :)

I have made Kombucha with combinations of honey, molasses and rapadura/sucanat. If the molasses is kept low it doesn't overpower. I love the deeper flavors from these unrefined sweeteners!

I keep my sweeteners to a total of 1 cup to a gallon of Kombucha.