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Kombucha

How can I distinguish between yeast, creamy yeast and mould?

Yeast streaks often form in kombucha. Yeasts are the microorganisms that convert the sugars in your kombucha. These like to cluster together and can look different. Sometimes they form brownish or greenish clusters on or under the scoby (Fig.1). Some

Can I drink Kombucha even if I have candida?

In the case of Candida Albicans, most alternative practitioners recommend staying away from sugar and all other yeasts completely if you have an infestation of Candida (Candida Albicans). However, there are scientific publications on the fact that th

The liquid from my Jun Kombucha became cloudy and there were black dots

Sometimes the yeasts are very dark, almost black. You can simply filter them after fermentation.

How many carbohydrates does the finished kombucha contain? Is it suitable for a keto diet?

We declare a carbohydrate quantity of 5.5 g per 100 ml on our bottles. At home, other values will come out. It depends on the temperature, humidity and fermentation time. Basically, the longer the kombucha stands, the more acidic it becomes and the l

Nothing has happened with my Jun after one day

Wait a few more days. From the second day on the taste should also gradually become more sour. On the third/fourth day it should be ready.

My Jun Scoby got smaller.

Sometimes it happens that the scoby does not grow or becomes smaller. As long as you like the drink, everything is fine. In the long run, the Jun Scoby should develop.

What percentage of preparation liquid do I need for kombucha?

You can make 3 to 5 litres of kombucha with the preparation liquid that we send with the tea mushroom. For your next brew, use about 10% of the total amount of your kombucha as the brewing liquid. That is 100 ml per 1 litre.

When can you start sharing the Scoby?

You can cut the scoby when it is about a finger thick. Make sure that it is no longer translucent.

What ingredients are used for the kombucha bottles?

We only use pure organic teas. For the Classic: green and black tea.For Honey bush: green and black tea, honey bush, ginger.For Lemongrass: green and black tea, lemongrass, mint.

Which cultures are contained in Kombucha?

The cultures can vary. There is always a range of different bacteria and yeasts. The following bacteria are commonly included:. Acetobacter xylinum, Acetobacter pasteurianus, Acetobacter aceti, Acetobacter nitrogenifigens sp. nov., Gluconobacter oxyd

Do you send your Kombucha tea mushroom with the liquid?

We ship our tea mushroom in a bag with preparation liquid.

How can you measure alcohol content/sugar content in kombucha?

You can easily determine the sugar content with a refractometer. For the alcohol content, hydrometers and refractometers are recommended in the beer industry, but due to the very low alcohol content in kombucha and water kefir, the alcohol content ca

What else can you do with the Scoby?

I like to use it for masks or creams. Some members in our Kombucha Germany group have also made boulettes and jerky from it. It is also wonderful as a fertiliser. Interesting fact: A company called Scobytec in the USA makes jackets and shoes from tea

I have abdominal cramps after eating kombucha (Crohn's disease)

We are not doctors to make a remote diagnosis. Please consult your doctor. You may also suffer from histamine intolerance. Please have this clarified.

I have no possibility to filter water. Is tap water still okay for kombucha?

If you have the possibility, it is best to use filtered water. Otherwise, kombucha also tolerates normal tap water. The decision is up to you :)

The tea mushroom packaging has inflated. Is the tea mushroom still OK?

Your culture is very active and has produced gases (carbon dioxide). It doesn't matter. You can pierce the packaging with a needle so that the gases can escape.

What should I do about mould in my kombucha?

Does your Scoby really have real mould? Note: Mould only develops on the surface of the scoby. White hairs develop similar to those on fruit. There is very little you can do about mould. Buying a new culture is the best thing you can do. Mould propag

There are yeast streaks in the Kombucha bottles. What should I do?

Yeast streaks are not a problem. You can filter them with a sieve or drink it right away.

Why doesn't my kombucha produce carbon dioxide?

This can have several causes. Did you use too little sugar? Are there enough yeasts? If your glass is aerated only with the bonnet, the carbonic acid can always escape. The second fermentation in closed bottles is great for this. Fill your kombucha i

What is the difference between Kombucha and Jun?

Kombucha and Jun are very similar in composition. The biggest difference is that Kombucha is made with sugar (vegan) and Jun with honey. Moreover, traditional Jun is always made with green tea, while kombucha is traditionally made from a green-black

How is sugar broken down in kombucha?

The sugar is metabolised into alcohol by the yeasts. The bacteria then use the alcohol to make the good acids.

Does Kombucha contain alcohol?

The alcohol content of kombucha depends strongly on the circumstances of the fermentation. How much sugar was used? How long was the fermentation? How warm was it? Was a secondary fermentation added?. If you want to keep the alcohol content as low as

My kombucha does not turn sour. What can I do?

Did you use enough acidic mixing liquid? Did you use enough tea and sugar? Did you use water that was not too hot?. These are all factors that influence the process of fermentation.

How often can you reuse the Scoby?

The vitality of the scoby decreases with each brewing cycle. After 20 brews, you should definitely use a new Scoby. It's a good thing that new tea fungi keep developing until then.

Can I also use xylitol for Kombucha instead of sugar?

For fermentation, the culture needs proper sugar. Xylitol and other sugar alcohols must not be used. It would be the same as if you were put on a zero diet. You might be able to endure it for a few days. But after that you keep losing weight. It is t

Why is my kombucha too sour and what should I do?

You either let the kombucha sit too long or used a preparation liquid that was too acidic. You can dilute your Kombucha with a fresh sugar-tea mixture. Very sour kombucha can also be used as vinegar :)

My Kombucha liquid is very cloudy. What should I do?

If your liquid is cloudy, your kombucha has too many yeasts. You can change this by filtering the liquid with a coffee filter and washing your scoby with water.

No stable room temperature possible for Kombucha. What to do?

If it is too cold: There are special energy-saving heating plates for this, a scarf, a place close to the heating. If it is too warm: Often the pantries are cooler than the rest of the flat. It's best to find a place where there are only slight tempe

Can a very large Scoby have disadvantages?

A scoby that is too large can sometimes reduce oxygenation to the liquid if it is too thick. If your scoby has become too large for the jar, simply divide it. You can do this with a stainless steel scissors/kitchen knife.

Is sour kombucha harmful?

Acidic kombucha has many health benefits. It contains extremely high levels of glucuronic acid. This acid is very potent when it comes to filtering toxins from the body. However, with sour kombucha, pay attention to how you tolerate it. You should no

Do I tolerate kombucha if I have intolerances?

If you have a histamine intolerance, you should be very careful with the consumption of kombucha. This applies to all fermented foods. See if you can tolerate it and if in doubt, ask your doctor.

My kombucha tastes bitter. What is the reason for that?

If your kombucha tastes bitter, you may have let the tea steep too long. You can sweeten your kombucha a little with sugar. Next time, don't let the tea steep for more than 10 minutes.

The liquid at the Scoby Hotel is evaporating. Can I refill water/tea?

Yes, of course. It's important that your scoby is in liquid. Just tip in some cold tea with sugar.

How do I know that fermentation is starting ?

If you use a glass jar, you can monitor the fermentation. From the third day onwards, a small light layer should have formed on the surface, this is your new scoby. You should also see some yeast strands (brown strands). You can also do a taste test

The new Scoby has not grown evenly. Is everything all right?

A scoby doesn't have to win a beauty contest. Even if your scoby has a few bumps and is not evenly grown, you can still be sure that you will brew delicious kombucha.

How many calories are in kombucha?

Just like the question about the carbohydrates it contains, the calorie content of kombucha varies. The longer the kombucha stands, the fewer calories it will contain. We declare our Kombucha with 22 kcal per 100 ml.

My Scoby doesn't grow anymore. What should I do?

Did you make your kombucha with too hot water? Hot water kills the microbes and they cannot multiply. In this case, you should make the next batch with a new scoby. Did you do everything according to the instructions? Then your culture probably needs

At what point can you remove the baby scoby and make a new one?

The new scoby should be about 1 cm thick to start a new Kombucha batch with. It is important that you also add about 10% of the preparation liquid. If you don't want to make another Kombucha, you can put it into the batch again, but if it becomes too

Does the caffeine remain in the kombucha?

During the fermentation of kombucha, only a small part of the caffeine is broken down. It's invigorating effect remains largely intact.

A slimy mass floats on the surface. What is it?

Congratulations, your first own baby scoby! Now it's time to wait, because you can double your production by making new kombucha with your baby scoby and approach fluid.

Kombucha forgotten in the fridge. Is the kombucha still drinkable?

The finished kombucha ferments minimally in the fridge and is usually still edible. If it tastes too sour for you, you can use it perfectly as a liquid or as a delicious homemade vinegar?

Why is my new Scoby so thin?

Sometimes the culture needs to get used to the new environment. Give the scoby time to grow, you will see the bacteria and yeasts multiply very quickly.

Why does my kombucha smell and taste like sulphur?

This can have two causes. Either your kombucha has too many dead yeasts or the brewing liquid was too acidic. It is best to filter the liquid thoroughly (e.g. coffee filter). You should also make sure that your liquid has a pH value of approx. 4.0. Y

How long can the tea fungus survive in the foil?

We declare our tea mushrooms with a best before date of 3 months. But even after that, the tea mushrooms are still full of life. If you store your tea mushroom in your fridge for a little longer, you can still use it, just give it a little time to de

Can the tea mushroom still be kept after 5 months?

Even after 5 months in a kombucha jar, the scoby is still durable and can be used again. However, make sure that the scoby is always floating in enough kombucha liquid. Otherwise, the scoby will dry out.

There are brown shreds floating in my batch. Is that mould?

No, these are yeasts. These are the small microorganisms that metabolize the sugars in kombucha and like to accumulate in small clusters.This often looks unappetizing and strange to the beginner, but is completely normal and harmless. The yeast strea

Is rooibos tea suitable for kombucha?

Yes, if you don't want to use green or black tea, we recommend rooibos tea or hibiscus tea. Both types of tea are rich in nitrogen.

Can children drink kombucha safely?

This is something that everyone must decide for themselves. During fermentation, alcohol is also produced in small quantities. How much depends on the culture, the duration of fermentation, the temperature and the ingredients. Normally Kombucha conta

The tea fungus does not float on top, is that bad?

No, this is not bad. Sometimes the tea fungus stays on top, sometimes it hangs vertically in the glass or even sinks to the bottom. Everything is fine and completely harmless. By the way, if the tea fungus sinks to the bottom, a new offshoot forms at

Can the kombucha bottles also be kept in the fridge?

The Kombucha bottles should be stored in the refrigerator. Whether they are stored standing or lying down is up to you.

How much kombucha should I drink per day?

Even though kombucha is drunk by many people for health reasons, it is not a medicine. Kombucha is an aromatic refreshing drink and there is no upper limit for kombucha consumption.The literature recommends an amount of about 0.3 litres to 0.5 litres

What do I have to consider as soon as my Kombucha tea fungus arrives?

All our crops are alive, so they can't go indefinitely without nutrients. Once our package arrives you have 2 options:.

What do I do with my kombucha when I go on holiday?

If you want to take a break from brewing kombucha or if you're going on holiday, you basically have two options:.

My kombucha is suddenly very sour. What could be the reason for this?

Is it by any chance summer and very hot outside?. The bacteria and yeasts work faster in warm temperatures. For your next batch, use a little less of the very acidic batch liquid and let it stand a little longer. Try it every day and then fill it whe

Can the bacteria in kombucha help detoxify medicines and pesticide residues?

The bacteria produce a long list of extraordinary detoxifying acids and enzymes that the body uses to cleanse the system, including of pesticide and drug residues. This reduces the burden on the pancreas and also relieves the liver. - Enzymes contain

What types of sugar are allowed in kombucha?

For fermentation, the culture needs the right sugar, i.e. sucrose. Giving only dextrose (glucose) or fruit sugar (fructose) would also lead to an imbalance in the bacteria and yeasts. Xylitol and other sugar alcohols must not be used. It would be the

Can I also make kombucha with your water kefir crystals?

No, unfortunately that does not work. These are two completely different products and also cultures.

Can I also brew kombucha with fresh herbs or herbal tea?

Herbal tea: Yes, for a couple of brewing processes it is possible to make kombucha completely without real tea. It should be noted that the SCOBY is always a little affected by the nutrients of herbal teas, which are usually antibiotic. Therefore, br

Can I drink kombucha if I am fructose intolerant?

Conventional kombucha also contains fructose, so you should be careful with it. However, you can also produce kombucha without fructose. For example, you can use rice malt syrup or pure dextrose instead of conventional sugar. Your Scoby needs some ki

The kombucha splits. What now?

Congratulations, you have offspring! The Kombucha mushroom can be brewed an infinite number of times. It grows larger or multiplies with each brewing cycle. This means that in the future you can even start several beginnings in parallel or give it to

How much residual sugar does kombucha contain?

Of course, the content depends greatly on the circumstances of the fermentation: How warm was it? How much preparation liquid was used? How much sugar was used? And most importantly, how long was it fermented?. Our kombucha in the shop, for example,

I forgot to wash off the scoby before I put it back on. Is that bad?

No, it is not a problem at all. You can wash off the Scoby from time to time before you make a new batch. But in itself it is not vital for the Scoby, and not always so beneficial.

What is the preparation liquid for and how much do I need?

The preparation liquid is at least as important as the mushroom and brings the necessary bacteria and yeasts into your drink. These then transform your sugar-tea mixture into kombucha. In principle, the preparation liquid is finished Kombucha and aft

Is it possible to expand the symbiotic diversity of the community of a kombucha fungus?

This means that if you were to combine a piece of your kombucha mushroom from different Fairment brewers to form a new mushroom, would it form a whole new kombucha mushroom?. It could well be that this would definitely enrich some more bacteria. The

Why does it say "do not shake" on the kombucha bottles?

Kombucha can develop a lot of carbonic acid, and we have often had the problem that we could hardly open the bottles. For this reason, and so that you do not already lose half of the delicious kombucha when opening the bottle, we recommend not to sha

Can I also add fresh herbs/leaves/flowers to my water kefir/kombucha?

When you use natural plant materials, you also get all the benefits of the nutrients they bring. The SCOBY will absorb these nutrients and pre-digest them for you. This ensures a higher bioavailability of these nutrients. Therefore, it is definitely

If I only want to prepare 1.5l of kombucha, do I have to divide the scoby?

No, you can add the entire tea mushroom and half the amount of liquid. However, it is possible that your kombucha will be ready a little faster. So it's best to taste your kombucha after 5 days to see if you already like it. Then you can bottle it an

Can I also fill the kombucha into bottles with crown caps?

Depending on how much carbon dioxide is produced, there is a risk of explosion. With swing-top bottles, at least some gas can escape at very high pressure.Nevertheless, we recommend opening the bottles daily, which will be rather difficult with crown

My kombucha smells like acetone. What can I do?

Here are some tips on what to do if your kombucha smells like acetone:

How can I brew a kombucha with as little caffeine as possible?

The caffeine enters the kombucha via the tea and is already broken down in small quantities by the fermentation process. Nevertheless, finished kombucha still contains caffeine, which is also responsible for its invigorating effect. However, if you w

My Scoby has developed a whitish wrinkled layer.

If the kombucha culture has been weakened, a whitish, wrinkled coating may form on the scoby, called creamy yeast. If the scoby has sunk, this layer can also spread on the surface of the liquid.This is a mixture of different yeasts that colonize the

What can I do about occurring creamy yeast on my kombucha?

Kahm yeast can occur here and there, even with experienced kombucha brewers. Here are a few tips on what you can do:

Does the kombucha continue to ferment after bottling?

After bottling, the kombucha continues to ferment a little, as it is an unpasteurized living product. By cooling the product, however, this process can be kept to a minimum.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a refreshing, fermented drink that is made from sweetened black or green tea using a kombucha culture. This culture consists of some ready-fermented Kombucha (the liquid) and a so-called Kombucha scoby.SCOBY is an abbreviation of "Symbiot

What do I use as starter fluid after the first batch?

After the first brew, use your finished kombucha as a starter liquid. Keep about 10% of the finished kombucha as starter for the next batch, or a little more if the liquid is not yet very acidic.

If a second, new Scooby forms during fermentation, should I use this one in the next fermentation?

With each brewing cycle, the vitality of the scoby decreases more and more. After 20 brews, you should definitely use a new Scoby. It's a good thing that new tea fungi keep developing until then. Of course, you can still use your "original" fairment

Can pregnant women safely drink kombucha?

The consumption of kombucha is not recommended from the 3rd trimester onwards due to the possible content of heparin. Jessica Martínez Leal, Lucía Valenzuela Suárez, Rasu Jayabalan, Joselina Huerta Oros & Anayansi Escalante-Aburto (2018) A review on

Do kombucha bottles also have to be stored in the refrigerator before opening?

Yes, please store the kombucha in the refrigerator. As this is an unpasteurized living product, in order for the kombucha not to change its flavour, the bottles must also be stored in the refrigerator before opening.

How can I avoid mould in my kombucha?

You should rinse the fermentation vessel thoroughly with hot water before each preparation. If you want to be on the safe side, you can also use vinegar for cleaning.  Be sure to cover the kombucha with a breathable fabric or cloth. This protects it