Knitting, kombucha and jam

MrsK
MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
edited August 2018 in DIY Tutorials
Oh! And harvesting my modest garden.
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  • Jon Ziemba
    Jon Ziemba Posts: 41 ✭
    edited August 2018
    Congratulations on starting your kombucha!  We started with about a year and a half on ours with just one gallon at a time.  Now we’re brewing three gallons plus a two gallon continuous brew dispenser.

    Do you plan on using any fruit or different flavors in secondary fermentation?
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    I’m hoping to experiment with different flavours and secondary fermentation later but will wait until I get the nack of making just regular ol’ kombucha first.

    What sort of flavours, etc have you done?
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  • Jon Ziemba
    Jon Ziemba Posts: 41 ✭
    edited August 2018
    Sounds like a great plan.

    I’ve found that I like using raw ginger the best.  Montmorency (sour) cherries are pretty good, but we only have one tree.  Raspberry is good.  I didn’t like the flavor when using kiwi or strawberries.
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    I’m disappointed to hear that the strawberry didn’t work out for you ... that was one I wanted to try. But ginger is has been my favorite one to buy ... and I’m very excited to NOT have to buy kombucha anymore (if this works).  I’d rather make my own any day than buy it!! ?
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  • Jon Ziemba
    Jon Ziemba Posts: 41 ✭
    edited August 2018
    I bought the ginger flavored kombucha all the time - at $4 a bottle, that was very expensive.  It costs a fraction of that to make it yourself, and I feel that the taste is even better.

    I’ve heard that lemon balm is really good in secondary fermentation.  I’ll be getting my first harvest of lemon balm (6 plants) soon.  Most will be used for medicine, but I’ll reserve some for the next batch of kombucha.
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Ooh!! Lemon balm ... is not thought of that. I didn’t plant any this year but have seeds ... maybe I need to add that to my indoor winter garden. Thanks for the tip!! I’d be interested to know how it turns out for you.
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Ha!! Finally got the pictures to work!!

     

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  • Jon Ziemba
    Jon Ziemba Posts: 41 ✭
    edited August 2018
    I’ll keep you posted on the lemon balm!

     

    Your harvest and jam look great.  Is that rosemary?

    I can get most things to grow, but have a difficult time germinating and keeping rosemary alive.
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    It is! The neighbor who gave me the apples had a massive Rosemary plant and was happy to cut me off a few larger pieces. I literally just stuck the largest piece into one of my raised beds and have kept it watered. It’s going on week two and still looks good. I often think ‘let’s stick this in the ground and see what grows’. I give the credit to the plant ... I figure it knows what to do better than me!
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Basil ... I have no luck with basil.
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  • bmaverick
    bmaverick Posts: 175 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    MrsK, Look up some of the kombucha elderberry soda recipes.  Your kids will forever dump the name brand soft drinks.

    Both kombucha and elderberry are great immune system enhancers.  Anyone sick in the house would get the blessing of having a double dose.  Sometimes I wonder if the kids are really that sick enough. haha

    Do further research on kombucha.  It can go bad, thus rather than being a healthy aid, it does the opposite.  Keeping the mother to a smaller size really helps.  If it gets bigger than an average pancake, it time to divide it.   Screening the debris out and monitoring the pH levels will greatly keep the mother healthy.  The pH of the alkaline and acid balance is very important.   This is one of many sites for kombucha reading.  It's a very detailed site. https://www.kombuchakamp.com/ph-kombucha-alkaline-acid-balance

    If you don't have a good source for Distilled water for the kombucha, RO filtered water and Berkey filtered water works just as well.  A distiller for water is pricey and uses up lots of heating energy to power.  RO just has expensive filters and the Berkey for the cost of the filters per gallon is the best price break.  Plus the Berkey is gravity filtering, thus no power or outlets used.

    Also from that linky ...
    "According to the FDA’s guidelines for compliance, foods with a pH of 4.6 and lower have been deemed safe for sale without needing further preservatives: “When the pH of a food is 4.6 or below, spores of C. botulinum will not germinate and grow.” This means that not only is your KT safe from invasion by harmful microbes, but so are you!"

    Kombucha is like having a pet fish in the house.  It requires monitoring and feedings.  LOL  Keeping it happy and healthy will in turn do the same for you and your family.
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  • Sharon Companion
    Sharon Companion Posts: 28 ✭
    edited August 2018
    I just started my first batch of kombucha as well.  I grew the scoby from grains in a bottle of kombucha that I purchased.  Can't wait for my first batch to be ready.  I have a bunch of freshly frozen berries and fruit all cut up and ready to use as second ferment. I have red current, black current, strawberry (hope I like it :)), raspberry, blueberry, honeyberry, yellow plum, blue plum and I am also going to try chaga kombucha.  Yum Yum!
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Thank you for all the good info! I have a Berkey filter (love it!) and I love the idea of getting my kids to ask for that rather than soft drinks.

    Ill read up on those links you sent. Thanks again!!!
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  • fair.acres.homestead
    fair.acres.homestead Posts: 1
    edited August 2018
    <p style="text-align: right;">Kombucha is the bomb. We've been brewing our own for 4 years or so. My favorites are made from the wils grapes on the property, and strawberries. You have to be certain not to put too much of the super sweet in or it's toooo sweet. We made carrot, mango and cayenne that was ah-mazing.</p>
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  • MrsK
    MrsK Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    That’s sounds delicious!!!! I can’t wait for mine ... and I can’t wait until I can get a few batches going so I don’t have to wait!!!
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  • tomandcara
    tomandcara Posts: 712 ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2018
    Welcome to the wild world of kombucha MrsK!  You have gotten some great advise here.  Someone said recently to me, if you are not failing, you are not trying, so be willing to have some failures with your wins.  I would suggest you do smaller omounts of the second ferments to see which flavors work for you.  I tried organic orange peels in a second ferment. Very bitter.  Won't do that again.
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  • StacyLou
    StacyLou Posts: 89 ✭✭
    edited September 2018
    I haven’t made my own Kombucha in quite awhile. Maybe when winter hits, I’ll be able to make time for it.

    I’ve tried blueberry, cherry, strawberry, apple, blackberry, and raspberry. They were all great, but I think I liked the blackberry the best. I used fresh fruit in the second fermentation. I learned that you only need a small amount per bottle, otherwise you end up covered in it when you pop the top. ? It’s a good idea to open it up over the sink.

    Enjoy your new endeavor. Get creative and have fun!
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