How to Make Kombucha (rebatch reprocess)

[@GardeningGirl]

I love your fermentation videos! Really clear instructions and I appreciate all the added tips. They’ve definitely become my go-to when I’m looking for fermentation ideas. Looking forward to your next video. 👍🏻😊 Julia

[@evjlane7673]

Love the label removal demo :)

[@judykeenan8006]

I spent hrs soaking those labeled bottles and scraped so much and gave up. Your method is awesome, will try. You brainiac!!!!!

[@happyfrugAlice]

Can't stop looking at the beautiful look outside your windows. That must be so calming. And of course thanks for all the informatiins. All the best from Germany, Alice

[@LindseyDara]

Great info and kombucha Demo, also funny and entertaining, lots of personality, funny T-shirt too!

[@XOXOlove57]

Your amazing! I just have to say thank u!! Because of u I ferment EVERYTHING now lol. Thank u so much, you’ve changed my life for the better!

[@xarbomba4032]

Did everything you did and it's the best kombucha I've ever had. On my 3rd ferment now and I've started a gallon of Jun. Your channel is awesome and very informative. Thank you for all your hard work!

[@BetterDoneYourself]

XARBOMBA Thank you for the appreciation. It's not really hard work when it's a labor of love. Getting viewers like you enthused about this stuff is my reward. Keep up the good work!

[@veganmichelle]

Great tip on the labels!! Thank you.

[@decolonizeEverywhere]

That's so clever to use the water cooler base.

[@BabyAngelV]

Great video! You're fun to watch. I like to use a stainless steel pot to boil the water, organic cane sugar, and organic black tea. I get nice results.

[@laurakoskenmaki6969]

I have been making Kombucha off and on for the last 4yrs. Recently I started again and one thing I have always had a problem with was flavoring it and getting a good carbonation! I started using a warmer and this last batch I got excellent carbonation! Thanks for your video!

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Good news! I'm glad it worked for you!!

[@steviebboy69]

I must get back into making this stuff again, it was sure nice and way cheaper than buying it commercially made. Nice Kitchen and view out the window by the way.

[@BetterDoneYourself]

steviebboy69 Don't wait! Start today!! Good luck

[@steviebboy69]

I was going to wait till it warms up its winter here in Aussieland and my house gets as cold as a fridge hehe. I do have one of those thermostatic control seed mats, I could adjust it up to 40.C at that temp it would be a little hot for it. I do make Kefir though, thanks for the fast reply.

[@missyleonis]

I use white tea or green tea for my komboocha. I a few months ago finally got a big batch brew jar and spigot for it. It's a 3 Gal jar. I made my own komboocha mother before making komboocha batches. I saw lots of ways to make the mother on KZbin and decided to experiment on the multiple methods simultaneously. I've been experimenting on different recipes to see what works and what doesn't. I've gotten tea komboocha and coffee komboocha down pat. I'm still tinkering with herbal tea komboocha. And yes, I drink all of the above. I mostly stick with white or green tea komboocha, but I do drink the coffee on occasion. I've never been a big coffee drinker, so my tolerance for that level of caffeen is low. I also have insomnia, so sleep deprivation is a prob. Sleep deprivation sucks when you've got a busy day ahead including busses for transportation. Coffee is a must on those days, but it wires me. Om used to using lots of sweetener and creamer in my coffee to improve the taste and lower the caffeen. Turning coffee into komboocha lowers the caffeen and adds health benefits. Downside us the flavor. I second ferment it with Berry juice and stevia to balance the flavor. I drink all my komboocha as second ferments with stevia added. I have loads of flavor combos I've done. And yes, I use sugar to sweeten my komboocha. I think I'll try honey next.

[@houseofburbs9627]

I've been trying to brew my own kombucha for years and until someone mentioned that I try distilled water I had no luck at all. I have tried filtered, spring, a friends well water and everything else you can think of and until I went with distilled I kept getting mold. So for me that is what I have to use. I guess it's just something with my area. haha, I don't know but I am so glad I am now making my own. Great video thank you

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Momma JP I'm glad you figured it out!! You gotta' experiment until you find what works for you.

[@kaorusawamura9682]

お見事なキッチンですね いつも拝見しています、今回は窓の外の木に止まっている鳥を見ていました 気が風に揺れんのを見たり窓の外を見るのも楽しみの一つです ありがとう😊

[@malharazy]

Many thanks for your speedy insight. Could loose leaves green tea be just as good as black tea ?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

No, the bacteria and the yeast need the compounds found in black tea. Take a look at my jun video if you're interested in green tea.

[@JimmyJusa]

I've used the frozen juice concentrate from the freezer section, filled up to about the bottom of where the label is for kevita or gt bottles. It's been nice to taste new flavors

[@BetterDoneYourself]

That's a great idea! Just make sure you look out for preservatives. They'll kill off your 2F in a heartbeat!

[@JimmyJusa]

Better Done Yourself thanks, I've had decent success with the 100%juice brand. Also purchased dried elderberries from brew supply and tasted pretty good with just one tbsp. Next experiment will be with full leaf hops the guy recommended

[@nissistudios]

Yes it's expensive and thank you so much for making it affordable for working people. I am well on my way to homemaking things and using natural reduced costs cleaners and health products thanks for being a great part of my journey.

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Maryann Lange Skarbowski I hope you are enjoying your journey and enjoying improved health.

[@augustwestusa]

I've made a few batches with 2nd ferments but I'm having a problem. My 2nd ferment comes out super super carbonated. Not like yours at all that was easy to open and pour. My bottles take about an hour to open, slowly open, close, slowly open, close, until l can open it safely without losing half the liquid. What am I doing wrong?! I've been using only a quarter cup of fruit. Whole fruit. And I was even burping the lids, burping the lids, burping the lids. And it's still totally fizzy. I used the wrong type bottle, and one bottle exploded, glass shards flying every where. So I'm very cautious now. Unsure how to proceed. I have old kombucha bottles (some plastic-maybe the plastic ones were from a different beverage) and those lids look like they are ready to split open when second fermenting. And my other question is, if you didn't want to second ferment would you leave your kombucha in original crock and just drink as needed from the fridge? And can you do a second ferment without all the fizz, just for the extra flavor? I guess I'm just using the wrong bottles. Maybe those ring type lids are the key. Love your videos!

[@Covencraft]

I use prince of Persia Organic black tea. Amazon sells it.

[@KingArtexerxes]

I’ve been making Kombucha now for 2 years and distilled water is the best way to go. It’s pure water without any contamination. What could be better?

[@richlaue]

I do agree about the 8 -10 bags, too many people say 4 and i find it way too weak.

[@alisonlw2706]

How long can/should one keep the bottled kombucha?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Once it's carbonated, move the bottles to the fridge. They should be good for at least a month. It won't go bad, but it will continue to get more sour.

[@alisonlw2706]

Okay, good. Thanks

[@lilymayphilippon6554]

I'm trying to find a crock or gallon and a half bottle I'm in Canada any ideas

[@BetterDoneYourself]

All the materials are sourced in the video description.

[@carolmckerracher9186]

Can you use a vinegar scobie for this?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Carol Mckerracher No. A vinegar mother converts alcohol into acetic acid. Kombucha is not vinegar.

[@gillianhunter4436]

I made my very first batch of Kombucha using a mother of vinegar scoby I made from making raisin vinegar. They do work and there is vinegar in Kombucha. If you let it ferment long enough it will turn to vinegar and you can still use it as a starter liquid if you forget to save some from the previous batch. Or you can make a very delicious vinaigrette or anything else you would normally use vinegar for.

[@lindarobinson7438]

Love the crock idea, have ordered one but how do you monitor the temperature in the crock? Will a stick on thermometer stick to the ceramic crock? Do you wrap a seedling warmer around your crock?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Linda Robinson Yes I have an aquarium thermometer on the side of my crock. You can just set the crock on the mat.

[@lindarobinson7438]

Thank you very much!

[@jackalmen]

Is there a method of knowing how much sugar or juice is left behind in the final product? I'm doing a low carb diet and would love to drink this again, but I've been hesitant. Love your channel! Keep it up.

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Jackalmen Not really. You can let it ferment for an extra week until it's super sour. Most of the sugar should be gone after 2-3 weeks.

[@richlaue]

The lower thr ph the less suger, with no suger it would be like drinking pure vinegar

[@JimmyJusa]

The only possible way would be using what brewers use to test the original gravity and final gravity which is how they find the alcohol content

[@markstrom7384]

What do you do with your scoby while you're doing the 2nd. ferment before you start another batch?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

The pellicle? I just put it in a bowl or just throw it away. There's more than enough SCOBY in the kombucha that gets left in the crock for the next batch.

[@bluesdog88]

Kombucha is awesome, is there a way to stop the scoby boogers from growing? I would like to sell a few bottles at the farmers market but i think the floating scoby residue might put people off lol

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Nope. You can try limiting the amount of air in each bottle to try to limit the SCOBY growth during the 2F. Or pasteurize and keg it but, no, you can't stop the SCOBY.

[@bluesdog88]

@@BetterDoneYourself OK cheers, thats what I have since found, the commercial booch makers ultru filter it they recon

[@savvydesignsbydena3179]

LOVE your channel.. I didn't know you shouldn't use tap water WHICH I been using now I'm off to get a Britta.. I cannot believe I just through away about 40 bottles cause they didn't carbonate the way I wanted then I seen the lids you use. Where do I get those? I'm just SO MAD at myself.. LOL

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Dena Martinez I've got all the links to everything you need in the description.

[@savvydesignsbydena3179]

Thank you! :)

[@richlaue]

Tests have shown that there normally is not enough chlorine in city water to affect the scoby

[@sashac5359]

I brew a gallon batch and it’s been about 10 days and it tastes watery, not sour or sweet. Is there something that could be the reason? I do exactly as you did here in this video. Thank you for doing them, by the way!

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Sasha C Beauti Rep did you create a SCOBY with your first batch? That's how you know that you've got all the bacteria and yeast growing in there.

[@lvlyhair29]

With continuous brew, do you wash the container each time?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

be_gmofree No need. Every couple of months, I rinse out the dead yeast from the bottom of the crock. But that's it.

[@mjcubo2246]

Thanks for the video. BTW, where did you get the bright green thermometer? And I can confirm that the hot water in the bottles to release the labels really works. I puzzled that one out myself some time ago. If there is any glue substance remaining then instead of Goo Gone (chemicals) I just use a still wool pad and some soap and the glue comes right off. The fizzy end product really makes me thirsty right now.

[@BetterDoneYourself]

The green thing is a thermapen. www.thermoworks.com

[@mjcubo2246]

Thanks!

[@cindyfoto]

I just purchased a seedling mat, and I can barely feel any heat when I touch it, Is that normal?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Yes, it's thermostatically controlled. Sometimes I doublecheck that mine is plugged in because it doesn't seem very warm. Check one of the bottles on it tomorrow and you'll see it's warming them...

[@derekfrost8991]

Don't use spring water from a tap in the Nestlé factory.. ha ha, you cracked me up.. :)

[@bonniecornish4226]

Awesome

[@richlaue]

For chlorimine you nead activated charcoal, Brita does not use activated charcoal and will not remove chlorimine

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Uh, yes they do: www.brita.com/why-brita/what-we-filter/

[@Warbler36]

Rich Laue Yes it does.

[@deadinthewater218]

lmfao at 4:19

[@kittynonamys408]

Holy Shit that's alot of sugar! Love that

[@TheBonnieberry]

Do you burp it?

[@BetterDoneYourself]

bonnie berry Nope. I think I drink it before it gets too over carbonated.

[@kaorusawamura9682]

小鳥の餌箱があるのですね❣️

[@decolonizeEverywhere]

Boiling actuality increases chlorine because water boils at a lower temp than chlorine. You evaporate the water and leave the chemicals behind.

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Cheryl Taylor You're best off using a Brita.

[@decolonizeEverywhere]

not the same as what they use in water treatment. it's in solution and is so close to the boiling point of water that it takes 20 min at a rolling boil to get the chlorine out of a gallon of water. boil a gallon of water for 20 min and you don't have much left. you're better off setting the water in the sun for 3 days so you evaporate less water and all the chlorine.

[@decolonizeEverywhere]

i live in Hoosick Falls NY, a super-site because of PFOA ground water contamination from a Teflon manufacturing plant, so i use a Berkey Lite with the extra fluoride filters and a shower filter. but before i moved here i always use a Brita.

[@Covencraft]

also Keep your tea under 90deg before u add a scoby

[@cindyduncan6524]

i use a coffee filter

[@ms.sallyann8596]

Do you actually have a cat ? Because those Lily’s are toxic to them.

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Sally Morello No. Not anymore...

[@ms.sallyann8596]

Better Done Yourself sorry I love your videos and I was admiring the star gazers and thought I hope he doesn’t have a cat around those. The vet tech in me was concerned.

[@BetterDoneYourself]

Completely valid concern! Thank you. I think the majority of the plants around the house are toxic, but the dog is VERY trained to leave them alone.