Kegging Kombucha | Part One: Brewing/F1

[@slickjer924]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I'm only 5 brews in but love the booch and processes. This is the info I need to get to the next level. Thanks kev!

[@kombuchakev8052]

Of course! Happy to help!

[@benn5578]

I'm a new brewer to Kombucha, been brewing for a couple months now. Good video, thanks for sharing.

[@tpsmith73]

Do you cover the lid with a cloth during primary fermentation or do you put the lid on with an airlock? I have some brewing equipment but I've only seen people cover the fermentation vessel with cloth - presumably to allow for lots of oxygen during fermentation.

[@kombuchakev8052]

Yeah I used a bandana with a strap around it got F1. F2 I did a cover and airlock.

[@duaneeric2439]

Solid video Kev! Keep it up and I’m Subscribed

[@kombuchakev8052]

Thanks! I’ll keep them coming. I have a batch about ready to flavor so hope to get that and the kegging process done soon!

[@jdhitshine]

Great video Laker style of teaching I had a question why didn’t you cover the kombucha when you were done with a cloth?

[@consciouslightwarriors3556]

Hi Kev! Thanks for the great content! So we’ve actually never brewed kombucha before but saw your setup and decided that was what we wanted to use. Nothing like diving in the deep end first lol! Please excuse my total newbie question but how do you make the starter tea? And do you have any suggestions for beginning without a scoby or should we begin with a smaller batch at first and some smaller scobies bought online? Really appreciate you sharing your thoughts to help guide our process.

[@kombuchakev8052]

Awesome, love it! For the starter kombucha and scoby, i've used these from the link below. They are each meant for 1 gallon. You could start with a gallon batch to learn the process and ferment enough starter before moving up to the larger vessel. Or if you wanted to start in the larger vessel, you can use 6 or 7 of the starter/scobies for your batch. I did this before and it worked out fine. It might take a little longer for the first batch but after that, you can transfer some to a separate vessel for your next batch and for backup. Don't forget a heating pad now that it is colder out! www.amazon.com/Fermentaholics-Kombucha-Twelve-Starter-Culture/dp/B01N7S1CV5/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=26V36MXNG912F&keywords=kombucha+scoby&qid=1641911932&sprefix=kombucha+scoby%2Caps%2C279&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A2H9TUNLP5C0FB&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzOEhYQzZPVVE5RENBJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDc2MzM3MzhJNDgwSUxQSlBRQiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTg0ODkzMzAyMDVJQUgwSEJSOCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[@nguyenminhquy8129]

Excuse me, sir, can I ask you a question: How to add CO2 to finished Kombucha?

[@kombuchakev8052]

Check out my other videos, kegging kombucha parts 3 and 4!

[@roybello8944]

You might consider keeping the water from the coil to use somewhere. Very informative video though. Thanks

[@kombuchakev8052]

Yeah that’s a good point, I always feel bad about that. Maybe I can get a rain barrel and wheel it outside to water plants after.

[@georgepagakis9854]

What is your temperature for F1? is it consistent or ambient? 3 weeks is a long time. If you can control your temperature to 25C you can have the kombucha ready in 7 days. I brew 5 1 gallon jars and have seedling warmers from bottom wrapping to the top and wrapped in towels with a fish thermometer and a control gallon jar filled with water and the probe stuck inside. I get very constant brews this way. Just curious how you get to 3 weeks and get good results. My temp in the house is 22 Celsius. which is cold for kombucha. But if you are doing it 3 weeks then it must be really cold where you are.

[@kombuchakev8052]

It’s just ambient, agree it is a bit on the cool side. I wouldn’t want to go any cooler or there can be some brewing issues. I do have some heating pads I use on the sides in the winter or if I want to speed it up, but the three weeks is actually kind of ideal. I don’t really want it to be any faster. My partner and I will usually take about 3 weeks to finish a 5-gallon keg of kombucha so it’s actually been working out pretty good to have the next batch ready when we have a keg free up. The jun I’ve brewed goes much faster, about a week, so if I’m going to do a jun batch, I just start it a week out.

[@kombuchakev8052]

So I guess I should say the 3 weeks is max, but I adjust with the heating pad depending on how quickly I need the batch to be finished. Usually I can get it started soon after kegging a batch, but if I don’t, I can speed it up to still have it in time for when a keg frees up

[@georgepagakis9854]

@@kombuchakev8052 Hey Kev, What temp is your place at? Even though you are putting enough starter in there when it gets to 22 Celsius or below the yeast slow down almost to the point of sleeping. I live in Canada and my temp in the winter is 21C, I was able to brew kombucha in a couple of weeks but never got good fizz in F2, I would bottle one bottle next time and put it out to see if it will carbonate. You should make sure your culture is still good otherwise you can get into weird bacteria. Even though 3 weeks is convenient for you and the wife, safety first. I suggest you get this blanket and wrap it around your brewing vessel www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07473FWG5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I find that 25 Celsius brews the best tasting Kombucha in 7 days, If you can get a temperature probe in there and keep it at least at 23C your brew will probably be ready in 2 weeks but it will be consistent. I put a temp probe into a dummy bottle filled with water and attach it to this www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01MTZS2MC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 fish tank thermometer which kicks in the seedling belts and is accurate to half a degree. Perfect Kombucha every time and since you live in the colder areas its ideal because you can control your kombucha. Enjoy the brewing :)

[@kombuchakev8052]

@@georgepagakis9854 thanks! My place is usually around 69/70F. I have this heating pad if I need to speed up the process. Good point on using warmer temps: www.amazon.com/dp/B0779FRMMV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_AV65D3N69Y15D6VX8DDF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@georgepagakis9854]

@@kombuchakev8052 Yea that's what I figured. that's cold same temp as my place in the winter. Just because a SCOBY is formed doesn't mean that you have a good brew. Test it by bottling a couple and put them at 27 C for at least 3 days and see if you get fizz. if you don't that means your Bacteria is dead. I had that problem, SCOBY would grow, brew would smell right, color of the brew was right but colony was weak. Be careful with these cold temps, you should be at least 22 - 23C to be in the safe zone. ideally 24-25C is best

[@NewMicah-v5p]

Dont worry it'll come back its not gone forever.

[@RicardoFGC]

Did you actually let clean water run into the drainage for 15 minutes? Do you do it on every brew? I’m I hope you stop making kombucha soon

[@kombuchakev8052]

Sounds like you’re having a bad day, I hope it gets better

[@RicardoFGC]

@@kombuchakev8052 thank you, my day is going great, sorry probably I overreacted, but I got really annoyed watching the waste of water.