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Anyone ever started a kombucha from bottle of GT's kombucha??

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  • oh Suasoria ooooohwaaaaaa help meee out too!! I have my little baby in the new tea...some one even suggested a shot of raw ACV too get it going so I did that this time around as well...plus got more warmer air in the room. But any help you can get would be awesome!!

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    Thanks for the input Suasoria. I guess I really shouldn't bother then, because I don't need that much...would take me a month or more to use it. Plus having to find (or buy) a jar that large.

    FYI: I read at the below linked site that you should never store the scoby in plastic baggies in the fridge.

    http://www.laurelfarms.com/laurel_farms_kombucha_tea.htm

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    glamazon~ from what I've read (can't remember where- hopefully not this thread! lol~) introducing raw ACV will introduce mother of vinegar (of course!) but it is not the same bacteria as what you want for kombucha. I dunno, just passing on info.

  • What a GREAT thread! It must be the winter thaw, as I've been looking at making some 'shroom and tea since late March!

    My first experience with 'bucha was early March. A raw friend at my HF store had told me about it, but I kept forgetting to try it. Then someone handed me a tiny sip ~ marvelous! My sip included the baby, and oh my! What a detox response my body had! Amazing stuff!

    Since then, I've been hooked. The sample was from High Country, which I do prefer. GT's Synergy brand it too sweet for me. Always reminds me of a flavored kids drink. GT's regular brand is good, but I find bigger cultures in High Country. Love those dark brown bottles!

    About the time started the thread I was doing the same as you...harvesting my culture from a bottle. What I've discovered is this:

    a) wide mouth is important. If you look around on the 'net, you'll see the full size mushroom is big, almost sponge-like. You'll want a wide-mouth jar for easy removal!

    b) warm is important. Spring is cool here, and it is taking a lot longer than 7-10 days for this first batch. I've taken it from the dark closet and put it in a warm window. I'm sure if it were summer it would be plenty warm in the pantry for good growth!

    Years ago I had a yogurt warming plate for fermenting yogurt. It would be perfect for this! Being my first try at making it, I don't want to spring for one of those plates that would speed up the process!

    c) sugar is important. Just like in apple cider vinegar, the mother is a protein strand that eats the sugars in the juice while fermenting. In kombucha, it is called a mushroom. If you open a commercial bottle and cover it and store it to grow, there may not be enough sweetness in the bottle to feed the baby.

    d) patience is important. I was ready to toss my first try (32oz of sweet tea in a dark cool pantry with several floaters from both HC and GT). I found some locals through Craig's that were willing to sell me some of theirs. Then I moved it to the window. It's growing, doing better. I also took a small mason jar, poured half a bottle of HC into it with a good sized baby, added another baby from another bottle I was consuming, covered, and put it on the back of the stove. It's also doing well. Today I added a little sweet tea to it, as I'm not sure it had much to live on. It's really cool to watch the babies...right now, when you look from the side of the jar, they look like jellyfish! Since I've added the sugar they have moved upward and are beginning to cover the surface.

    Test 1 is beginning to bubble. Still too sweet for me. The 'shroom is covering the top, beginning to thicken. Test 2 is in its early stages, and moving along nicely. By May 1 I should be ready to harvest!

    here's my goal: http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff17/TomMcC01/KombuchaMushroom.jpg

  • vegan2rawvegan2raw Raw Newbie

    I would not reccomend anything acidic or with an alchohol content being stored in plastic as it could release the chemicals. Plastic is soooo yucky as many raw foodists know it makes things taste different we collect glass jars from our coconut butter or oil any glass jar can be reused and they are pretty tough.

    Also I dont know if anyone has seen the corn plastic and other biodegradable plastics but I recently heard from someone that even though they are biodegradable that parts of them that are plastic dont completely biodegrade on the microscopic level and if they are made of GMO corn or soy then it being composted is not good. My baby is allergic to corn so we never use them for fear the corn could leach into whatever we put in it but I just thought it was interesting that even though its a little better option we need to look at the impact of composting those things.

    Enjoy Spring aand Fresh kombucha!

    GO RAW

  • Last night I saw 2 interesting things on the original_kombucha thread over at Yahoo...

    1) if you want a pretty SCOBY, take a bottle of commercial stuff, open it, cover it, and store it in your cabinet. Don't do a thing to it! Give it a few weeks, and you'll have a pretty, evenly shaped SCOBY to share...or use.

    2) Inferred from above, and seen in action at the is site (http://www.therpc.f9.co.uk/family/scobygrow/Day1.html), you can make tea from SCOBY, or from KT itself. Both have, whether you see it or not, the bacteria necessary to convert your sweet tea. Bonus - photos of the KT in action...for 7 days!

    As for me, I took my little tester (10 oz?) of commerical KT that I later added some honey to, then some sweet tea made with maple syrup (I told you it was an experiment!) and bottled it last night.

    The SCOBY was mostly clear and gelatinous. The brown tea I used (Yerba Matte) did create brown yeast stringers (ooglies) attached to the SCOBY, which I washed off with purified water. Then I stored my SCOBY in a baggy in the fridge with some tea. I agree with the former poster about using plastic. It was late, and I didn't want to dig around for an empty bottle to start more KT! However, I'm sure I'll do that today.

    Plastic storage containers (not baggies) should be of grade 2 or better plastic, to not give off undesirables. They are permeable to some extent...store some garlic or mildly acidic in one and see how long it take to get the smell / color out! LOL

    My tester does have maple undertones. It is delicous! I know I should let it do a second fermentation to allow more bubbles...

    things for today!

  • ddigiacomoddigiacomo Raw Newbie

    Mother, I heard you should never use honey in Kombucha. It is an antibacterial and the bacteria is what makes it. From what I have read in the past it needs to be sugar other sources of sweetner are damaging to the KT.

  • Yes I know you can not trust the FDA. However I just thought I would warn you of the Potential dangers. There HAS been actually recordings of people getting sick and/or dying from poisoning themselves.

  • [This is a good site about kombucha: http://www.happyherbalist.com/analysis_of_kombucha.htm]

    Wow! What a great site and lots of links, pictures, info.

    Thanks!

  • ddigiacomo---Yes I also heard not to use honey or maple syrup...hmmmmm

    megan lyne---well warnings are pretty much a case by case situation...couple people got sick and now ALL almonds from CA are pastuerized how is that beneficial. I have always eaten raw almonds off the tree straight out of the shells and never have gotten sick BUT strangest thing is---> I tend to wash my hands and practice proper hygiene...helloO but listen your warning was noted and we appreciate your intention. Big hugs to ya luv. Information is very important so always share coz sharing is caring.

    motherlode--thx for the links Ima have to check them out. I think my problem with first attempt was my tea...I used some darjeeling from the Indian store and its very murky looking so couldn't really tell if my little scoby dude was thriving or diving....but now just using some organic black tea and seems to be trying to grow...see little bits at the surface mingling and all LOL

    I'm so happy people got involved and sharing thoughts and experiences on this thread...warms my heart but not higher than 120 degrees LOL

    Peace to all....have a fab week!!

  • I started mine on April 11, using original GT's kombucha, sugar & tea. As of now, I see a little film on top, but it doesn't look like anything is growing - how much longer should I let it go before deciding it isn't working?

    I would love to have a baby, if someone would like to send me one - I'd gladly pay for shipping.

  • have_merseyhave_mersey Raw Newbie

    3 weeks in a place between 75-80 F should be enough to tell if there is a start of something growing..it may need slightly longer if it is sluggish or a little cool in your kitchen, before being ready. But 3 weeks hsould be enough to tell if it is working. Good luck!

  • Thanks! I will try to be patient.......

    It is chilly upstairs, but I have a seedling heating pad underneath to keep it warm.

  • Soooo, I'm totally new to being raw. I'm totally new to this site. I'm totally new to Kombucha, (although I now LOVE it and I don't like paying 3 bucks a bottle for something that i really feel i need to have almost daily.) so, I consulted youtube and i found this and I hope it helps.

  • I have SCOBYs free to new home if you're in the southern CA area. Sorry, I don't ship.

    I had started my culture over a year ago from a bottle of plain GT's. It took a good 3 months to get a really good size SCOBY.

  • hi I new on here, I would like if anyone has extra scoby that could give

    me one. I been trying to grow one from scrach but I never have any luck.

  • have_merseyhave_mersey Raw Newbie

    I went Shopping yesterday...1stly, although this is "off topic"... MY HEALTH STORE HAS YOUNG COCONUTS!! AH!!!!!! yay! hehe

    2. I'm not sure if it is because they bought a huge shipment of kombucha and had them luke-warm in the back for a while (guessing), but nearly every bottle there had cute(and some oogly), little mothers in them. :) Cool.

    how is everyone's doing as of now???

  • I'm getting disheartened...barely have a thin film on mine too....my house isnt warm enough for long enough yet...weather is crazy here in NJ last few weeks. I think I'ma have to bite the bullet and get one from NYC...I'm going broke buying $3 dolla bottles everyday hahahaha

    Peace and luv to you all my fellow kombucha lovers

    lo~

  • have_merseyhave_mersey Raw Newbie

    Well I have actually been reading that the slower and cooler processes, have more bacteria to yeast. So this is good! And after we get decent mothers growing..it will go faster. :) Keep at it glamazon!

    It will be a while before I can offer scobys to anyone, but whenever I have spares, I'd be happy to send them...If someone will tell me how to ship them safely that is. :)

  • HahaaaaaaHA thanks have mersey....last week I had gone in to go get my pitiful scoby for a burial it buuuut, guess what?? My little film is now about 1/8 in thickness! I was so delighted to see it still trying to grow so I made new tea for it to keeep on truckin!! Amazing how all living things struggle to continue...it's doing its part so I gotta do mine give it new caffeine and sugar...will keep all posted.

    Now its been warmer last cup o days so maybe it will thicken up more. Im happy I didn't just dig a hole and splash the little baby in there without looking closely at it.

    Peace and hope all enjoy their holiday!!

    Lo~

  • have_merseyhave_mersey Raw Newbie

    Mine was getting too yeasty sitting on the deep freeze (heat from the bottom or over 75 you get more yeast, heat in the early 70's from the top of jar grows more bacteria), so I went ahead and scooped the film and top half of the liquid off, and used it to start some more. It seems happier now, and is getting thicker. But it smelt winey in the bottom-half of the first try. I drank some and the last bit I put in the compost bin because it had a lot of sediment from the yeast (side question..I still make bread occasionally {not always for me, but friends and family} and I wondered if you could use the Kombucha yeast as a sourdough starter of sorts? I might try.). . Still at it, and when I have babies, I will ship..I noticed some people send them in mason jars, which is good because they are glass, but bad because they are heavy. I don't know. Anyone have experience, with shipping??

    Also...I intend to follow the instructions on this site: http://www.geocities.com/kombucha_balance/

    and grow "the master race" of strong, good bacterias after my scoby gets big :D. I'm really really fond of it already. I think I love it.

  • have_merseyhave_mersey Raw Newbie

    I went ahead and got two babies :P I am still maintaining my critter, but after trying it's last batch (very good, but a little early, and now I have the aid of a straw to pull some out and test deeper), I decided that I will be needing an army! I knew I liked it, but Ah. Makes you feel SO good physically and spiritually. I am really really fond of the baby I grew, and when my new babies arrived, though adopted, I fell in love once more. They had a really strong vibe. It felt really really good. :) I know you aren't supposed to touch them but I vinegared my hands and petted them. If GT's are made with 100% pure love, then mine will be 200%, I assure you. After this point I won't prod anymore.

    My question...Okay I know some babes are sinkers (maybe this is an observation not question?), one of them sank, and then, (I keep a REALLY close eye on my children), I noticed small jellyfish floating to the top. Two, then twelve hours later, another came along, and now they are "holding hands" amidst a thin "fog". Anyone seen how the babies form when the mummy is at the bottom? Is this how? It's so weird and beautiful. I'm constantly amazed and joyed by these things. :)

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