Whiteness Developing on Bottom of Continuous Brew Kombucha

A continuous brew container should hold between 1 and 5 gallons. You will also want to container to include a spigot near the bottom. This is necessary for drawing off kombucha without disturbing the contents. Do not use a spigot that has metal on the inside of the container. Continuous brew containers can often be found at a local home brew supply store or you can tryMortier Pilon's Kombucha Brewing Jar. It holds 5 liters and is specifically design for continuous kombucha brewing.

Clean everything thoroughly prior to setting up the brew system. Avoid antibacterial soap, and rinse with vinegar to remove soap residue.

2. Prepare the Kombucha Mixture

Prepare the sweet tea mixture according tothese ingredient ratios and instructions. Pour the mixture into the continuous-brew container and add the SCOBY. Do not overfill the container. Be sure to allow space for the mother SCOBY and development of the new SCOBY. Once the tea mixture and SCOBY are in the container, cover the container for fermenting.

3. Ferment the Kombucha

Ferment the kombucha for 7-30 days based on your flavor preferences. The longer the kombucha ferments the less sweet and more vinegary it will taste. Keep in mind that the best way to check the progress of your kombucha is to taste it periodically. Click here for more information onkombucha fermentation periods.

4. Harvest the Kombucha

There are two methods for harvesting kombucha:

• Option 1: Once the kombucha has fermented to your liking, use the spigot to drain off the kombucha you wish to consume for the week andbottle it. Leave at least 20% of the kombucha in the vessel to act as starter tea for the next batch.
• Option 2: Drain off the kombucha as you drink it. At the end of a week, add more sweetened tea.

5. Feed the Brewing System

Prepare new sweet tea using the appropriate ratios of water, tea, and sugar for the batch size you are adding to your vessel. Allow the tea to cool thoroughly, then slowly pour the mixture into the top of the container to feed the system.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Timing Harvesting and Feeding

Harvesting and feeding can be done every 7 to 30 days. If you wish to draw off kombucha to drink daily but only feed the mixture weekly, be aware that kombucha drawn off at the beginning of the week is likely to be sweeter than kombucha drawn off later in the week.

Controlling the Sugar Content

If low sugar content is an important factor for you, allow the fresh sweet tea an adequate fermentation period prior to the next draw. Remember, a longer brewing time results in less sugar and a more vinegary-flavored kombucha.

Cleaning the Brewing Vessel and Spigot

Cleaning the vessel and spigot is required only if the spigot becomes clogged with yeast particles or if too much yeast builds up in the bottom of the container.

To clean the system, remove the kombucha, SCOBY, and enough starter tea for the next batch; set aside in a safe container. Clean the container using distilled white vinegar and warm water. Once the system is clean, add the kombucha, SCOBY, and starter tea back to the vessel, add fresh sweet tea, and resume the process.

The Large SCOBY

Keep in mind, continuous brewing systems produce large SCOBYs. The primary issue with a large SCOBY is that after some time they grow very thick, taking up valuable space in the container. Reduce the large SCOBY's size periodically, to allow more efficient fermenting. The SCOBY can be torn or cut up using a non-metal utensil. Check out ourlist of ideas for using extra SCOBYs.

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Source: https://culturesforhealth.com/blogs/learn/kombucha-kombucha-continuous-brewing-system

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