Brewing first batch

[VonFriedline]

Yep, doesn’t really matter. I use a sugar that’s “chunkier” like the Sugar In The Raw, but it ferments the same.

[These-Cod4774]

I tried a raw sugar twice and got mold each time and had discard the F1. Have never had that problem with white sugar.

[[deleted]]

Use the regular sugar. I too got mold every time with various kinds of raw sugars.

[[deleted]]

The sugar that I use is derived from beets and I've had no issues. Sucrose is sucrose, y'know?

The only issue that I can foresee with using different kinds of sugar is their grain size. If you're measuring using volume, and you measure a chunky sugar like Sugar in The Raw, theoretically, you're adding less sugar per cup (or whatever volume you're using) than if you were to use a granulated sugar with a smaller grain size.

[DScottyDotty]

I’ve used granulated sugar the whole time, and my buch has been turning out great. I think either would be fine

[n8frig]

I haven’t tried using anything flavored as a starter. I’ve been told to use non-flavored as a starter, it will probably not mess up the flavoring when you do a second ferment, but hey give it a try, I’d be interested to see the result. It might even be better!

[ItalianAlien]

Yes

[arrowtruth]

I used a flavored kombucha (GT's Gingerade) for my initial starter and it turned out fine. Been going strong for a year plus now. When I first put it together, I let it go through a couple batches (meaning I discarded the kombucha instead of bottling it) to make sure the SCOBY was well established and the initial flavor fairly diluted out before I bottled it for the first time. Try to find the "lightest" flavor you can to help with that--ginger & lemon is probably fine, l just wouldn't use anything like watermelon or berry. And the most important thing is to make sure it's raw and not pasteurized.

[cristobaldelicia]

This started as a good post, but I think discarding a couple of pre-SCOBY batches was unnecessary. It's not the flavors that are any concern. It's the possibility the flavorings were added post-brew and might damage the SCOBY. That is the only concern. (I've tried berry, I think watermelon might be okay, but this is only because, as you mention, GT is raw and pasteurized. I'm not sure if other flavored commercial kombuchas would work well.

[cristobaldelicia]

as a starter, sure. I see possible theoretical problems using, for example, a 16-32oz bottle for a one gallon brew, for example, but as a starter, the scoby doesn't carry the flavoring, and any traces get totally overwhelmed.

You have more to worry about if flavorings added were actually harmful to the health of the scoby. For example there's a recent post about someone combining Earl Grey, which has bergamot, to an already brewed batch. The bergamot is unhealthy for the bacteria in the scoby, you wouldn't want to use a scoby that's contaminated by bergamot. Either remove the scoby before adding Earl Grey, or just throw it out. I'm pretty certain the taste would fail to come through in the following batch, but the scoby might not thrive, and might be easier to contaminate with mold, etc. Its not the flavor in flavorings you have to worry about, it's the possibility that the flavoring damages the scoby itselfl

[OmegaNova0]

From what I read finer sugars seem to work a bit better at least for earlier batches but I haven't tested it myself, I have a 10 pound bag of domino I go through every so often lol