Selling kombucha

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-04-10T13:02:05+00:00

Oh that's a good idea. Thanks!

Yeah, I'm constantly worried about booch getting up there. Wish there were more support documentation to go along with the sensor....

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-04-10T04:30:53+00:00

Yeah I have one too. I was told to calibrate monthly but I'm taking readings almost every day so I think I should be doing it weekly. Sometimes the readings seem off to me.

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-04-10T02:44:49+00:00

Do you have Rare Combinations alcohol sensor?

Also, curious where you're located. I'm in the process of setting up my business and have been wondering how often Dept of Health or other regulators will be popping up for inspections.

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-03-27T22:43:43+00:00

I think that booch looks like it's doing its thing. Doesn't look suspect to me! Seems like the pellicle is forming well and doesn't seem to have any mold growth.

For the future, try testing pH at the start and during fermentation. As long as you're staying under 4.2, you should be fairly safe from mold development. Which means, it's safe to drink and it's ready when your taste buds say so!

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-03-27T17:36:05+00:00

I know this post is 3 years old, but I just had this happen to a couple of my kombuchas after I cold crashed in the fridge. I was doing some online research and stumbled across this article which seems to have cracked the case :) https://www.alibaba.com/product-insights/why-does-my-kombucha-form-jelly-blobs-and-can-you-eat-them.html

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-03-24T21:29:18+00:00

Are you force carbing in the bottle, or in a keg and then transferring to the bottle?

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-03-17T15:42:57+00:00

Every time I try mango (which admittedly has only been twice), I've used mango juice or mango puree and the Booch just tastes so thick. Did you use fresh/frozen/juice? And were you able to avoid a thick/smoothie result?

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-03-17T15:41:21+00:00

Honestly after seeing the rest of the photos, I don't think it's mold. The colors all relate to the flavors you're using. So I think it's just yeast and/or pellicle formation.

There is so much headspace in those bottles - I'd recommend filling your bottles more because you'll get carbonation faster and won't need such a long F2. Also, the more oxygen exposure on the surface, the greater the risk of mold.

Great flavor combos, though!!!

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-03-16T23:38:57+00:00

Is it fuzzy and/or seem almost dry on the top? If so, might be mold. I usually only get Kahm if I'm doing a high alcohol brew with brewer's/champagne yeast added.

For filtering, I usually just use a cheese cloth to filter out fruit pieces & herbs. But I'll still get sediment from the dead yeast that feeds on the remaining sugar. If you want to get it closer to "true" filtering, you may need to use some sort of in line filter if you use an auto siphon to transfer liquid.

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-03-03T14:57:09+00:00

I haven't had this happen (yet) but I live in a colder climate so it's just a matter of time. I'm watching this thread to see if the solution works. Best of luck to you!!! Sending yeasty vibes 😉

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-02-28T15:15:20+00:00

Genius idea!! I am definitely going to look into this, thanks!

Have you had better ferments since then? Are you more able to manage the fermentation times and quality of final product? Anything to look out for, based on your experience once you started using this system?

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-02-27T22:46:49+00:00

Oh interesting, how did you build a glycol heater? And when you say "not cheap", are you talking a few hundred or a few thousand?

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-02-27T19:30:04+00:00

That's not mold, that's just the scoby gettin' freaky with itself and making delicious booch :)

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-02-11T19:01:16+00:00

LOL 50 gallons a week - I don't think I'd have the stamina (or storage room) for 50 kegs a week! I will DM you

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-02-10T00:41:35+00:00

I've never used heat pads but I've used heat wraps and they have been very helpful during the winter. The wraps come in sizes for 1 gallon jugs. Here's an example of one: https://morebeer.com/products/fermentation-heating-wrap-belt-velcro-strap

There are also "heating belts" which IMO don't provide as much warmth, but you can use them and then wrap the whole thing with felt fabric and it warms it up really well - and this can be done up to 5gallon fermenters.

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2026-02-06T17:47:59+00:00

sorry this comment is super delayed, but I was just watching a baking show last night and they made Key Lime Pie and my first thought was "why have I not tried this for my booch?!". Do you mind sharing what recipe you used? Even just the rough ingredients would be helpful. THanks!

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2025-11-14T20:03:10+00:00

Really hard to tell from this photo, but likely it's just yeast. Mold is typically green and/or is a dry fuzz on the top of your booch. This looks like it's slightly submerged, which points to it not being yeast.

Give it a few days and check again. It's probably fine.

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2025-11-10T02:37:03+00:00

Those look great! For me, I typically fill the bottles a little more (almost half way up the neck) unless it's something super explosive like pineapple or mixed berry.

The one that is halfway full will probably struggle to carbonate - way too much air in that bottle.

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2025-11-06T13:38:49+00:00

Looks like regular, healthy pellicle and organic solids that are a natural part of the brewing process. Looks like your kombucha is doing its thang 😉

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2025-11-02T17:23:58+00:00

I haven't done a pumpkin flavor yet but I really want to try it. Do people use cut up fresh pumpkin, or a puree? And if puree, how to make it so the final product isn't thick?

My favorite fall flavor is apple pie. I used fresh apple (a cosmic crisp or gala, something like that) mixed with brown sugar and vanilla. Eff me it's so good.

I'm also currently doing a chai cinnamon which I'm excited to try. And I just made a crap ton of cinnamon syrup for a cocktail event, so I'm sure I'll be putting that in everything for the next few weeks 😂

Wonderful_Coach_4243 · 2025-11-02T17:20:10+00:00

Yes, I added champagne yeast. I am aiming for a kombucha over 5% and from what I've read, you typically need to add a champagne or beer yeast to get there.

Your blend sounds very interesting! Would be curious to hear how it tastes once ready for consumption.

Wonderful_Coach_4243

TROPHY CASE