Fermenting

[Occam]

I need to do some kraut this year, would be a good addition to the pantry

I do kombucha right now,  go through about a gallon a week. Often unflavored for part of the batch, half the batch I pup Sunday night is apricot blueberry. I used cane sugar this time in the second ferment stage but I've used honey and it does well. The honey doesn't completely disolve though it turns extremely liquid, just heavier than the main kombucha liquid then mixes nicely when poured.

[The15thMember]

I do kombucha right now,  go through about a gallon a week. Often unflavored for part of the batch, half the batch I pup Sunday night is apricot blueberry. I used cane sugar this time in the second ferment stage but I've used honey and it does well. The honey doesn't completely disolve though it turns extremely liquid, just heavier than the main kombucha liquid then mixes nicely when poured.

What's the kombucha taste like?  I've never had any.  I need to try some honey with my water kefir.  I was thinking of making a simple syrup out of the honey so it would dissolve better, or just using some that is naturally very runny.  By the way, do you say kombuCHa or kombuKa?  I've heard it both ways.   

[Occam]

I do kombucha right now,  go through about a gallon a week. Often unflavored for part of the batch, half the batch I pup Sunday night is apricot blueberry. I used cane sugar this time in the second ferment stage but I've used honey and it does well. The honey doesn't completely disolve though it turns extremely liquid, just heavier than the main kombucha liquid then mixes nicely when poured.

What's the kombucha taste like?  I've never had any.  I need to try some honey with my water kefir.  I was thinking of making a simple syrup out of the honey so it would dissolve better, or just using some that is naturally very runny.  By the way, do you say kombuCHa or kombuKa?  I've heard it both ways.   

I don't know about water kefir, ferment times etc, but with kombuCHa you can only use honey in the second ferment. First ferment is too long and you risk botulism getting out of control with honey. Second ferment is an optional ferment to carbonate the beverage or flavor it and honey can be used in second. I usually do a 7 or 8 day ferment on my first and 2 days on my second.

I make mine to have a light, crisp, clean taste, somewhat similar to a cider I would say. Adding carbonation in second ferment enhances that. Do your first ferment too long and it turns vinegar-like, the longer you go the stronger, do tasting after day 6 or 7 is a good idea. You never want to flavor your scoby though, only what you bottle. The scoby should never get anything but tea and sugar

[The15thMember]

I don't know about water kefir, ferment times etc, but with kombuCHa you can only use honey in the second ferment. First ferment is too long and you risk botulism getting out of control with honey. Second ferment is an optional ferment to carbonate the beverage or flavor it and honey can be used in second. I usually do a 7 or 8 day ferment on my first and 2 days on my second.

I make mine to have a light, crisp, clean taste, somewhat similar to a cider I would say. Adding carbonation in second ferment enhances that. Do your first ferment too long and it turns vinegar-like, the longer you go the stronger, do tasting after day 6 or 7 is a good idea. You never want to flavor your scoby though, only what you bottle. The scoby should never get anything but tea and sugar

Both of water kefir's ferments are very short, only 24-48 hours if the conditions are right, so I doubt there would be any botulism risk.  I was told that water kefir can metabolize any sugar, but it also need minerals to function, and I would be concerned there aren't enough minerals in the honey (although I could always add some with baking soda).  I have been feeding the SCOBY raw sugar, not white sugar for this reason.  Like the kombuCHa, water kefir should never have any fruit or other flavorants in its "living quarters" jar though, because certain chemicals in certain fruits can be bad for the SCOBY.  The only safe fruit to add in with the SCOBY is raisins, or so the card that came with them tells me.