AskDave8f

Hi Dave,

I'm really having a problem. My first batch (I brewed 5 days, and bottled and let sit 5 days) tasted like vinegar.

I just bottled my second batch and it smells like vinegar. I have just placed a third batch in my brewer.

My concern is this: I put a batch of good sweet tea into my brewer with my existing vinegar tasting started tea. How could I possible get anything but vinegar tasting tea. HELP!!

What have I done wrong? Should I start over?

Dottie

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey Dottie,

Thanks for contacting us. Here are three ideas:

1. Lower your starter tea ratio:

Now, this is only if your ratio was really high like 20% starter tea. Because your starter as you stated "tastes like vinegar" chance are is that the starter tea has an extremely low ph level. If this is true, you do not need as much for your next batch. Never go lower than 10% in any condition, and if you are not using a heat mat or your brewing temp is not at least 80 degrees - we recommend not going lower than 15%.

2. Reduce the total amount of tea you are making per batch

If your starter tea ratio is already around 10% to 15% - we suggest simply cutting your recipe in half while keeping the starter tea ratio the same. In other words if you were originally preparing 2 gallons of sweet tea (256 ounces) and adding it to a half gallon of starter tea (32 ounces) - you would already have 11% as your starter tea. (we'll do a follow up lesson on the math behind that number).



Since you never want to go lower that that percentage, I would recommend brewing 1 gallon of sweet tea (128 ounces) and adding it to 16 ounces of starter tea. This keeps the ratio of 11% starter the same. So you may be wondering right now, how does this change anything.

Drum Roll, please....

The smaller your batches are, the more control you have over them. We tested lots of different size brewers,. In fact back in the day we offered a 5 Gallon Brewer. All of the sizes have advantages but when tested, the 2.5 Porcelain brewed the most tea with the most ease.

When your starter tea begins "taking over", you can simply brew a smaller amount and let if ferment a little less. Then that extra small amount of k-tea that you made can be used as your new and improved starter tea.

3. When All Else Fails... Just reset the clock

Finally, as a last resort (though depending on time commitments you might want to consider this first as it is the fastest way to get back to brewing), pick up a bottle of fresh, raw, kombucha tea and start over as if it was your first day of brewing.

Simply use the bottled kombucha tea as your starter. Remember use raw, unflavored kombucha tea.

Happy Brewin', Dave