-Do I have to do a secondary fermentation?
Nope! You can drink your kombucha straight out of the primary fermentation. It might not be as carbonated as if you did a secondary fermentation. You can bottle it and stick it in the fridge or enjoy at room temp.
-What is secondary fermentation?
When you are done brewing your kombucha in your brewing vessel with your SCOBY you can either:
- Drink plain kombucha
- Bottle, flavor and increase the carbonation of your kombucha. This is known as “secondary fermentation”
The secondary fermentation is where most of the carbonation magic happens. So if you are a fan of fizz, this is where it's at! You can use fresh fruit, dried fruit, juice, herbs, spices, or extracts to flavor your kombucha. Get creative! There is no one right way to do it.
My favorite way to flavor my secondary fermentation is with my herbal kombucha flavorings! Not only do they add delicious flavors, but they also enhance the nutrient density of your kombucha with healthful herbs.
How to bottle your kombucha:
- Save 1-2 cups per gallon of already brewed kombucha as starter tea for your next batch. If you are planning to brew right away you will only need 1 cup per gallon, but if you are going to wait a bit to brew again, make sure you have enough starter liquid to cover your SCOBY plus an inch or two.
- Using a funnel, pour your plain kombucha into a 16oz, 32oz or a gallon jug. You’ll want to fill your vessel up with 80%-90% kombucha and add 10%-20% flavoring. All you need is 1-3 tsp of my herbal kombucha flavoring to make delicious kombucha. You will want to leave 1-2 inches of air space at the top of the bottle between the liquid and the cap.
- Close the bottles tightly and store in a warm dark place for 2-4 days. You can leave your kombucha for longer if you want more carbonation.
- “Burp” the bottle every day to release the pressure by opening and closing the top.
- When the desired level of carbonation and flavor is reached, strain kombucha into a fresh bottle using a mesh strainer and funnel, then place in the refrigerator.
-What are the best vessels for my secondary fermentation?
My top secondary fermentation bottles for making extra carbonated kombucha are glass bottles and growlers with a long neck and a swing-top. You can also reuse store-bought kombucha bottles or use mason jars, but they won’t create as much carbonation.
All your fun and fancy flavorings happen in your secondary fermentation. Secondary fermentation is everything that happens in a bottle separate from your brewing vessel. I do not recommend using fruit, juice or flavored tea in your primary fermentation.
-There is a little SCOBY growing in my secondary fermentation, is that okay?
Yup! It's totally normal for new cultures to grow during the second fermentation. It just shows you that there is alive yeast and bacteria in your kombucha continuing to ferment. These little buddies will keep going even when they have their oxygen supply cut off in a second fermentation bottle. If you’re not a goopy fan, just strain them out before drinking.
-How do I make my kombucha more carbonated?
Your kombucha gets fizzy when the yeast converts the sugar in your sweetened tea mixture into CO2 and alcohol. Your booch will get slightly fermented in the primary fermentation, but it will get most of its bubbly bang from the secondary fermentation.
Here are some tips to increase carbonation:
-Increase sugar in your secondary fermentation. You can do this by adding fruit, fruit juice or sugar. I’ll add ¼-1 tsp sugar per 16 oz bottle if my flavoring doesn’t have any natural sugars in it.
-Fill your secondary fermentation bottles closer to the top leaving an inch of space between the kombucha and the top. When you reduce the amount of oxygen in the bottle, more CO2 is able to be absorbed into the booch.
-Lengthen the time of your secondary fermentation. I typically let mine ferment for 4 days, but you can go for 7 day or beyond. Make sure you are burping your bottles daily after 2 days so you don’t get a booch explosion. Burping your bottle just means opening and closing the top of your secondary fermentation bottle.
-Make sure your secondary fermentation is at room temp (68 degrees or above). Move your secondary fermentation to the fridge when you are ready to stop the fermentation.
-Use long necked swing top bottles. If you use old kombucha bottles, try putting a small square of parchment paper or plastic underneath the cap to get a tighter seal. I do not recommend wide or narrow mouth mason jars, it exposes too much of the kombucha to oxygen and doesn’t dissolve as much into the liquid.
-Kombucha is alive! And just like other organisms, it is subject to change. Some batches might be bubbly and others might not be as carbonated.
-Use flavorings that contain wild yeast like ginger and elderflower. These flavorings can give your booch some extra bubbly power.
-Know that your kombucha might not be as fizzy as store bought brands because some of them use artificial carbonation in their kombucha. You can alway mix your booch with some carbonated water to increase the fizzy ASAP.
-When I am done with my kombucha how long does it last in the fridge?
Kombucha can be stored in the fridge for many months due to its low pH. I recommend drinking your kombucha within 3 weeks of putting it in the fridge, but can last up to 3 months. The fresher the kombucha, the better and more bubbly it will be
