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workshops:public:microbes1 [2018/07/17 17:00] pmusk |
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| * 1L of tap water | * 1L of tap water | ||
| * 100ml of soured (fermented) kombucha tea | * 100ml of soured (fermented) kombucha tea | ||
| - | * // | + | * // |
| * white vinegar | * white vinegar | ||
| * coconut oil (optional) | * coconut oil (optional) | ||
| Line 45: | Line 45: | ||
| ===== Instructions ===== | ===== Instructions ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ====Making your Kombucha ==== | ||
| - Wash your hands… properly- not just a social wash | - Wash your hands… properly- not just a social wash | ||
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| - Add muslin bag of tea (or 6 teabags) | - Add muslin bag of tea (or 6 teabags) | ||
| - Wash your hands again | - Wash your hands again | ||
| - | - Cover tray/ tub with lid. Cover the breather hole in the lid with cloth square taped down around the edges with the PVC tape. | + | - Cover tray/ tub with lid. |
| - | - Allow tea to steep until the brew cools to room temperature. | + | - Allow tea to steep until the brew cools to room temperature |
| - Yep… wash those hands again | - Yep… wash those hands again | ||
| - Remove muslin bag (or teabags) and add 400ml of cold water to the brew | - Remove muslin bag (or teabags) and add 400ml of cold water to the brew | ||
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| - Keep your kombucha in a place where it won’t get disturbed and out of direct light. | - Keep your kombucha in a place where it won’t get disturbed and out of direct light. | ||
| - | Kombucha does not require light to grow, but it does need oxygen (from the air). If your container has a tight fitting lid, it may be necessary to cut an air hole in the top (cover it with some of the open weave fabric to reduce the potential for contamination by passing spores, though. | + | Kombucha does not require light to grow, but it does need oxygen (from the air). \\ |
| + | If your container has a tight fitting lid, it may be necessary to cut an air hole in the top (cover it with some of the open weave fabric to reduce the potential for contamination by passing spores, though). | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Caring for your Kombucha ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Before doing anything with your brew, always wash your hands. | ||
| + | All going well, an opaque, jelly-like white pellicle or skin of microbial cellulose should start to form on the surface of your tea within 3-7 days. This will continue to thicken over 2-3 weeks until it takes on the texture and appearance of fresh, cleaned calamari tube. The thicker the pellicle, the more robust the dried product, and best results are with a pellicle 8 - 10mm thick (which takes about 3 - 4 weeks to grow).\\ | ||
| + | The key to caring for your kombucha is making sure it doesn’t get infected with common mould. The brew is most susceptible to infection in the first week as the tea sours. Once your tea has soured and the pH has dropped to between 4 and 4.5 it’s difficult for an infection to take hold in your brew. | ||
| + | If you do observe a mould infection (furry grey, grey green or even orange patches growing on top of the brew) you can combat this by spraying infected patches with a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Harvesting, preparing and drying your pellicle ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | After two to three weeks a good Kombucha brew will grow a pellicle that is about 1cm thick. This is the point at which we harvest our pellicles. Sometimes you will have a slow brew that will take a little longer. You might want to wear your washing up gloves for this part. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Without spilling any of your precious brew, remove the pellicle from the container and place it in another tub for washing. | ||
| + | * Wash your pellicle in a mild detergent and rinse in clean water. Repeat this cycle until the pellicle has lost its sweet smell. | ||
| + | * Dyeing: Because the pellicle is composed of cellulose (the same as cotton), many fabric dyes will be effective in colouring your creation. Dyeing is best done after washing, and before oiling – just follow the instructions for the dye. | ||
| + | * Rubbing coconut oil into the pellicle at this stage (before it dries) will produce a more supple and leather-like product. For best results, spread the wet pellicle on a flat surface, and rub all over (both sides) with fingers dipped in coconut oil. | ||
| + | * Lightly grease your drying board (or mould) with Vaseline to prevent the pellicle from sticking as it dries. | ||
| + | * Spread the pellicle over the greased board or shaped mould and allow it to dry for 4 -7 days. | ||
| + | * The 1cm pellicle will shrink to a 1-2mm thickness as the water evaporates. The length and breadth of the drying sheet will not change appreciably. | ||
| + | * When you are satisfied that your pellicle has dried completely carefully remove it from the board or mould. You can use a scraper to help you remove a smooth sheet, or simply start at a corner and gently pick away until it lifts up, so you can grab it between your fingers, and pull gently. | ||
| + | * If the dry product is too sticky give your next batch a more thorough wash. If it’s too papery for your purpose try washing the next batch less. Thinner pellicles will tend to give a more brittle, papery product. | ||
| + | * Store your dry sheets of finished cellulose in an airtight container with a cup of dry rice to act as a desiccant. You can also put in an open container of bicarbonate of soda to absorb any lingering smells. | ||
| + | ===== Workshop Accessories ===== | ||
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