Saw a new kombucha setup at the farmers market in Portland

I was at the Portland Farmers Market last Saturday and a local vendor had a huge kombucha station... like 15 gallons brewing right there. They were using these wide mouth glass jars with cloth covers, but the twist was they kept them on a heated shelf. The vendor said it cuts the first ferment time down to just 5 days in our cool weather. I've always done mine at room temp and it takes almost 2 weeks. Has anyone else tried using a consistent heat source like that for their brews?

3 comments

3 Comments

fiona_carr262d ago

That part about the flavor being rushed is so real. My friend tried a seedling heat mat under her kombucha jar last winter. It did brew faster, like in a week. But she said the taste was just... sharp? Like all vinegar bite and none of the deeper tea flavor she usually gets. It never really mellowed out even after a second ferment. Makes you wonder if the slower time lets more than just the bacteria work.

kelly.patricia2d ago

Oh wow, that heated shelf idea is smart. @troyknight is right about the old tricks thing, it reminds me of my neighbor who puts her yogurt starter on top of the fridge for the warm spot. I guess controlling the temp just makes the process more reliable, not necessarily worse.

troyknight2d ago

It's funny how much of modern DIY stuff is just rediscovering old tricks with a new power cord. My grandma used to put her bread dough on the radiator. That heated kombucha shelf is the same idea, just a bit more fancy. We're all trying to speed up natural processes that used to just take as long as they took. The real test is if the fast brew still gets that good, funky flavor or if it tastes rushed.