I visited my friend’s house on Friday and tasted her Kombucha. It was awesome. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve desired a nice drink like Kombucha. It was fizzy, sweet, tangy… just delicious! To think that it has all the health benefits it has. Well, we are excited. She gave me my own starts (mushrooms, each called a scoby), which unfortunately I had to cut up since I am using (mostly) half gallon jars. She has gallon size jars and the mushrooms fit the inside of that perfectly. But no matter. I gather these mushrooms are highly adaptable to their growing environment.
It was nice to meet with someone who shares my appreciation for doing things simply. She “cooks” her Kombucha wrapped in towels on a shelf over a heater vent, which makes it cook in 3 or 4 days instead of a week or more. I don’t have a shelf over a heater vent, so I set my Kombucha jars, begun Friday evening, on the counter wrapped in towels. The jars are next to the stove, so they feel that heat when the stove is on.
I started 3 gallons. Two gallons are pictured there, in 1/2 gallon jars. Cut out of the picture is another gallon jar. The pictured jars are sweetened half with blackstrap molasses and half with local wildflower honey. The non-pictured jar is sweetened entirely with wildflower honey. I used organic green tea for the tea. The recipe calls for cool tea made from 6 tea bags and 1 cup of sugar per gallon of Kombucha. Since honey is twice as sweet as sugar, I used half the amount of honey. That means (per gallon) of the molasses-honey sweetened tea: 6 tea bags, 1/2 cup of molasses, 1/4 cup of honey. In the gallon of honey sweetened tea: 6 tea bags, 1/2 cup of honey. I added some more honey for good measure. The scoby has to have plenty of sugar to grow. 
I worry (slightly) if I’ll be able to tell when it is done or not. I tasted it last night. Tasting good. I’m looking for the perfect balance of tang, not too much, but definitely there. I’ll taste again tonight and (maybe) surprise Jeff with a glass. He’s waiting for it!
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I’ve heard that sweeteners other than (organic) white sugar will eventually kill the scoby – but I’m not sure I believe it, b/c as a traditional drink, obviously white sugar wasn’t always around. (Even if it *did* kill the scoby, I get a new one w/ every brew!) I’d be very interested to know how long you or your friend have had success w/ honey and/or molasses! and also how different sweeteners affect the nutritional content
I did hear about that controversy. But I agree with you — a traditional drink couldn’t have had white sugar around way back when. So far, so good on my drink. It has been a week and the K-tea is getting tangy and bubbly. The molasses one does taste like molasses!
I’ll be sure and talk about it more when I have more experience.
Honey is a natural anti-bacterial and will kill all the goodness of your SCOBY!!
Michelle, I am sorry to hear that. Could you tell me more about it? Does it kill the scoby entirely or just somewhat. My scobys appear to be thriving and growing well so I would like to know more specifically what you mean by “goodness of the scoby.”
White sugar definitively chage the scoby, it turns it yellow instead of sprakling white. I use organic cane sugar. it also gives a nice gold color to the thea.
I’a also curious about honey, it gives a nice taste. and keeps the scoby wgite ???
What’s the result with molasse, it is my next try was already scheduled when my next jar will free up! next week
Martin!
Martin, the molasses makes the tea darker and gives a stronger flavor. I haven’t tried it but a few times.
My scobys are an off-white color, definitely not yellow. I’ve used honey, molasses, agave and even (when I’m out of everything else) raw sugar. We all like the agave K-Tea best.
Let me know, if you can, about your test with molasses next week. I’d like to hear!
-Wardeh
Molasses makes the thea Really darker a cuts the after taste and makes it very nice even after a long infusion time.
Unfortunately it doesn’t work, i think my mother was to old. I’ll take a fresh one and retry.
The agave is a green or black thea?
I will let you know the result.
Martin!
Finally tested Molasse Kombucha.
Works well, but doesn’t taste really good. it leaves an after taste that is not really nice. andafter only 1 week it started to turn. fizzy on the thong just like a juice that start fermenting. and maks a deposit just like if kombucha was saturated and started to separate a part ofwhat was diluted.
To drink it, I mixed it half and half with nature kombucha it make anice taste abit stong still. so probably next time i feel like making some tests i will replace only 25% of the sugar by molasse
Martin, that is good to know. I’m appreciative that you’re sharing your results!
-Wardeh
Hello Wardeh,
My first gallon of ‘bucha came out great! I am soo happy this worked out. I am in the process of testing different teas with different vinegars to find our favorite flavors. The first was green tea with distilled aple cider vinegar and organic evaporated cane sugar. I used a heating pad to keep the temp at 80 degrees inside of a box. This tasted like sparkling cider. I found it best to wait one day in the fridge before drinking (flavor mellows) but found after about 4 days the ‘bucha got too vinegary for my taste buds. (I know that once I get my recipes down pat that the ‘bucha will not last 4 days)
Second gallon due to test this evening (Sept. 11th, 7 th day) is white tea mixed with 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar and 1 cup of the sugar.
Third gallon started last night is black tea mixed with 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar and 1 and 1/4 cups of the sugar (I only use the type of sugar mentioned above in my household).
I wanted to ask you about the agave you used in your mix for future batches. Do you use the agave in place of the sugar or add it after the brew period as a flavoring? Could you post the recipe amounts please? I know that we can use some leftover ‘bucha for the next batch but I am testing different vinegars since they will impart different flavors to keep mixtures pure in their flavors, so to speak, to figure out two or three we love the best.
Also, we were in Polishtown and picked up black currant juice from Poland. It is only juice and sugar and I can’t wait to try this in one of my ‘bucha recipes.
I will post my findings when the future batches are ready!
Thanks Again,
Lisa on Long Island
Lisa, I’m glad you’re enjoying the Kombucha! For the agave, I am not using it any longer. I now use Rapadura. But to answer your question, when I used to use it, I would add it after I brewed the tea and the tea had cooled. This way it didn’t get cooked. I use the same amount of sweetener, no matter which kind. 1 cup per gallon of Kombucha. Does that answer your question?
The black currant juice sounds amazing! I look forward to hearing how that batch turns out! BTW, how long is it taking to brew to your liking when you keep it at 80 degrees constantly?