Se Chung Oolong Kombucha

Se Chung Oolong Kombucha (OG)

Brewer: Jesse

1st Fermentation 12/7- 12/16

Tea: 14g 

Temperature: 186°F

Steep: 4' 

2nd Fermentation 12/16- 12/19 

Batch 1

1.5 persimmon, medium

0.5 tsp. turmeric powder

2 Meyer lemon peels

0.5 tsp. ginger grated

flavor notes: persimmon, turmeric barely noticeable 

Batch 2

1.25 c. strawberries, chopped

1.5 Tbs. hibiscus flowers, dried

1 tsp. sugar 

flavor notes: strawberry competing with hibiscus

Batch 3

0.5 c. empire apple, grated

2 tsp. ginger, grated

flavor notes: apple pie! nice with oolong

Batch 4 

3 Tbs. blackberry syrup* 

2 Tbs. hibiscus flowers, dried 

4 Meyer lemon peels

0.5 tsp. sugar 

flavor notes: hibiscus, thicker kombucha than average from syrup

Batch 5

2 Tbs. ginger, grated

0.75 Meyer lemon, squeezed

4 clementine peels

2 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: oolong/ginger 

Batch 6

0.5 c. clementine juice, squeezed

0.5 tsp. turmeric powder

0.5 tsp. ginger, grated

flavor notes: crisp clementine, similar to batch 8

Batch 7 

0.75 grapefruit juice, squeezed

2 Tbs. hibiscus flowers, dried

1 tsp. jasmine flowers, dried

1.5 tsp. sugar

flavor notes: heavy hibiscus, too strong, too many flavors competing

Batch 8 

0.75 tsp. turmeric powder

1 Tbs. ginger, grated

1 tsp. sugar 

flavor: delicious! could use more turmeric

*blackberry syrup: heat fresh blackberries in a small pan with enough water to keep them from burning. Add agave to taste and mash berries with a fork into a jam consistency. Refrigerate. 

Notes:

Highs: 

- Meyer lemons are awesome! Their flesh is thinner and more palatable than a traditional lemon. Here's a shortie NPR did on them: The Meyer Lemon: More Than Just A Pretty Face

- Batches 2 & 6 were the favorites. If you like apple, batch 3 would be recommended. 

- Overall a nice test run. The blackberry syrup gave the kombucha a heavier feel than the fluidity commonly attributed to kombucha. 

Lows: 

- The hibiscus was far too strong in every case. I'd at least cut it in half for every batch if not even down to a third of what was used. 

- Clementine flavor could be stronger but grapefruit was overpowering. 

- Tried recycling some Black Button Distilling bottles Katie was sweet enough to let me have but the pressure blew the tops off almost everyday while I was away which I think took away from the final effervescence of several. The ones with blackberry built the most pressure. In the future I'll be sticking to swing tops and will save the bottles to store in the fridge after filtering out the second fermentation fruit.