How to care for kombucha?

Hello again! I already wrote about benefit Kombucha drink, how is it grow and how interesting recipes They exist. Now I'd like to talk about the rules for caring for the jellyfish mushroom. This is an important point, as it determines not only the viability of the mushroom but also the taste and quality of the drink, that is, how many beneficial substances it will contain.

Main conditions

The first thing to pay attention to is hygiene. I always keep my kombucha impeccably clean. Like in the photo—the cheesecloth is clean, the jar is clear:

But when pouring the drink into a glass or another bottle, people usually strain it directly through this cheesecloth. At least that's what my grandmother and my current neighbor did. I strain it through a metal strainer, so the cheesecloth stays clean. However, dust does settle on its surface, so change it about every 2-3 days.

Now about the conditions:

• Immediately after fermentation, move the bottle to the warmest place, but make sure that direct sunlight does not fall on the container under any circumstances (the mushroom may die or spoil);
• Do not touch it while the mushroom is forming - do not move it, do not shake it, etc., let it stand in one place in complete peace;
• When a film about 4 mm thick has formed, pour in about 4-6 tbsp of sweetened tea leaves (remember to stir the sugar very thoroughly);
• then keep it at a temperature of +20 to +25 degrees;
• if the temperature is lower, growth and development will stop;
• if the temperature goes above +30 degrees, the tea jellyfish will first get sick and then die completely;
• the best place is the shade.

Care instructions

Pay special attention to small details:

• Never add tea by directing the stream at the surface of the mushroom; it is better to push it aside with a wooden spatula and pour the tea along the side of the jar;
• but you can do it differently:
  • pour tea leaves into a tablespoon;
  • place its end against the inside surface of the can;
  • Start pouring slowly so that the liquid is directed exclusively along the glass.
• If the mushroom is young, then add tea leaves (sweet) once a week, do the same if the mushroom becomes wilted;
• the optimal thickness of an adult mushroom is from 1 to 1.5 cm;
• Never cover with a lid - this will deprive the mushroom of oxygen, which will lead to its death.

If the growing conditions are not met, various problems arise problemsMany of them are fraught with the death of the fungus.

Other content features

I'm often asked various questions, the kind that people simply can't find answers to online, so I'd like to provide a brief overview of the most popular ones in one article:

• When should you drain the finished drink? In the hot summer months, the drink is ready in just 2-4 days (depending on the conditions), so be sure to try it. At other times of the year, the tea takes 5-6 days to mature.
• How to determine if a drink is ready?Just try it – it will have a sweet and sour taste (the level of sweetness or sourness depends on the amount of sugar added, i.e., to taste). It should definitely be medium or low carbonated.
• Do I need to wash the mushroom itself? Of course, he likes hygiene procedures, but not too often. I do it once every 3-4 weeks. To do this, I take boiled water at room temperature, place the mushroom in it, wash it with my hands, and then rinse.
• What happens if you skip draining and washing the mushroom? Oh, this is absolutely unacceptable, because the fungus will become infected and eventually die. The first sign is a brownish film covering the surface. Then the structure of the medusomycete becomes hard.
  By the way, if this happens, be sure to pour out the drink, as it has already absorbed toxic substances - you will get mild poisoning.
• How and how long to store drained tea? It should be stored like kvass – in the refrigerator. I always pour it into plastic bottles and screw the lids tightly – this will preserve the carbon dioxide, which will create bubbles. It can be stored for up to a week. Incidentally, the older the mushroom, the longer the shelf life. Also, if you let the drink sit for 2-3 days, its flavor will become more intense.
• Which side should I lay the mushroom on after washing? Only the darker one. Usually, this is the side that used to be on top. The mushroom darkens due to exposure to oxygen.

How to divide kombucha?

I divide the mushroom when it's 4-5.5 cm thick, although there's information online that it should be done at 7 cm thick. But in my opinion, that would be too old a mushroom.

How to do it right:

1. Drain all liquid from the jar.
2. Remove the mushroom with clean hands.
3. Place it on a cutting board (never wooden) or a large plate.
4. Find the areas on the sides where the mushroom is splitting the most.
5. Separate half of the mushroom directly with your fingers (preferably without sharp nails).
6. Rinse.
7. Place in new tea liquid.

Keep in mind that after dividing, you'll need to wait about 10 days (these are average times; each case varies, even under identical growing conditions). Never cut the mushroom—it will die.

This is how I grow my kombucha and give people an amazingly tasty and, most importantly, healing drink. Believe me, it's better than kvass because it's low-calorie.