Benny Booch Reboot

I needed a break from the cycle at the start of the school year, so I let a full barrel of booch evaporate to about a fourth. Surprisingly, no mold.

I dumped the barrel in the woods and started fresh. I used cleaning tablets purchased from Kombucha Kamp, and ordered fresh scobies with starter tea.

Here's a great resource: "The Big Book of Kombucha: Brewing, Flavoring, and Enjoying the Health Benefits of Fermented Tea" by Hannah Crum, Alex LaGory, Sandor Ellix Katz.

Start reading it for free: The Big Book

Before my reboot, I skimmed The Big Book. Based on the schedule provided, I realized that I needed to add fresh sweet tea to my booch barrel every two weeks. The result: less "vinegar" odor.

I now stir the barrel and no longer filter the booch harvest before the secondary fermentation. The result: fizzier booch.

My flavoring and secondary fermentation strategies have also improved. To cut costs, I'm moving away from the fresh pressed juiced to freeze dried extracts. Also, apple juice is way cheaper and easier to get than blueberry juice.

My latest batch of Benny Booch is smooth, surprising, and reflects vastly improved technique