Kegging process

[mariko....@gmail.com]

Hi Jared, I'm thinking about switching from bottling to kegging but I don't quite understand the process. is there a second fermentation where fruit/juice is added prior to the kombucha going into the keg or is the brew just added into the keg with the fruit/juice after the primary fermentation? Thanks for any insight!

[Jared Englund]

I do not do a second fermentation with my Kombucha as this raises the alcohol level and can make "off" flavors.  Homebrew is okay though, in which case you could add the fruit and let it sit a couple of days before refrigerating.  Otherwise, let it sit under pressure (about 8psi) for a week and it will be perfectly carbonated.

[Justin Eaton]

I think my kegs are stainless steel, if I put kombucha in them do I need to worry about them being ruined from the kombucha? Also, I can never put normal beer in them again right? I'm seriously thinking about giving up one of my kegs/taps on the kegerator for kombucha and the occasional lambic beer.

[Jared Englund]

If you start using a keg for Kombucha instead of beer (or vice versa) you should replace the rubber gaskets and clean them very well will warm water, detergent, and the right scrub brushes to clean every crack and crevice. 

The Kombucha might be okay if you didn't get all the beer off, but any leftover Kombucha would probably ruin beer that went into the keg.

[Amy Goldman]

Jared,

Are you saying let the flavored KT sit in a keg refrigerated (after primary ferment)?  Refrigerated so that the fermentation stops and alcohol level is controlled?  In otherwords, flavor added & refrigerated all at once?

[Jared Englund]

 Amy,

Yes I am saying that to control alcohol you need to have your Kombucha at a low temperature pretty much the whole time it is exposed to the fruit ingredient.  We accomplish this by keeping ingredients very cold, adding them to live Kombucha then chilling right away. 

The other benefits of this are the flavor stays much more in tact, and the carbonation is more controlled.

Jared

[thor...@gmail.com]

I just begged my first batch of kombucha and I'm in love!  I set it at 8psi and it's perfect after 48 hours.  Can I disconnect the gas and hold it at 8psi in the fridge or should I keep the gas on and regulator set at 8 until it's gone?  I'm not a beer drinker and have never done other brewing or kegging so this is all new to me.  Thanks Jared.

On Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at 3:53:15 PM UTC-5, Jared Englund wrote:

[Jared Englund]

As you dispense the pressure will go down so you need to keep it hooked up to 8psi until it's gone.