filtering from stainless steel tank - keg

[kootenay kombucha, Nelson, BC, Canada]

Hi, 

I am a commercial kombucha brewer in Nelson, BC. My brewery is called "kootenay kombucha" I currently make 5 flavours using dried herbs and local fruits. I am currently using a food grade hose (similar to tap hose but larger width) attached to the spigot of the tank, that pours into a funnel with cheese cloth and a very fine reusable mesh coffee filter to remove bits of yeast and scoby. I am finding I still get a fair amount of sediment on the bottom of the keg and/or scoby growth inside of kegs. I want my kombucha to be a bit more clear, but still retain the nutritional value of the yeast and bacteria, does anyone have experience using wine filtering equipment? I feel like the micron filters would just filter all the good stuff out or get clogged super easily. 

Thanks. 

[Jared Englund]

I do not have experience filtering Kombucha, but I would say that you would only want to sell Kombucha if it still has active yeast and bacteria.  A good test is to filter your Kombucha, then see if you can use it to make a new SCOBY.

We are able to obtain very clear Kombucha (with sometimes a fine layer of sediment) just by letting the batch settle before kegging it, and also letting it settle again before bottling it.  We also use a steeping bag to add ingredients into the Kombucha.  If you leave live Kombucha in a warm spot, it will always get a layer of sediment because of yeast activity.  I think this is just part of natural Kombucha, and you should try to get your drink as clear as possible and just do like the rest and say "this is a live drink, pieces of culture may occur."

[kootenay kombucha, Nelson, BC, Canada]

Thanks Jared, 

It does get very clear when it has settled, when you bottle do you keg and then bottle from kegs? I'm just starting to think about bottling my kombucha for sales. You use a steeping bag? so for all herbs and fruits added they go into the steeping bag, do you find that you need to stir and squish the bag quite a bit to get all the goodness out of the herbs and fruits?

I have been grinding my own herbs, rather than using whole or powdered, so they are quite chunky and have lots of surface area for extraction of flavour.  Juicing fruits like blackberries I am finding there is a lot of sediment because of the fibre content of the berries. 

I did send you an email requesting to visit your brewery, but I see that you are moving spaces right now. I'd like to set up a time to come visit once you're all moved in. 

Thanks! 

[Jared Englund]

We actually infuse the ingredients (herbs and fruit) in Kombucha for a few days (refrigerated) then add them using a steeping bag.  The infusion process helps get all the flavor and color out of the fruit.  For most ingredients it helps to mash the fruit/herbs before infusing.

[kootenay kombucha, Nelson, BC, Canada]

On Monday, November 9, 2015 at 1:34:47 PM UTC-8, Jared Englund wrote:

We actually infuse the ingredients (herbs and fruit) in Kombucha for a few days (refrigerated) then add them using a steeping bag.  The infusion process helps get all the flavor and color out of the fruit.  For most ingredients it helps to mash the fruit/herbs before infusing.

ok, interesting. I'll try that. By 'mash' do you mean to grind them up or to do a mash like a grain mash in beer brewing? do you typically heat herbs and fruits before use or just leave them raw/dried and ground up somehow? 

Thanks for answering! 

[Jared Englund]

By mash I mean mushing up fruit (not beer mash).  We do typically flash heat ingredients mostly to kill wild yeast such as on ginger skins.  This is not necessary at home but will increase your shelf life.  Also if wild yeast get in it can cause over-carbonation in certain circumstances.