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ALE PLANT
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Colin Heyburn
Jul 5, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/5/00
to
Dear Sir,
We are having considerable trouble locating or finding out anything about an
" ale plant." Suffice to say we are unsure as to the correct spelling of the
name but we know that it has a yellow flower that is kept in a jar and is
fed on brow sugar and water. It was used for centuries as a cure for
hangovers. I am reliably informed that the plant would grow in the jar. It
was also very common in Ireland hence why the good cure for hangovers. The
plant also cured the thirst in the summers.
If you have any ideas I would be very grateful if you could pass them on,
and if not, well thank you for your time.
Yours
Colin Heyburn
Colin Heyburn
Jul 5, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/5/00
to
AndyX2
Jul 7, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/7/00
to
Maybe a ginger beer plant?
Andy
Karen.Mountford
Jul 7, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/7/00
to
Colin Heyburn wrote:
> Dear Sir,
>
> We are having considerable trouble locating or finding out anything about an
> " ale plant." Suffice to say we are unsure as to the correct spelling of the
> name but we know that it has a yellow flower that is kept in a jar and is
> fed on brow sugar and water. It was used for centuries as a cure for
> hangovers. I am reliably informed that the plant would grow in the jar. It
> was also very common in Ireland hence why the good cure for hangovers. The
> plant also cured the thirst in the summers.
>
> If you have any ideas I would be very grateful if you could pass them on,
> and if not, well thank you for your time.
>
> Yours
>
> Colin Heyburn
Hmm this sounds like a troll. If not I'd like to know where you got it from, it
sounds very like "go buy a can of spotted paint" to me. On the other hand it
also sounds like a riddle in which case I think I know the answer.
There are a few clues that sparked a couple of thoughts.
A "plant" that you feed with brown sugar and water and keep in a jar.
Traditional bread and beer makers keep a "yeast plant" in a jar and feed it
daily with a spoon of sugar. On baking day you shake it up, split it half, use
half for the bread (or beer) and the other half is topped up to volume with
water and fed with a spoon of sugar a day until the next baking day......
The yeast forms a thick silt in the bottom of the jar and you have to shake it
up each day when you add the sugar. The silt is a distinctly yellow colour. If
used for making beer it definitely cures a thirst :-)
I wouldn't be at all surprised if a good cup of shaken up yeast plant cured a
hangover, the plant is producing alcohol in the jar as it grows, and everyone
knows that the hair of the dog..... Also yeast is a terrific source of B
vitamins and I guess that might prove to cure hangovers too :-).
My mum used to do this and make ginger beer each fortnight hence my intimate
knowledge.
Karen(Coastal Suffolk)
Remove "Greenweed" to e-mail
Colin Heyburn
Jul 7, 2000, 3:00:00 AM7/7/00
to
Hi Karen and Andy,
Thanks for that. It seems that is exactly what we are looking for.
Kindest Regards
Colin
olin Heyburn <colin....@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:mjM85.786$_O.1...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
neil.w...@btinternet.com
Dec 27, 2019, 8:05:22 PM12/27/19
to
On Wednesday, July 5, 2000 at 8:00:00 AM UTC+1, Colin Heyburn wrote:
> Dear Sir,
>
> We are having considerable trouble locating or finding out anything about an
> " ale plant." Suffice to say we are unsure as to the correct spelling of the
> name but we know that it has a yellow flower that is kept in a jar and is
> fed on brow sugar and water. It was used for centuries as a cure for
> hangovers. I am reliably informed that the plant would grow in the jar. It
> was also very common in Ireland hence why the good cure for hangovers. The
> plant also cured the thirst in the summers.
>
> If you have any ideas I would be very grateful if you could pass them on,
> and if not, well thank you for your time.
>
> Yours
>
> Colin Heyburn
I can remember my Father growing an ale plant many years ago.
> Dear Sir,
>
> We are having considerable trouble locating or finding out anything about an
> " ale plant." Suffice to say we are unsure as to the correct spelling of the
> name but we know that it has a yellow flower that is kept in a jar and is
> fed on brow sugar and water. It was used for centuries as a cure for
> hangovers. I am reliably informed that the plant would grow in the jar. It
> was also very common in Ireland hence why the good cure for hangovers. The
> plant also cured the thirst in the summers.
>
> If you have any ideas I would be very grateful if you could pass them on,
> and if not, well thank you for your time.
>
> Yours
>
> Colin Heyburn
It was a mystery to us then as it is now!...Someone gave him the plant, and i can remember he put it in a large glass sweet jar, and he filled it with water, and i have no idea how it tasted, but it looked like ale! with brown unpleasant looking substance on the bottom of the jar.....we were always told to "never go near it for any reason"...So all i can say is, that it did exist, but i am afraid i can not solve the mystery.....By the way, i am from Northern Ireland so.,..
Andy Burns
Dec 28, 2019, 3:54:32 AM12/28/19
to
Chris Hogg wrote:
> At the end of the week, the water was strained
> off, diluted, possibly a little more sugar added, and bottled in
> screw-top bottles. After a few days it was very nice fizzy ginger
> beer.
In the 70's we too had a ginger beer 'plant' one year dad took a dozen
Corona bottles of it with us on holiday to Cornwall, stood in the bottom
of the wardrobe of the caravan ... I'm sure you can all guess how that went?
> At the end of the week, the water was strained
> off, diluted, possibly a little more sugar added, and bottled in
> screw-top bottles. After a few days it was very nice fizzy ginger
> beer.
In the 70's we too had a ginger beer 'plant' one year dad took a dozen
Corona bottles of it with us on holiday to Cornwall, stood in the bottom
of the wardrobe of the caravan ... I'm sure you can all guess how that went?
Jenny M Benson
Dec 28, 2019, 5:32:13 AM12/28/19
to
> In the 70's we too had a ginger beer 'plant' one year dad took a dozen
> Corona bottles of it with us on holiday to Cornwall, stood in the bottom
> of the wardrobe of the caravan ... I'm sure you can all guess how that
> went?
We passed one of our plants on to my grandfather. Making ginger beer
was too be his very first "hobby" (apart from some genteel horse-race
gambling and visiting the casino in Nice.)
He followed all the instructions, stored the bottles for a few weeks to
allow the ginger beer to mature and invited the family found to a grand
tasting. We assembled in the lounge and Grandpa took a bottle from his
elegant cocktail cabinet. He eased up the cork ... and column of liquid
rose a good 12 inches above the bottle before falling onto Grannie's
brand new mushroom-coloured carpet.
Nearly apoplectic, Grannie uttered the oft-remembered and shocking line
"Frank! Get that ... BLOODY thing out of here!" It was the only time I
ever heard Grannie swear.
--
Jenny M Benson
Wrexham, UK
Jim S
Dec 28, 2019, 5:46:54 AM12/28/19
to
On Sat, 28 Dec 2019 08:01:57 +0000, Chris Hogg wrote:
> When I was a kid, my mother 'grew' a ginger beer plant on the kitchen
> windowsill. It was simply a jam-jar of water with a soft spongy lump
> of yeast in it about the size of a golf ball, that was 'fed' daily
> with a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of powdered ginger. As the
> yeast consumed the sugar, the gas generated caused the yeast ball to
> float to the surface. At the end of the week, the water was strained
> thrown away or passed on to someone else, and the whole process
> re-started. If you didn't know anyone with a 'ginger beer plant' you
> could start your own simply with yeast, sugar, water and ginger. I
> don't know if it was brewers yeast or bakers yeast; whatever was
> available, I guess.
>
> Whether a 'ginger beer plant' as here described is the same as a
> 'ginger ale plant', possibly abbreviated to an 'ale plant' I don't
> know, but it wasn't a plant in the conventional sense, and certainly
> didn't have a flower! There's some discussion here
> http://tinyurl.com/wud6t6q
Indeed. Once one person had one, there was more at the end than at the
beginning. Like the famous chain letters of the 60s, it all eventually
fizzled out (excuse pun).
The sound of exploding bottles could be heard for miles, but it tasted OK.
--
Jim S
> windowsill. It was simply a jam-jar of water with a soft spongy lump
> of yeast in it about the size of a golf ball, that was 'fed' daily
> with a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of powdered ginger. As the
> yeast consumed the sugar, the gas generated caused the yeast ball to
> float to the surface. At the end of the week, the water was strained
> off, diluted, possibly a little more sugar added, and bottled in
> screw-top bottles. After a few days it was very nice fizzy ginger
> beer. The lump of yeast in the jam-jar was divided and one half either
> screw-top bottles. After a few days it was very nice fizzy ginger
> thrown away or passed on to someone else, and the whole process
> re-started. If you didn't know anyone with a 'ginger beer plant' you
> could start your own simply with yeast, sugar, water and ginger. I
> don't know if it was brewers yeast or bakers yeast; whatever was
> available, I guess.
>
> Whether a 'ginger beer plant' as here described is the same as a
> 'ginger ale plant', possibly abbreviated to an 'ale plant' I don't
> know, but it wasn't a plant in the conventional sense, and certainly
> didn't have a flower! There's some discussion here
> http://tinyurl.com/wud6t6q
Indeed. Once one person had one, there was more at the end than at the
beginning. Like the famous chain letters of the 60s, it all eventually
fizzled out (excuse pun).
The sound of exploding bottles could be heard for miles, but it tasted OK.
--
Jim S
Andy Burns
Dec 28, 2019, 7:22:56 AM12/28/19
to
Chris Hogg wrote:
> If you didn't know anyone with a 'ginger beer plant' you could start
> your own simply with yeast, sugar, water and ginger. I don't know if
> it was brewers yeast or bakers yeast;
Apparently the 'true' ginger beer plant is not just yeast, but a
> If you didn't know anyone with a 'ginger beer plant' you could start
> your own simply with yeast, sugar, water and ginger. I don't know if
> it was brewers yeast or bakers yeast;
symbiotic mixture of a particular rare yeast and a bacteria ...
<https://www.gingerbeerplant.net/about.html>
You can buy starter kits there, though rather against the original
spirit of the GBP, you're not allowed to give it away.
Jeff Layman
Dec 28, 2019, 7:28:25 AM12/28/19
to
find it!
--
Jeff
Andy Burns
Dec 28, 2019, 9:38:51 AM12/28/19
to
Chris Hogg wrote:
> Not convinced by the image, which looks like coarsely crystalline
> sugar.
videos elsewhere show the 'grains' rising and falling as they carry CO2
to the surface of the fermenting vessel, I don't remember the one we had
doing that, it was just a fine beige "silt" in the bottom, that was
stirred up at the start of each batch and had sugar, lemon juice and
powdered ginger added.
> It would seem that 'alcoholic ginger beers' are made by the
> traditional method, using the yeast/bacteria combination. Crabbies is
> one such, apparently. Unless they sterilise it or micro-filter it, I
> would have thought there would be enough traces of the 'plant' in such
> GB so as to be able to start your own, with a little patience.
Might be an interesting experiment, but teh internet variously suggests
it is flash pasteurised or cross-flow filtered
> Not convinced by the image, which looks like coarsely crystalline
> sugar.
videos elsewhere show the 'grains' rising and falling as they carry CO2
to the surface of the fermenting vessel, I don't remember the one we had
doing that, it was just a fine beige "silt" in the bottom, that was
stirred up at the start of each batch and had sugar, lemon juice and
powdered ginger added.
> It would seem that 'alcoholic ginger beers' are made by the
> traditional method, using the yeast/bacteria combination. Crabbies is
> one such, apparently. Unless they sterilise it or micro-filter it, I
> would have thought there would be enough traces of the 'plant' in such
> GB so as to be able to start your own, with a little patience.
Might be an interesting experiment, but teh internet variously suggests
it is flash pasteurised or cross-flow filtered
Nick Maclaren
Dec 28, 2019, 12:48:57 PM12/28/19
to
In article <h6ovou...@mid.individual.net>,
Nuts. That's about as likely as the claims that true bread, sourdough,
ale or lager yeast is something in particular. When made in open
conditions, such mixtures evolve to be whatever is appropriate for the
particular location, feedstock and growing method.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
ale or lager yeast is something in particular. When made in open
conditions, such mixtures evolve to be whatever is appropriate for the
particular location, feedstock and growing method.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Andy Burns
Dec 28, 2019, 1:01:59 PM12/28/19
to
Nick Maclaren wrote:
> Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> Apparently the 'true' ginger beer plant is not just yeast, but a
>> symbiotic mixture of a particular rare yeast and a bacteria ...
>
<https://web.archive.org/web/20121021090019/http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/ginger_food_ginger_beer_plant.html>
> When made in open conditions, such mixtures evolve to be whatever is
> appropriate for the particular location, feedstock and growing
> method.
Yes, I'm sure all manner of organisms would 'want' to incorporate into
the plant if it was conducive to them, but the claim seems to be that
Saccharomyces pyriformis and Brevibacterium vermiforme are the
characteristic pair.
> Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> Apparently the 'true' ginger beer plant is not just yeast, but a
>> symbiotic mixture of a particular rare yeast and a bacteria ...
>
> Nuts. That's about as likely as the claims that true bread, sourdough,
> ale or lager yeast is something in particular.
Kew gardens seemed to agree [archived article]
> ale or lager yeast is something in particular.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20121021090019/http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/ginger_food_ginger_beer_plant.html>
> When made in open conditions, such mixtures evolve to be whatever is
> appropriate for the particular location, feedstock and growing
> method.
the plant if it was conducive to them, but the claim seems to be that
Saccharomyces pyriformis and Brevibacterium vermiforme are the
characteristic pair.
Nick Maclaren
Dec 29, 2019, 9:14:12 AM12/29/19
to
In article <h6pjkk...@mid.individual.net>,
one derived from the other). I have seen Kew publish myths before,
too.
>> When made in open conditions, such mixtures evolve to be whatever is
>> appropriate for the particular location, feedstock and growing
>> method.
>
>Yes, I'm sure all manner of organisms would 'want' to incorporate into
>the plant if it was conducive to them, but the claim seems to be that
>Saccharomyces pyriformis and Brevibacterium vermiforme are the
>characteristic pair.
In the samples he looked at, probably - and quite possibly they were
commonly dominant - but I doubt very much that any real research has
been done on the distribution of populations. And, certainly, such
plants were started from baker's or brewer's yeast - which is what
most households had to hand in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Andy Burns <use...@andyburns.uk> wrote:
>>> Apparently the 'true' ginger beer plant is not just yeast, but a
>>> symbiotic mixture of a particular rare yeast and a bacteria ...
>>
>> Nuts. That's about as likely as the claims that true bread, sourdough,
>> ale or lager yeast is something in particular.
>
>Kew gardens seemed to agree [archived article]
>
><https://web.archive.org/web/20121021090019/http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/ginger_food_ginger_beer_plant.html>
From the text of those, they derive from a common source (and possibly
>>> Apparently the 'true' ginger beer plant is not just yeast, but a
>>> symbiotic mixture of a particular rare yeast and a bacteria ...
>>
>> Nuts. That's about as likely as the claims that true bread, sourdough,
>> ale or lager yeast is something in particular.
>
>Kew gardens seemed to agree [archived article]
>
><https://web.archive.org/web/20121021090019/http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/ginger_food_ginger_beer_plant.html>
one derived from the other). I have seen Kew publish myths before,
too.
>> When made in open conditions, such mixtures evolve to be whatever is
>> appropriate for the particular location, feedstock and growing
>> method.
>
>Yes, I'm sure all manner of organisms would 'want' to incorporate into
>the plant if it was conducive to them, but the claim seems to be that
>Saccharomyces pyriformis and Brevibacterium vermiforme are the
>characteristic pair.
commonly dominant - but I doubt very much that any real research has
been done on the distribution of populations. And, certainly, such
plants were started from baker's or brewer's yeast - which is what
most households had to hand in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Vir Campestris
Jan 2, 2020, 12:40:31 PM1/2/20
to
On 28/12/2019 10:32, Jenny M Benson wrote:
> Nearly apoplectic, Grannie uttered the oft-remembered and shocking line
> "Frank! Get that ... BLOODY thing out of here!" It was the only time I
> ever heard Grannie swear.
I tried making some ginger beer when I was young. (Not alcoholic enough
> Nearly apoplectic, Grannie uttered the oft-remembered and shocking line
> "Frank! Get that ... BLOODY thing out of here!" It was the only time I
> ever heard Grannie swear.
to be dangerous) First batch was good. Second was a bit iffy. Third
batch - well, I unscrewed the top in the kitchen, one of those old screw
into the bottle type I haven't seen in years.
As I broke the seal a jet of foam left the bottle and hit the kitchen
cupboards several feet away. I don't recall it being a parabola either -
just flat...
My mum wasn't pleased :(
Andy
David Rance
Jan 3, 2020, 10:55:01 AM1/3/20
to
did a very good imitation of sweet, sticky rain.
>
>My mum wasn't pleased :(
My daughter wasn't pleased but, bless her, although she was just
>My mum wasn't pleased :(
leaving, she stopped to clean everything up.
David
--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK
David
Jan 5, 2020, 11:34:27 AM1/5/20
to
made ginger beer.
It can take several minutes of gently easing the screw top just a little
undone and then tightening it again before the foam rushes out.
With a lot of practice you can even get the ginger beer out without
stirring up the sediment too much.
Allegedly
Dave R
--
AMD FX-6300 in GA-990X-Gaming SLI-CF running Windows 7 Pro x64
David Rance
Jan 5, 2020, 12:47:22 PM1/5/20
to
an unknown quantity and spurt is a drip under pressure). However this
was just a starter which I'd left a bit long and therefore I wasn't
expecting it to be fizzy. I just didn't have my mind on it.
My French neighbour gave me a tip for preventing bottled (home-made)
cider from fizzing all over the place when the bottle is opened. Fill it
right to the top so as to exclude any air. It works!
The problem with that ginger beer starter was that the bottle was less
than half full!
marie.wil...@gmail.com
Jun 4, 2020, 1:10:31 PM6/4/20
to
Marie Shetland
Jim S
Jun 4, 2020, 2:36:32 PM6/4/20
to
On Thu, 4 Jun 2020 10:10:29 -0700 (PDT), marie.wil...@gmail.com
wrote:
Look up ginger beer plant!
--
Jim S
wrote:
--
Jim S
Jenny M Benson
Jun 4, 2020, 6:53:45 PM6/4/20
to
On 04/06/2020 19:36, Jim S wrote:
> Look up ginger beer plant!
Years since I last made ginger beer from a "plant" but I think I
> Look up ginger beer plant!
probably still have the "starter recipe" somewhere.
Much as I loved it, probably not a good idea for the now-type-2-diabetic
me to start another one.
David Hill
Jun 4, 2020, 7:48:21 PM6/4/20
to
On 04/06/2020 23:53, Jenny M Benson wrote:
> On 04/06/2020 19:36, Jim S wrote:
>> Look up ginger beer plant!
>
> Years since I last made ginger beer from a "plant" but I think I
> probably still have the "starter recipe" somewhere.
>
> Much as I loved it, probably not a good idea for the now-type-2-diabetic
> me to start another one.
>
I remember someone intraducing one into the form I was in in boarding
> On 04/06/2020 19:36, Jim S wrote:
>> Look up ginger beer plant!
>
> Years since I last made ginger beer from a "plant" but I think I
> probably still have the "starter recipe" somewhere.
>
> Much as I loved it, probably not a good idea for the now-type-2-diabetic
> me to start another one.
>
school in the 50's, didn't last long before the masters found out about
it and it was conviscated.
marie.wil...@gmail.com
Jun 7, 2020, 6:40:21 AM6/7/20
to
Hi everybody I think I've found what we called Ale Plant on Google. I knew it wasn't powder like Gingerbeer yeast. It's called water Kefir Grains. It's a mixture of probiotic cultures. I'm going to get me some 😁😁😁
Brilliant!!!
Hope I'm right and u all get some too.
Marie Williamson, Shetland
Brilliant!!!
Hope I'm right and u all get some too.
Marie Williamson, Shetland
marie.wil...@gmail.com
Jun 7, 2020, 6:41:54 AM6/7/20
to
Jim S
Jun 7, 2020, 8:28:57 AM6/7/20
to
On Sun, 7 Jun 2020 03:41:53 -0700 (PDT), marie.wil...@gmail.com
wrote:
> Hi everybody I think I've found what we called Ale Plant on Google. I knew it wasn't powder like Gingerbeer yeast. It's called water Kefir Grains. It's a mixture of probiotic cultures. I'm going to get me some ������
Be sure to report back.
--
Jim S
wrote:
> Hi everybody I think I've found what we called Ale Plant on Google. I knew it wasn't powder like Gingerbeer yeast. It's called water Kefir Grains. It's a mixture of probiotic cultures. I'm going to get me some ������
Be sure to report back.
--
Jim S
Liza Cox
Jan 31, 2021, 6:40:37 PM1/31/21
to
On Wednesday, July 5, 2000 at 8:00:00 AM UTC+1, Colin Heyburn wrote:
> Dear Sir,
> We are having considerable trouble locating or finding out anything about an
> " ale plant." Suffice to say we are unsure as to the correct spelling of the
> name but we know that it has a yellow flower that is kept in a jar and is
> fed on brow sugar and water. It was used for centuries as a cure for
> hangovers. I am reliably informed that the plant would grow in the jar. It
> was also very common in Ireland hence why the good cure for hangovers. The
> plant also cured the thirst in the summers.
> If you have any ideas I would be very grateful if you could pass them on,
> and if not, well thank you for your time.
> Yours
> Colin Heyburn
Hi Colin,
> Dear Sir,
> We are having considerable trouble locating or finding out anything about an
> " ale plant." Suffice to say we are unsure as to the correct spelling of the
> name but we know that it has a yellow flower that is kept in a jar and is
> fed on brow sugar and water. It was used for centuries as a cure for
> hangovers. I am reliably informed that the plant would grow in the jar. It
> was also very common in Ireland hence why the good cure for hangovers. The
> plant also cured the thirst in the summers.
> If you have any ideas I would be very grateful if you could pass them on,
> and if not, well thank you for your time.
> Yours
> Colin Heyburn
It's Kombucha that you're looking for!
David Hill
Jan 31, 2021, 6:47:47 PM1/31/21
to
Jeff Layman
Feb 1, 2021, 3:00:53 AM2/1/21
to
than 20 years ago?
--
Jeff
David
Feb 2, 2021, 6:44:15 AM2/2/21
to
Just baker's yeast fed on ginger and sugar.
Cheers
Dave R
--
Dell Latitude 7280 with Full HD and Thunderbolt (woo hoo)
The Natural Philosopher
Feb 2, 2021, 7:03:11 AM2/2/21
to
--
Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the
gospel of envy.
Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.
Winston Churchill
Nick Maclaren
Feb 2, 2021, 9:58:46 AM2/2/21
to
In article <22ii1gh482379et5l...@4ax.com>,
Chris Hogg <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>>>
>+2. The various links to Kombucha that come up on Google show a quite
>well-defined disc of jelly-like stuff. The ginger beer plants I knew
>were never like that - more of a soft amorphous blob that sat in the
>bottom of the jar.
The way that ALL of those mechanisms work, whether sourdough, lambic
beers, kombucha or ginger beer plant, is by starting off a fermentation
with some convenient yeast, and then letting it evolve naturally. The
result will be a mixture of fungi and bacteria that is dependent on
both the location and how you maintain it (e.g. the acidity, type of
food, and level of aeration).
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Chris Hogg <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
>>>
>+2. The various links to Kombucha that come up on Google show a quite
>well-defined disc of jelly-like stuff. The ginger beer plants I knew
>were never like that - more of a soft amorphous blob that sat in the
>bottom of the jar.
The way that ALL of those mechanisms work, whether sourdough, lambic
beers, kombucha or ginger beer plant, is by starting off a fermentation
with some convenient yeast, and then letting it evolve naturally. The
result will be a mixture of fungi and bacteria that is dependent on
both the location and how you maintain it (e.g. the acidity, type of
food, and level of aeration).
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
David Rance
Feb 4, 2021, 6:46:48 AM2/4/21
to
to try to make cider vinegar. I used a bit of a ham-fisted approach and
added some vinegar from a commercial cider vinegar. I say ham-fisted
because I had no idea whether the commercial stuff had a live culture in
it or not but, anyway, I left it in an open jar covered with muslin
(vinegar culture needs aerobic conditions, rather then anaerobic as with
cider, wine, etc.) for about three or four months and, indeed, it
produced vinegar and, sitting on the top was this jelly-like substance
which is known as the mother.
This last year I became interested in making kombucha and, since the
making of vinegar and kombucha uses a similar process, I decided to add
my vinegar mother to the tea infusion - and it worked.
I've done a lot of reading around about making kombucha and one thing
they all emphasise is that one *cannot* use a vinegar mother to make
kombucha successfully, but one must use a SCOBY - which is a similar
sort of thing - but they don't exactly tell you why. Presumably there is
a taint which make it taste vinegary, but mine didn't. I've also read
that, if you leave a SCOBY kombucha fermenting for too long, that will
taste vinegary.
The only thing that my experimental kombucha could be criticised for was
that it became extremely cloudy, especially when I bottled it and put it
in the fridge! But then, so did my vinegar! Even filtering it made no
difference.
One of my daughters gave me a dried SCOBY for Christmas. I haven't yet
tried to resuscitate it. I must do so as I do like the taste of
kombucha. And the advantage of kombucha-making over vinegar-making is
that vinegar takes many months whereas kombucha takes only about a week.
Nick Maclaren
Feb 4, 2021, 7:40:10 AM2/4/21
to
In article <jR1oiEDl...@david.rance.org.uk>,
acetobacter (plus lactobacillus and many others) would have come from
the air or skins. I have made very good cider without adding any yeast.
My guess is that they say don't use a vinegar mother because kombucha
needs a different balance. In your case, it will evolve differently
in apple juice open to the air and tea+sugar in a closed container.
I make no assertion about the accuracy of this page, but it's plausible.
https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/kombucha-bacteria-yeast/
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
David Rance <david...@SPAMOFF.invalid> wrote:
>
>I've done a lot of reading around about making kombucha and one thing
>they all emphasise is that one *cannot* use a vinegar mother to make
>kombucha successfully, but one must use a SCOBY - which is a similar
>sort of thing - but they don't exactly tell you why.
I doubt very much that the commercial vinegar had any effect; the
>
>I've done a lot of reading around about making kombucha and one thing
>they all emphasise is that one *cannot* use a vinegar mother to make
>kombucha successfully, but one must use a SCOBY - which is a similar
>sort of thing - but they don't exactly tell you why.
acetobacter (plus lactobacillus and many others) would have come from
the air or skins. I have made very good cider without adding any yeast.
My guess is that they say don't use a vinegar mother because kombucha
needs a different balance. In your case, it will evolve differently
in apple juice open to the air and tea+sugar in a closed container.
I make no assertion about the accuracy of this page, but it's plausible.
https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/kombucha-bacteria-yeast/
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
David Rance
Feb 4, 2021, 3:46:21 PM2/4/21
to
On Thu, 4 Feb 2021 12:40:08 Nick Maclaren wrote:
>In article <jR1oiEDl...@david.rance.org.uk>,
>David Rance <david...@SPAMOFF.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>I've done a lot of reading around about making kombucha and one thing
>>they all emphasise is that one *cannot* use a vinegar mother to make
>>kombucha successfully, but one must use a SCOBY - which is a similar
>>sort of thing - but they don't exactly tell you why.
>
>I doubt very much that the commercial vinegar had any effect; the
>acetobacter (plus lactobacillus and many others) would have come from
>the air or skins.
I'm inclined to agree with you. Although I have an almost empty bottle
>In article <jR1oiEDl...@david.rance.org.uk>,
>David Rance <david...@SPAMOFF.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>I've done a lot of reading around about making kombucha and one thing
>>they all emphasise is that one *cannot* use a vinegar mother to make
>>kombucha successfully, but one must use a SCOBY - which is a similar
>>sort of thing - but they don't exactly tell you why.
>
>I doubt very much that the commercial vinegar had any effect; the
>acetobacter (plus lactobacillus and many others) would have come from
>the air or skins.
of Waitrose malt vinegar and I noticed the other day that it has grown a
mother. Whether that mother is any good I would doubt!
> I have made very good cider without adding any yeast.
some good cider, in other years it wasn't so good, and so I generally
add a cider yeast these days in order to get a fairly consistent result.
Doesn't cost much, especially where up to twenty gallons are concerned
(though the yield is usually more like ten gallons).
>
>My guess is that they say don't use a vinegar mother because kombucha
>needs a different balance. In your case, it will evolve differently
>in apple juice open to the air and tea+sugar in a closed container.
>I make no assertion about the accuracy of this page, but it's plausible.
>
>https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/kombucha-bacteria-yeast/
Thanks for that link. I hadn't seen it before and it looks interesting.
>My guess is that they say don't use a vinegar mother because kombucha
>needs a different balance. In your case, it will evolve differently
>in apple juice open to the air and tea+sugar in a closed container.
>I make no assertion about the accuracy of this page, but it's plausible.
>
>https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/kombucha-bacteria-yeast/
David Hill
Feb 4, 2021, 8:28:19 PM2/4/21
to
David Rance
Feb 5, 2021, 6:37:13 AM2/5/21
to
and half to vinegar.
I have a large family: 4 daughters and a son, five granddaughters and
two grandsons, and one great-granddaughter. I get rid of it quite
easily, quite apart from what I use myself for drinking and cooking
(cider) and pickling and cooking (vinegar). One of my daughters uses it
for descaling kettles. Another uses it for getting rid of lime deposits
in the bathroom.
It soon goes.
Nick Maclaren
Feb 5, 2021, 7:20:23 AM2/5/21
to
In article <mumZdMDs...@david.rance.org.uk>,
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
David Rance <david...@SPAMOFF.invalid> wrote:
>
>I have a large family: 4 daughters and a son, five granddaughters and
>two grandsons, and one great-granddaughter. I get rid of it quite
>easily, quite apart from what I use myself for drinking and cooking
>(cider) and pickling and cooking (vinegar). One of my daughters uses it
>for descaling kettles. Another uses it for getting rid of lime deposits
>in the bathroom.
I use it for derusting screws etc.
>
>I have a large family: 4 daughters and a son, five granddaughters and
>two grandsons, and one great-granddaughter. I get rid of it quite
>easily, quite apart from what I use myself for drinking and cooking
>(cider) and pickling and cooking (vinegar). One of my daughters uses it
>for descaling kettles. Another uses it for getting rid of lime deposits
>in the bathroom.
Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
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