I was getting so irritated trying to remove the labels of GTS bottles! Easiest way was to fill with water and microwave 2.5 mins, and the heat loosens the glue to release. Next I dumped out the water and capped it, then rubbed olive oil and let it sit for 10 mins. A little baking soda on a sponge and it came right off!! Followed up with a squirt of dish soap and rinsed for no residue.
I used to drink Grolsch beer and being a pack rat, saved all of those great bottles in my basement. When I first started making kombusha, I reused the old GT bottles and the second fermentation didn't always fizz. Recycled those and started using the Grolsch bottles and haven't had any problems. And they are a lot thicker than other beer bottles.
tayliegh My last batch didn’t turn out. I didn’t use all spring water and it didn’t carbonate. I have a reverse osmosis filter and I’m thinking it doesn’t really get all the city water chemicals out. So use all bottled spring water and save yourself some disappointment.
@@winebox wow, i went to our vintner and he gave me sanitizer to process my bottles. I had also purchased new red seals as well. I do agree about the water. My local hardware store is where i purchase my filtered H2O because my sink filter just does not get it all out. I have had some H2O samples done on my tap and also on the uv/coal filtered/ozone/declorinator type water i get from the local hardware store. I donot cook or drink from my tap anymore.
Also, make sure your bottles are round. Glass bottles with any corners can’t withstand the pressure of carbonation and could explode. Learned that the hard way this morning.
I’m so glad I saw this video. I’m about to bottle my first batch of kombucha and had bought a bunch of bottles from ikea. I’m going to a local beer brewer shop to get some proper bottles
Great video; I really appreciate your thoughts here. When I started, I bought fermentation grade Grolsch bottles with Amazon Prime which saved a lot on shipping. We found out the hard was that my wife (who has arthritis) can't open them, so I'm designing a tool to flip the mechanism easily. Kind of like a bottle opener but it reaches all the way down to the piece you have to flip.
Amazing! I'd love to hear more about it/see a photo of it once you design it. Feel free to reach out to me at youbrewkombucha@gmail.com if you're OK with sharing more info about it. :)
@@erinjohnson9873 of course, use the tea you want. Traditionally green tea has honey added instead of sugar with a different strain of bacteria. However you are the brewmaster and the one in control of your brew. If the outcome is not to desire, you learned what not to do next time. When in doubt, only change one thing for a brew.
@@erinjohnson9873 The caffeine is one of the main food sources for bacteria in the scoby, so you don't want only to use strictly caffeine-free teas. You can also reduce caffeine content of the kombucha by varying the amount or steeping time of the sweet tea that you use to get the batch started.
This video was fantastic. Thank you so much for doing all the investigation; a wealth of information... very much appreciated. Though, I've found those flip-top bottles to be "iffy". It depends on the individual bottle. Some of the ones I've gotten really don't have a very good seal which is why I'm searching for alternatives. Thank you again.
if you are looking for (grolsch) flip top/captive top style bottles check out a homebrew beer store in your area. often times they have many bottle options.
Nice video. I would think the thinner neck / smaller cap bottles like the flip-tops (or Health-Aid if you fill high enough) would allow less of a baby SCOBY to form during the 2nd fermentation. I threw out my older foam-lined GT bottle caps because they left indentations and broke down. The Kevita caps seem a little better but haven't tried them yet I think the cone shaped caps are the worst for holding pressure and they easily break because they're only held together by a small nipple of brittle plastic. I broke many of those cone shaped caps by simply dropping them on the floor.
Thrift stores. Thrift stores, local or chains like Goodwill or Value Village, are GREAT for finding bottles, especially the flip-top kind. Rarely see them charging more that $4, and that's even for the larger flip-tops.
thank you for this wonderful video! Very informative! I love to use the flip-top bottles to avoid plastic- my grandfather used to work in a bavarian brewery and in ancient times they only used the flip-top bottles.. I kind of like the "retro" idea and the fact of avoiding plastic.. Love your videos !!!!
PET plastic bottles are the bottles I recommend. Kombucha can build a huge pressure, so glass bottles are a risk even if you use high quality glass. I've seen experts have bottles shatter, so being careful is not enough.
That's a great tip. We all have various levels of risk we're willing to take on, so that's a great recommendation if you want to completely avoid any possible risk associated with glass breaking. Do you have a type/brand of PET plastic bottle you recommend? I'd love to give them a shot to see how well they work for my homebrews. :) I've bottled hundreds (maybe thousands) of bottles using my good quality glass ones. And with my precautions, I haven't had any glass break on me. So, especially since I ferment in a closed cabinet space, I'm personally willing to take on that minimal risk, given my preferences and practices. But of course, everyone's preferences and practices are different.
I've heard good things about IKEA BEHÅLLARE and Soda Stream bottles. You can also reuse most bottles that came with the drinks you buy from the store. In that case you should look at the Resin Identification Code, where the numbers 1, 2, 4, 5 are commonly considered safe for reuse. www.scoopwhoop.com/Ever-Noticed-Numbers-Printed-Inside-The-Recycle-Triangle-On-Plastics-Heres-What-They-Mean/
@@mariailiadigr I absolutely does and from reading their reply it seems like this channel thinks it's okay too. Sources I regard as the top Kombucha experts recommend only using plastic for F2. Source in Swedish: www.egenkombucha.se/2018/02/den-allvarliga-fragan-om-glasflaskor.html?m=1
@@zalastax Thank you very much. I'm using plastic bottles for F2 and i have an issue with low carbonation. I don't know why my kombucha doesn't want to carbonate with the fruits I choose!
I would not recommend the “flip top” bottles, bc yesterday one of mine exploded all over me when I opened it. The problem is, you cannot open it slowly, its all or nothing, and when you open it, all of the fizz wants to come out all at once , and you will have a mess all over your kitchen. I would recommend anything that has a screw-top, because you can open it slowly and let the extra gasses out slowly, so the kombucha will not explode all over the counter. If you have these flip-top bottles and really active kombucha like I do, then I would recommend burping your bottles every day, and once in three days if they are in the fridge. But there is no “right” and “wrong” with kombucha, you have to experiment yourself, because every scoby is different and makes different types of kombucha.
Awesome video - thank you! Quick question, do the GTs lids go bad over time. I was using GTs bottles for my kombucha and got great carbonation. After a few brews I don't seem to be getting as much carbonation and I was told the caps go bad and so I'm losing air? Curious for any advice or thoughts from you or any other brewers! Im happy to buy more lids but I want to know if this is typical and you only get so many uses out of each lid. I do feel like a couple of them has distorted slightly along the edges to maybe so? Thanks so much!
what an awesome series of videos. thank you so much for making it easy to understand and showing us how we can get supplies and save money. I literally had time to cancel and order of bottles on Amazon that was quite expensive and ordered them from a wholesale supplier and got many more bottles for the same price. Thank you!!
Hi! Thank you for your great informative video's!! I'm new to fermentation,and i have a silly question, about using plastic bottles, I know, plastic I don't prefer at all, but I wonder is it possible to use plastic bottles/cans for second fermentation?
Great video!! I've been thinking about using a bunch of sparkling wine bottles that I have laying around, but I am not sure on how to cap/seal them perfectly, do you have any advice on this?
Love the excellent information you gave. Thank you very much. I like to know if you ferment vegetables? It would be nice if you are able to help with that. Blessings, Laura M
I'm not an expert, but veggies don't have the amount of fructose (the natural sugar of fruits that kombucha tea needs to eat during F2 to create carbonation). So I guess veggies will not do the same job as fruits, except if u use a vegetable that contains high sugar (if there is any).
Can I second ferment in a larger vessel with my desired flavour and carbonation and then put that into beer bottles and cap them so they don't explode?
I'm not surprised you had trouble with mason jars. They're designed to release excess pressure during the canning process so you have a vacuum seal at room temperature. The same thing is likely to happen as the yeast feeds on the sugars in the bottle.
Your channel is awesome! Exactly what I was looking for!! May I ask you something more, is it ok if we use plastic bottles for F2? I'm a new kombucha brewer and last time I tried to do F2 using plastic bottles with fresh fruits, there was no carbonation at all. That was really disappointing. Why this happened and why everyone is talking only about glass bottles? Why not reusing empty clear water bottles?
I cold brew my own coffee and iced herbal tea in mason jars with a vacuum sealer. Would you think once the second firmentation started, if you were to apply a vacuum to the head of it, would the mason jars maybe work?
Just wanted to note that if using beer bottles, they should be special bottles for homebrewing/craft beer, since those have thicker glass and are prepared for the beer bottle conditioning and carbonation. When using proper craft beer bottles, they will not blow up.
Ricard Illa Pujagut Yep, exactly. When I mentioned explosions, I was mainly referring to recycled beer bottles/ones that people re-use from store bought beer. Since those are the most easily findable. So those are the ones to be careful for. 😊
@@estergrant6713 lol doesn’t expect getting reply from this. But 2y since, still haven’t try it yet… Guess I accumulate knowledge like a squirrel with nuts lol
I started with swing top and now I repurpose kombucha bottles with the screw lids and I won’t turn back. I need replacement lids so I’m hoping these lids fit my bottles!
I have a question about Grolsch reusable lager bottles. Will they work for second fermentation? The also have the flip tops and are green color. They look much more thicker than heineken bottles.
Have you tried with those? I'm thinking on buying a bunch of bottles of Grolsch because it's not so easy to buy good bottles here where i live and this could be a good/not that expensive option. My first attempt of second fermentation end up with no gas, so I need to get new bottles.
Your videos are amazing, great information, thanks. I was about to start saving screw top wine bottles (HaHa, ALDI Red wine, $2.85 a bottle or some Grolsch Swing top Beer bottles.. After watching your video, I'll put my hand in my pocket and buy some proper bottles. As we say in Australia, you could talk underwater!
Thanks for this video! I tried using old store-bought kombucha bottles and they didn't work. Also, other twist on bottles haven't really worked for me either. They work for a while until the seal starts to compress. The only thing that has actually worked has been flip-top bottles!
Very great video! Just a quick question that I normally boil the bottle before I use to clean thoroughly but I have doubt with boiling the bottle cap since it is plastic which I have no idea if it could sustain the high temperature of boiling or not. Did you also boil the bottle before using it, too? appreciate it!
I bought a Gallon jar at the Christmas Tree shop. Was a great deal, $7.99. Poured about 1 cup of my hot tea into it and POP, the whole bottom popped off.
Some glass isn't tempered. I tend to brew my tea in another container that I know can handle the hot temp and then pour the cooled (or warm) tea into a glass vessel
How to clean those bottles? Especially the flip tops with those narrow necks. And how sterile do they need to be? Do I need to rinse them with boiling water or is hot water from the tap enough? Some say they use a dishwasher, but a flip top bottle won't get cleaned inside. 🤔
Cleaning the flip top bottles has been the most challenging and time consuming part of making my own kombucha. I have a nice Bosch dishwasher but it never cleans those bottles well enough. I've searched all over Amazon for a good brush but I ended up going to multiple restaurant supply stores for different ones to try. I find that cleaning the bottles is easiest right after you consume the kombucha so any fruit, spices or yeast film don't dry on the inside. I'm still looking for a better method. I use just a drop of dish soap and warm water for cleaning.
@@pistontube Thank you for your answer. I now DID buy flip-top bottles as they shall be best for 2nd fermentation. (I just started brewing Kombucha.) And I have a similar experience. I need to use soooo much water to rinse them. Thought there is an easier way to clean them, but it seems there isn't. Found a video where they show how they clean their bottles and it is what I thought. A drop of dish soap into the bottle and filling it up with hot water. Letting it sit a bit. Cleaning it with a bottle brush. (I found a really good one in a tiny store. Metall wire with natural fibre. It cleans well, but doesn't scratch anything. It just has a weird smell when drying.) Then rinsing it well and letting the bottle dry upside down. For that I stick it in a glass and empty out the water a few times until the bottle is dry. But I want to see if I get something where I can stick it upside down above my sink so it can dry on its own - dripping down into the sink. I clean the bottle right after I drink the bottle. Restaurants have those things where they press the glass upside down on something and it gets rinsed super fast with little water. One would need this for the flip-top bottles at home!
@@katharina1788 A friend of mine recently had a baby and purchased one of those baby bottle cleaner attachments for his sink. You simply set the bottle upside down on it and press slightly to activate. I've considered getting one of those but I'm not certain it's worth the cost and hastle to install. 🤷♂️
@@pistontube Thanks for letting me know. I didn't know that this exists. Well, I already have a second tap for my filtered water. Not sure if I want to install another thing. ;-) But I will check it out. Thanks!
FastRack sells a tower type bottle drying rack that may work for you. Layers of the tower can be removed if you have less bottles to dry. Grey & red color.
I'm not brewing kombucha (yet), but will be brewing cold brew teas. What cap would you recommend for a leakproof seal on the top? I'm only asking because I might be shaking the containers every now and again to disperse sugar. Thank you!
Hi, I was wondering how you clean the bottles and the jar. Do you sterilise them by cooking them in hot water? Or do you just normally clean them or put them in the dishwasher? Thanks!
Thank for your content it is amazing! I keep getting glass explosions and I wonder is it because I second ferment too long? Is a week too long for second ferment at room temp?
Michal Wawrzenczyk thank you for watching!! And yes, I think a week is likely way too long. I usually just ferment for around 3 days at room temp without burping. I hardly ever have to leave it at room temp that long (even in the winter when it’s colder) so that’s likely why you’re having issues. Have you already checked out my videos on second fermentation, burping and carbonation? I have full write-ups and more details at youbrewkombucha.com too! I hope that helps.
@@HoneyPoohBear I use the mason jars I place a cheap freezer bag between the metal lid and jar. It holds the fizz and works for me. I am collecting the flip-top bottles and the store bought kombucha bottles but still like the 16 oz small mouth mason jars as well.
I just started today the 2f of my first ever batch, I am using mason jars because that's what I had handy, let's see how they go. I suppose there's no risk of exploding since they are not even very properly sealed, then? I am thinking of letting it ferment at room temperature for 2 or 3 days, I suppose one is too little, right? :P
Canning jars and more specifically the flats are designed for a vacuum not pressure. As a canner, kombucha, mead, and wine brewer/ maker, I would absolutely not use canning jars.
Hi your bottle selection is amazing! Please can you tell mewere did you buy the glass bottle 7th from the left to the right? with black cup and is like round and fatty! is so beautiful i need for my project! :)
What’s your opinion about reusing gin bottles? The ones I’m thinking of seem to be a good quality, thick glass. However, while generally cylindrical, they are squared off on the bottom, and at the top before the neck.
Personally, I wouldn't use them -- if they're square (even just at the bottom), it's totally possible for the pressure to be unevenly distributed as the carbon dioxide builds. And that could cause the weaker parts of the glass to break. Plus -- the lid of the gin bottle likely won't be as airtight as you need it to be to trap carbonation in. Gin isn't a fizzy beverage, so that bottle or cap won't be built to withstand carbon dioxide pressure.
I love my GT’s kombucha bottles for the second fermentation. However, the labels do NOT like to come off neatly. How did you get your bottles so clean and smooth?
Use a combination of baking soda, and oil (you can use any type you have on hand). Mix together one part baking soda and one part oil. Apply mixture to the label or label residue. Wait 20-30 mins, then it should come off easily with soap and water.
I just started my first fermentation. i've ordered some flip top bottles from Amazon and saving my GT's bottles. I just keep thinking that cleaning will be easier in the GT's since it's got a wider mouth. Do you ever have problems with getting bottles clean after?
Thank you for sharing all of your expertise, and in such a well-done way - such a great resource! I’ve watched just about all of your videos (only three or four left to go) and feel ready to start brewing. My one question so far is - can I use Topo Chico bottles for second fermentation? I know you disrecommend reusing commercial beer bottles, but wonder if the same holds true for soda bottles? Topo Chico is a naturally-carbonated mineral water from Mexico, and I have boxes (and boxes!) of empties waiting to be taken to the recycling center; it would be great if all I had to do was get a bottle capper and caps.
Thanks so much for watching! I don't have experience with those bottles myself, unfortunately, so I can't speak to how well they'd work for kombucha. If you're interested in trying them out, I'd still make sure to be super careful with it (and ferment in a closed space to minimize risk) -- And only if you're totally comfortable with giving it a shot. If you do, let me know how it goes!
I bought 20 square bottles on Amazon that said they were ok for kombucha, but they were not. No carbonation at all! So disappointed ☹️ The tall flip top ones worked excellent for carbonation. I guess I just got to buy more of those. Anyone try to add something to the lid to make it seal do carbonation happens?
Don't use squared bottles for 2nd fermentation. They can easily explode. Only use round ones that are specifically built to withstand pressure. Not sure if that's how one describes it. Sorry, but English ain't my first language. If it is a good flip-top bottle it actually should seal very well. It could be that the rubber part is too old and needs to be replaced if it doesn't seal. Don't burp the bottle in order to build up carbonation during 2nd fermentation. To be save, put them in a closed box in case a bottle explodes. Check them regularly.
My understanding about the square bottles is that the pressure likes to collect in the corners, which then causes the bottle to break/shatter. The round ones build pressure more evenly throughout the bottle, so much safer.
I've read that the older GT bottles and the current GT bottles (with the embossed logo on the cap) have slightly different caps. Can you recommend a replacement cap for the current GT bottles on Amazon? Or some other affordable site for around a dozen caps?
Hey there -- I have seen some mixed reviews about whether or not they fit too, but I’ve never had any issues with F217 caps fitting GT bottles...even ones that I’ve purchased in the last month or so. So I’m not sure if there are other GT bottles out there that I just haven’t encountered. But for the ones I have, the F217 caps fit and hold in fizz just fine. I purchase my caps in bulk online from wholesale specialty bottle site, so I unfortunately can't speak to other sites. But as long as they're marked as "F217" caps, the sizing should be consistent wherever you decide to purchase them. Hope that helps!
Hi I have a question. I have been successfully brewing kombucha based off your videos but recently I realize my kombucha is having almost no carbonation... During F2, I fermented the kombucha using air tight bottles for 1 week and putting them in the fridge. When I would take them out after 1 day, It had zero carbonation... I did not have this problem before until now...
Did you solve the carbonation problem?Unfortunately I'm having the same issue too. I wonder if it's because I'm using plastic bottles instead of glass ones.
I cap beer bottles & the carbonation is fantastic! However I need to get them in the fridge soon enough. I've had some messy batches that overcarbonated.
I'm having a hard time trying to source glass bottles in Tijuana, Mex. Ill start looking for suppliers in California, do you know some suppliers/ distribuitors of glass bottles? :)
Do you have any suggestions for the newer GT bottles? Unfortunately, the lids you suggested no longer create a tight seal on the bottle because the company has changed the bottle style they are using. (It's a really subtle change!!) Have you heard of any ads that will create a tight seal on the new GT bottles?
Interesting! I've heard a lot of mixed accounts on this, but the caps I have (38/400 F217 caps) still work with the GT bottles that I've purchased even just a week or so ago. I haven't yet encountered a GT bottle that my replacement caps didn't work on, unfortunately. :/
That's interesting. I wonder if my region has transitioned to different bottles. I've noticed a very distinct difference in the carbonation between using the original cap and using the 38/400 F217 caps. The originals result in great carbonation, and the new caps are really flat (with the same batch and flavorings.) I'm pretty sure the new caps are not getting a tight enough seal.
😂 I paused the video to check if the internet peeps had had success with the Ikea korken bottles only to push play again and have you immediately tell me not to
@@mariailiadigr Yes, it generates a lot of gas, in addition, you can control the internal pressure. When the bottle is hard to squeeze it is because it has a lot of gas.
love that you mentioned the arthritis issue with he flip top bottles, so thoughtful. thank you for this wealth of information!
I was getting so irritated trying to remove the labels of GTS bottles! Easiest way was to fill with water and microwave 2.5 mins, and the heat loosens the glue to release. Next I dumped out the water and capped it, then rubbed olive oil and let it sit for 10 mins. A little baking soda on a sponge and it came right off!! Followed up with a squirt of dish soap and rinsed for no residue.
That's brilliant! Thank you!
You can also use acetone (nail polish remover) to get the glue residue off.
I used to drink Grolsch beer and being a pack rat, saved all of those great bottles in my basement. When I first started making kombusha, I reused the old GT bottles and the second fermentation didn't always fizz. Recycled those and started using the Grolsch bottles and haven't had any problems. And they are a lot thicker than other beer bottles.
Thanks! That’s exactly what I am planning to do! Not to mention that collecting enough bottles was a delicious endeavour! :)
Thank you, i have just sterialized some bottles i was given by a neighbor.
tayliegh My last batch didn’t turn out. I didn’t use all spring water and it didn’t carbonate. I have a reverse osmosis filter and I’m thinking it doesn’t really get all the city water chemicals out. So use all bottled spring water and save yourself some disappointment.
@@winebox wow, i went to our vintner and he gave me sanitizer to process my bottles. I had also purchased new red seals as well. I do agree about the water. My local hardware store is where i purchase my filtered H2O because my sink filter just does not get it all out. I have had some H2O samples done on my tap and also on the uv/coal filtered/ozone/declorinator type water i get from the local hardware store. I donot cook or drink from my tap anymore.
Use and drink distilled water. Purest form of water on planet and best Kombucha IMHO. @@winebox
Also, make sure your bottles are round. Glass bottles with any corners can’t withstand the pressure of carbonation and could explode. Learned that the hard way this morning.
Thanks a lot! I wished you would have mentioned your experience with cleaning these different kind of bottles.
I’m so glad I saw this video. I’m about to bottle my first batch of kombucha and had bought a bunch of bottles from ikea. I’m going to a local beer brewer shop to get some proper bottles
R4punz3l Yes! Thanks for watching!
hi
Great video; I really appreciate your thoughts here. When I started, I bought fermentation grade Grolsch bottles with Amazon Prime which saved a lot on shipping. We found out the hard was that my wife (who has arthritis) can't open them, so I'm designing a tool to flip the mechanism easily. Kind of like a bottle opener but it reaches all the way down to the piece you have to flip.
Amazing! I'd love to hear more about it/see a photo of it once you design it. Feel free to reach out to me at youbrewkombucha@gmail.com if you're OK with sharing more info about it. :)
Will do!
note that GTS bottles and caps have an old and new version, which are not compatible with each other. New version has 'GTS' embossed on the cap
Thank you for this in-depth bottle video. I just started my first batch and I am binge watching ALL of your videos.
Lauren Kanarick yay! Enjoy binging! I hope you find it all helpful!
Beer bottles, even with quite some pressure, worked great for me so far.
Mason jars are not designed to hold pressure but the two part lid is designed to hold a vacuum
So I should not let my kombucha go it’s second fermentation in canning jars?
@@erinjohnson9873 if you want bubbles, no
@@richlaue thank you
Total newbie here- is it ok to use a decaffeinated black or green tea?
@@erinjohnson9873 of course, use the tea you want.
Traditionally green tea has honey added instead of sugar with a different strain of bacteria.
However you are the brewmaster and the one in control of your brew.
If the outcome is not to desire, you learned what not to do next time.
When in doubt, only change one thing for a brew.
@@erinjohnson9873 The caffeine is one of the main food sources for bacteria in the scoby, so you don't want only to use strictly caffeine-free teas. You can also reduce caffeine content of the kombucha by varying the amount or steeping time of the sweet tea that you use to get the batch started.
This video was fantastic. Thank you so much for doing all the investigation; a wealth of information... very much appreciated.
Though, I've found those flip-top bottles to be "iffy". It depends on the individual bottle. Some of the ones I've gotten really don't have a very good seal which is why I'm searching for alternatives. Thank you again.
if you are looking for (grolsch) flip top/captive top style bottles check out a homebrew beer store in your area. often times they have many bottle options.
Nice video. I would think the thinner neck / smaller cap bottles like the flip-tops (or Health-Aid if you fill high enough) would allow less of a baby SCOBY to form during the 2nd fermentation.
I threw out my older foam-lined GT bottle caps because they left indentations and broke down. The Kevita caps seem a little better but haven't tried them yet I think the cone shaped caps are the worst for holding pressure and they easily break because they're only held together by a small nipple of brittle plastic. I broke many of those cone shaped caps by simply dropping them on the floor.
Thrift stores. Thrift stores, local or chains like Goodwill or Value Village, are GREAT for finding bottles, especially the flip-top kind. Rarely see them charging more that $4, and that's even for the larger flip-tops.
Best Kombucha videos out there! Keep it up!!
thank you for this wonderful video! Very informative! I love to use the flip-top bottles to avoid plastic- my grandfather used to work in a bavarian brewery and in ancient times they only used the flip-top bottles.. I kind of like the "retro" idea and the fact of avoiding plastic.. Love your videos !!!!
Is there a limit to how many times you can use the same bottles? Caps? Thanks! Love your videos!
PET plastic bottles are the bottles I recommend. Kombucha can build a huge pressure, so glass bottles are a risk even if you use high quality glass. I've seen experts have bottles shatter, so being careful is not enough.
That's a great tip. We all have various levels of risk we're willing to take on, so that's a great recommendation if you want to completely avoid any possible risk associated with glass breaking. Do you have a type/brand of PET plastic bottle you recommend? I'd love to give them a shot to see how well they work for my homebrews. :)
I've bottled hundreds (maybe thousands) of bottles using my good quality glass ones. And with my precautions, I haven't had any glass break on me. So, especially since I ferment in a closed cabinet space, I'm personally willing to take on that minimal risk, given my preferences and practices. But of course, everyone's preferences and practices are different.
I've heard good things about IKEA BEHÅLLARE and Soda Stream bottles.
You can also reuse most bottles that came with the drinks you buy from the store.
In that case you should look at the Resin Identification Code, where the numbers 1, 2, 4, 5 are commonly considered safe for reuse.
www.scoopwhoop.com/Ever-Noticed-Numbers-Printed-Inside-The-Recycle-Triangle-On-Plastics-Heres-What-They-Mean/
So do you think it's ok to use plastic water/soda bottles for F2??
@@mariailiadigr I absolutely does and from reading their reply it seems like this channel thinks it's okay too. Sources I regard as the top Kombucha experts recommend only using plastic for F2. Source in Swedish: www.egenkombucha.se/2018/02/den-allvarliga-fragan-om-glasflaskor.html?m=1
@@zalastax Thank you very much. I'm using plastic bottles for F2 and i have an issue with low carbonation. I don't know why my kombucha doesn't want to carbonate with the fruits I choose!
I enjoyed this UA-cam. Kombucha master!
S Naas THANK YOU!!!!
I would not recommend the “flip top” bottles, bc yesterday one of mine exploded all over me when I opened it. The problem is, you cannot open it slowly, its all or nothing, and when you open it, all of the fizz wants to come out all at once , and you will have a mess all over your kitchen.
I would recommend anything that has a screw-top, because you can open it slowly and let the extra gasses out slowly, so the kombucha will not explode all over the counter.
If you have these flip-top bottles and really active kombucha like I do, then I would recommend burping your bottles every day, and once in three days if they are in the fridge.
But there is no “right” and “wrong” with kombucha, you have to experiment yourself, because every scoby is different and makes different types of kombucha.
Push down on the top as you flip the hatch.
Awesome video - thank you! Quick question, do the GTs lids go bad over time. I was using GTs bottles for my kombucha and got great carbonation. After a few brews I don't seem to be getting as much carbonation and I was told the caps go bad and so I'm losing air? Curious for any advice or thoughts from you or any other brewers! Im happy to buy more lids but I want to know if this is typical and you only get so many uses out of each lid. I do feel like a couple of them has distorted slightly along the edges to maybe so? Thanks so much!
what an awesome series of videos. thank you so much for making it easy to understand and showing us how we can get supplies and save money. I literally had time to cancel and order of bottles on Amazon that was quite expensive and ordered them from a wholesale supplier and got many more bottles for the same price. Thank you!!
Tim Durham Yes!!! That’s what I love to hear. 💕
Great information! Thank you!
Hi! Thank you for your great informative video's!! I'm new to fermentation,and i have a silly question, about using plastic bottles, I know, plastic I don't prefer at all, but I wonder is it possible to use plastic bottles/cans for second fermentation?
That's exactly my question too!
Yay! I was hoping I could repurpose my GT bottles. So glad I didn’t return them for the bottle deposit!
Great video!! I've been thinking about using a bunch of sparkling wine bottles that I have laying around, but I am not sure on how to cap/seal them perfectly, do you have any advice on this?
Wine bottles indeed could be a really good idea! Have you thought anything for sealling them??
Very informative. You answered a lot of my questions about making Kombucha.
Love the excellent information you gave. Thank you very much. I like to know if you ferment vegetables? It would be nice if you are able to help with that. Blessings, Laura M
I'm not an expert, but veggies don't have the amount of fructose (the natural sugar of fruits that kombucha tea needs to eat during F2 to create carbonation).
So I guess veggies will not do the same job as fruits, except if u use a vegetable that contains high sugar (if there is any).
Can I second ferment in a larger vessel with my desired flavour and carbonation and then put that into beer bottles and cap them so they don't explode?
I guess you can, but you'll lose some of the carbonation.
Thank you for all the great info! Super thorough & helpful for me as I begin my journey into home-brewing :)
I'm not surprised you had trouble with mason jars. They're designed to release excess pressure during the canning process so you have a vacuum seal at room temperature. The same thing is likely to happen as the yeast feeds on the sugars in the bottle.
Your channel is awesome! Exactly what I was looking for!!
May I ask you something more, is it ok if we use plastic bottles for F2? I'm a new kombucha brewer and last time I tried to do F2 using plastic bottles with fresh fruits, there was no carbonation at all. That was really disappointing. Why this happened and why everyone is talking only about glass bottles? Why not reusing empty clear water bottles?
I cold brew my own coffee and iced herbal tea in mason jars with a vacuum sealer. Would you think once the second firmentation started, if you were to apply a vacuum to the head of it, would the mason jars maybe work?
Just wanted to note that if using beer bottles, they should be special bottles for homebrewing/craft beer, since those have thicker glass and are prepared for the beer bottle conditioning and carbonation. When using proper craft beer bottles, they will not blow up.
Ricard Illa Pujagut Yep, exactly. When I mentioned explosions, I was mainly referring to recycled beer bottles/ones that people re-use from store bought beer. Since those are the most easily findable. So those are the ones to be careful for. 😊
I just pick up and use glass bottles I find on the way home. Alcohol bottles and wine bottles work great for me!
How long do you leave the bottled kombucha out for it to carbonate?
Can I use Soda plastic bottle? It’s designed to withhold pressures and plastic hold acid pretty well… And in case of explosion, it’s safer.
kombucha people dont like plastic so id bet that most of them won’t say yes. but yeah you definitely can
@@estergrant6713 lol doesn’t expect getting reply from this. But 2y since, still haven’t try it yet…
Guess I accumulate knowledge like a squirrel with nuts lol
@@ch890333 oh wow i didnt realize this comment was that old lol
I started with swing top and now I repurpose kombucha bottles with the screw lids and I won’t turn back. I need replacement lids so I’m hoping these lids fit my bottles!
I have a question about Grolsch reusable lager bottles. Will they work for second fermentation? The also have the flip tops and are green color. They look much more thicker than heineken bottles.
Have you tried with those? I'm thinking on buying a bunch of bottles of Grolsch because it's not so easy to buy good bottles here where i live and this could be a good/not that expensive option. My first attempt of second fermentation end up with no gas, so I need to get new bottles.
Flip tops are also very tall for the most part. And expensive.
Your videos are amazing, great information, thanks. I was about to start saving screw top wine bottles (HaHa, ALDI Red wine, $2.85 a bottle or some Grolsch Swing top Beer bottles.. After watching your video, I'll put my hand in my pocket and buy some proper bottles. As we say in Australia, you could talk underwater!
Have you try wine bottle. I have a lot laying around. What’s you success? Would you mind sharing?
OMB! You are so imformative. Thank you so much
Thanks for this video! I tried using old store-bought kombucha bottles and they didn't work. Also, other twist on bottles haven't really worked for me either. They work for a while until the seal starts to compress. The only thing that has actually worked has been flip-top bottles!
Where can I get the flip top bottles?
Very great video! Just a quick question that I normally boil the bottle before I use to clean thoroughly but I have doubt with boiling the bottle cap since it is plastic which I have no idea if it could sustain the high temperature of boiling or not. Did you also boil the bottle before using it, too? appreciate it!
I don't boil my bottles. Just clean them with normal soap and water. I do run my caps through the dishwasher though, with no issues :)
so i guess this is also useful for us people that can't tolerate carbonation! thanks !!! :D
I bought a Gallon jar at the Christmas Tree shop. Was a great deal, $7.99. Poured about 1 cup of my hot tea into it and POP, the whole bottom popped off.
Some glass isn't tempered. I tend to brew my tea in another container that I know can handle the hot temp and then pour the cooled (or warm) tea into a glass vessel
how does one keep the carbonation high after opening a bottle, any hacks or tips?
yeah start over lol
Really nice and informative video. Thanks
How to clean those bottles? Especially the flip tops with those narrow necks. And how sterile do they need to be? Do I need to rinse them with boiling water or is hot water from the tap enough? Some say they use a dishwasher, but a flip top bottle won't get cleaned inside. 🤔
Cleaning the flip top bottles has been the most challenging and time consuming part of making my own kombucha. I have a nice Bosch dishwasher but it never cleans those bottles well enough. I've searched all over Amazon for a good brush but I ended up going to multiple restaurant supply stores for different ones to try. I find that cleaning the bottles is easiest right after you consume the kombucha so any fruit, spices or yeast film don't dry on the inside. I'm still looking for a better method. I use just a drop of dish soap and warm water for cleaning.
@@pistontube Thank you for your answer. I now DID buy flip-top bottles as they shall be best for 2nd fermentation. (I just started brewing Kombucha.) And I have a similar experience. I need to use soooo much water to rinse them. Thought there is an easier way to clean them, but it seems there isn't. Found a video where they show how they clean their bottles and it is what I thought. A drop of dish soap into the bottle and filling it up with hot water. Letting it sit a bit. Cleaning it with a bottle brush. (I found a really good one in a tiny store. Metall wire with natural fibre. It cleans well, but doesn't scratch anything. It just has a weird smell when drying.) Then rinsing it well and letting the bottle dry upside down. For that I stick it in a glass and empty out the water a few times until the bottle is dry. But I want to see if I get something where I can stick it upside down above my sink so it can dry on its own - dripping down into the sink.
I clean the bottle right after I drink the bottle.
Restaurants have those things where they press the glass upside down on something and it gets rinsed super fast with little water. One would need this for the flip-top bottles at home!
@@katharina1788 A friend of mine recently had a baby and purchased one of those baby bottle cleaner attachments for his sink. You simply set the bottle upside down on it and press slightly to activate. I've considered getting one of those but I'm not certain it's worth the cost and hastle to install. 🤷♂️
@@pistontube Thanks for letting me know. I didn't know that this exists. Well, I already have a second tap for my filtered water. Not sure if I want to install another thing. ;-) But I will check it out. Thanks!
FastRack sells a tower type bottle drying rack that may work for you. Layers of the tower can be removed if you have less bottles to dry. Grey & red color.
Thx for good n quality videos
I'm not brewing kombucha (yet), but will be brewing cold brew teas. What cap would you recommend for a leakproof seal on the top? I'm only asking because I might be shaking the containers every now and again to disperse sugar. Thank you!
Can I reuse the caps more than once?
Kombucha pasteurization in the bottle ? have you ever done it ? im thinking of trying it. but look for information
Could you tell us how to clean the bottles. In the dishwasher or just hot water and soap. Or with apple vinegar?
Thx!
i only use gt's bottles they are perfect
How about plastic bottles?
Hi, I was wondering how you clean the bottles and the jar. Do you sterilise them by cooking them in hot water? Or do you just normally clean them or put them in the dishwasher?
Thanks!
Thank for your content it is amazing!
I keep getting glass explosions and I wonder is it because I second ferment too long? Is a week too long for second ferment at room temp?
Michal Wawrzenczyk thank you for watching!! And yes, I think a week is likely way too long. I usually just ferment for around 3 days at room temp without burping. I hardly ever have to leave it at room temp that long (even in the winter when it’s colder) so that’s likely why you’re having issues. Have you already checked out my videos on second fermentation, burping and carbonation? I have full write-ups and more details at youbrewkombucha.com too! I hope that helps.
Where can I get the grippers, also can reuse the caps of this bottles
Mason jars are designed to hold a vacume and allow pressure to escape
Yup. Know the purpose of your bottle.
So does that mean you can or can't use a mason jar for the second fermentation?
@@HoneyPoohBear I use the mason jars I place a cheap freezer bag between the metal lid and jar. It holds the fizz and works for me. I am collecting the flip-top bottles and the store bought kombucha bottles but still like the 16 oz small mouth mason jars as well.
@@DebCnbfre thank you
Would a growler work for second fermentation?
What about beer growlers?
Don’t use mason jars to second ferment, they don’t hold air! Learned the hard way my first few batches
I just started today the 2f of my first ever batch, I am using mason jars because that's what I had handy, let's see how they go. I suppose there's no risk of exploding since they are not even very properly sealed, then? I am thinking of letting it ferment at room temperature for 2 or 3 days, I suppose one is too little, right? :P
I just got my orderred Ikea bottles xD So much for that.
Vulpes 😬😂 you can still use them for other things! Maybe for other non-carbonated things like vanilla extract, fruit water and iced tea!
Canning jars and more specifically the flats are designed for a vacuum not pressure. As a canner, kombucha, mead, and wine brewer/ maker, I would absolutely not use canning jars.
Hi your bottle selection is amazing! Please can you tell mewere did you buy the glass bottle 7th from the left to the right? with black cup and is like round and fatty! is so beautiful i need for my project! :)
What’s your opinion about reusing gin bottles? The ones I’m thinking of seem to be a good quality, thick glass. However, while generally cylindrical, they are squared off on the bottom, and at the top before the neck.
Personally, I wouldn't use them -- if they're square (even just at the bottom), it's totally possible for the pressure to be unevenly distributed as the carbon dioxide builds. And that could cause the weaker parts of the glass to break. Plus -- the lid of the gin bottle likely won't be as airtight as you need it to be to trap carbonation in. Gin isn't a fizzy beverage, so that bottle or cap won't be built to withstand carbon dioxide pressure.
I love my GT’s kombucha bottles for the second fermentation. However, the labels do NOT like to come off neatly. How did you get your bottles so clean and smooth?
Use a combination of baking soda, and oil (you can use any type you have on hand). Mix together one part baking soda and one part oil. Apply mixture to the label or label residue. Wait 20-30 mins, then it should come off easily with soap and water.
I don't see a link to the bottles in the video description :(
Can I use plastic bottles ? I can't afford the glass ones :/. Also can I brew kambucha in a steel pot ?
I have the same question too! Is it ok to use plastic bottles for F2??
I just started my first fermentation. i've ordered some flip top bottles from Amazon and saving my GT's bottles. I just keep thinking that cleaning will be easier in the GT's since it's got a wider mouth. Do you ever have problems with getting bottles clean after?
Can we use plastic bottles?😊
Thank you for sharing all of your expertise, and in such a well-done way - such a great resource!
I’ve watched just about all of your videos (only three or four left to go) and feel ready to start brewing. My one question so far is - can I use Topo Chico bottles for second fermentation? I know you disrecommend reusing commercial beer bottles, but wonder if the same holds true for soda bottles? Topo Chico is a naturally-carbonated mineral water from Mexico, and I have boxes (and boxes!) of empties waiting to be taken to the recycling center; it would be great if all I had to do was get a bottle capper and caps.
Thanks so much for watching! I don't have experience with those bottles myself, unfortunately, so I can't speak to how well they'd work for kombucha. If you're interested in trying them out, I'd still make sure to be super careful with it (and ferment in a closed space to minimize risk) -- And only if you're totally comfortable with giving it a shot.
If you do, let me know how it goes!
How about corks?
wondering the same. Did you try it or find and answer?
So is ok to use metal caps? Since in other stages is bad for it
Hi "You Brew Kombucha",
Curious as to what size the Stout and Boston round bottles are?
Thank you
I bought 20 square bottles on Amazon that said they were ok for kombucha, but they were not. No carbonation at all! So disappointed ☹️ The tall flip top ones worked excellent for carbonation. I guess I just got to buy more of those.
Anyone try to add something to the lid to make it seal do carbonation happens?
Don't use squared bottles for 2nd fermentation. They can easily explode. Only use round ones that are specifically built to withstand pressure. Not sure if that's how one describes it. Sorry, but English ain't my first language.
If it is a good flip-top bottle it actually should seal very well. It could be that the rubber part is too old and needs to be replaced if it doesn't seal.
Don't burp the bottle in order to build up carbonation during 2nd fermentation. To be save, put them in a closed box in case a bottle explodes. Check them regularly.
My understanding about the square bottles is that the pressure likes to collect in the corners, which then causes the bottle to break/shatter.
The round ones build pressure more evenly throughout the bottle, so much safer.
What cap size is a healthade bottle?
28/400
I vow to rid the world of all vinegar Kombuchas! Kombucha master!
how long should I ferment for the second fermentation ?
Hi. How about reusing wonder drink bottle?
I've read that the older GT bottles and the current GT bottles (with the embossed logo on the cap) have slightly different caps. Can you recommend a replacement cap for the current GT bottles on Amazon? Or some other affordable site for around a dozen caps?
Hey there -- I have seen some mixed reviews about whether or not they fit too, but I’ve never had any issues with F217 caps fitting GT bottles...even ones that I’ve purchased in the last month or so.
So I’m not sure if there are other GT bottles out there that I just haven’t encountered. But for the ones I have, the F217 caps fit and hold in fizz just fine. I purchase my caps in bulk online from wholesale specialty bottle site, so I unfortunately can't speak to other sites. But as long as they're marked as "F217" caps, the sizing should be consistent wherever you decide to purchase them. Hope that helps!
Hi I have a question.
I have been successfully brewing kombucha based off your videos but recently I realize my kombucha is having almost no carbonation...
During F2, I fermented the kombucha using air tight bottles for 1 week and putting them in the fridge. When I would take them out after 1 day, It had zero carbonation...
I did not have this problem before until now...
Did you solve the carbonation problem?Unfortunately I'm having the same issue too. I wonder if it's because I'm using plastic bottles instead of glass ones.
If I use beer bottles and bottle capper to seal other drinks like kahlua, it won't carbonate in the bottle correct?
I cap beer bottles & the carbonation is fantastic! However I need to get them in the fridge soon enough. I've had some messy batches that overcarbonated.
I'm having a hard time trying to source glass bottles in Tijuana, Mex. Ill start looking for suppliers in California, do you know some suppliers/ distribuitors of glass bottles?
:)
Where to get the caps?
R plastic bottles squeezable for co2 check
Is there a limit on much you can drink in a day?
Where exactly do you buy your 38/100 caps?
Do you need to sterilize the bottles between uses? do you have a video of that?
Carl Thomas I have a whole separate video on cleaning your kombucha materials. Find it on my channel 😊
Do you have any suggestions for the newer GT bottles? Unfortunately, the lids you suggested no longer create a tight seal on the bottle because the company has changed the bottle style they are using. (It's a really subtle change!!) Have you heard of any ads that will create a tight seal on the new GT bottles?
Interesting! I've heard a lot of mixed accounts on this, but the caps I have (38/400 F217 caps) still work with the GT bottles that I've purchased even just a week or so ago. I haven't yet encountered a GT bottle that my replacement caps didn't work on, unfortunately. :/
That's interesting. I wonder if my region has transitioned to different bottles. I've noticed a very distinct difference in the carbonation between using the original cap and using the 38/400 F217 caps. The originals result in great carbonation, and the new caps are really flat (with the same batch and flavorings.) I'm pretty sure the new caps are not getting a tight enough seal.
Can you use mason jars for 2f?
What about small Coke bottles?
😂 I paused the video to check if the internet peeps had had success with the Ikea korken bottles only to push play again and have you immediately tell me not to
I use sparkling water bottle
Plastic ones??
@@mariailiadigr YES
@@AndreMarascaEngenheiro Is the carbonation good/strong using plastic bottles??
@@mariailiadigr Yes, it generates a lot of gas, in addition, you can control the internal pressure. When the bottle is hard to squeeze it is because it has a lot of gas.
Great video pretty girl!
How often can I reuse the cap bottles? Do they wear off? Thanks.
I've re-used my caps many, many times over and haven't had any wear off on me yet. I purchased them over a year ago and still going strong. :)