How to add Fizz to your Kombucha
It is not unusual for the first couple of batches to not be very fizzy, this is due to the scoby settling in. If after a few batches you are still not getting much fizz here are some tips.
The easiest ways to get additional bubbles are in the bottling process, you must bottle your kombucha to make it fizzy During this bottling period, the beverage will undergo a period called “secondary fermentation.” Depending on the conditions, either a little or a lot of fizz will be created, and you may even have an exploding (be warned!) bottle problem on your hand if you don’t monitor them well!
First tip is make sure you have a tight fitting cap on your bottle, swing lid bottles are superb for this and they tend to stop exploding bottles as the top pings off instead (you still get quite a mess though so again, be warned!)
First tip is make sure you have a tight fitting cap on your bottle, swing lid bottles are superb for this and they tend to stop exploding bottles as the top pings off instead (you still get quite a mess though so again, be warned!)
Fill Your Bottles to the top, leaving just a centimeter or two of space. By reducing the amount of oxygen present in the bottle, more Carbon Dioxide is dissolved into the Kombucha. Now we are starving the liquid of oxygen, which induces a different type of action among the yeast and bacteria, which then produces more bubbles, among other things.
Add A Little Sugar (just a tiny bit though, again be warned!) Sugar is what sparks yeast the most, and the yeast are responsible for the bubbles. You can use a 1/4 teaspoon of plain white sugar (or less) per bottle, Kombucha mixes much more symbiotically with pieces of or pureed fruit and juice or other natural sugar sources, and the resulting bubbles can be quite explosive (again be warned!). Frozen, fresh or dried fruit all work equally well and spark both the flavor and fizz of Kombucha. Another idea is fresh ginger, cut into centimeter sized blocks or grated (freeze first to make this easier). Of course fresh ginger is extremely healthful, Be warned you might want to open bottles that have had fruit in the second ferment over the sink as they can induce a kombucha fountain (you will now what that is when it happens!!)
Leave Them Out of the Fridge – If you are looking for a little more fizz then try leaving your kombucha at room temperature for 2-3 days to add more fizz. If you have added fruits etc. monitor closely and if the bottles look like too much fizz is building up in them then let some of the fizz out by slowly opening the top slightly. keep these bottles out of direct sunlight!