Carbonation in kombucha is a normal part of the ferment and what makes it such an enjoyable drink. The yeast found in kombucha consumes the sugar and this produces the carbonation.
Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kombuchaliz/
Most of my kombucha has a nice effervesces after F1 but in F2 is where the real magic happens with the flavoring and more carbonation. So here are my best tips for achieving a good fizz.
1. The right bottles. Bottles that are made to hold carbonation. Old kombucha bottles & flip top bottles. Make sure the seals are working correctly and are not rotted.
2. Stir your Ferment 1 before you pour into the smaller bottles. This will mix the yeast around.
3. Second ferment flavor- how much you added when you did your F2 bottle. My general rule of thumb is 1TBS for 16oz but people use up to ¼ cup or more. To continue ferment the yeast needs sugar. Fruit works great.
4. Little air left in the bottle-little room left for the carbon dioxide to release increases the kombucha carbonation
5. Letting your second ferment sit out long enough. I do 3-7 days. The weather can affect this as the temperatures, in most area’s change during the year. The winter months might require a longer F2 time. Try giving your bottles a few more days.
6. If your kombucha SCOBY is new it might take a few batches for the yeast to build up. I’ve noticed this when I gifted SCOBY’s to friends. The first batch is good then once they get a few batches under their belt it turns into GREAT!
Let me know what works for you guys. I’d love to hear what others are doing.
Subscribe if you want to know more about kombucha.