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People have reported brewing great Kombucha, Kefir, Ginger Beer and
Japanese water Crystals with just about any sugar
Here is a
simple presentation of different sugars and their affects in fermenting
probiotics.
Most fruits
contain sugars (fructose) that will ferment when combined with wild or
airborne yeasts and bacteria. That is both good and bad news. Sugar is
good, just we can't be sure what wild or airborne yeasts and bacteria
may be present. There is also sugars in certain herbs such as ginger and
ginseng and in berries like wolfberries and Da Zao (dates).
Technically
in a ferment cycle there are two types of activities going on; one is
fermentation (anaerobic - without oxygen) and the other respiration
(aerobic - with oxygen). However in Kefir and Kombucha Tea Brewing
(achieved aerobically - with oxygen) common usage refers to this process
as fermentation.
Water should
be of the highest quality and free from contaminants like chlorine. The
amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide present in the water will also be a
determining factor in this process.
Yeast either
via acid hydrolysis or by producing enzymes cleaves sugar into glucose
and fructose. Glucose is the energy source of our biological cells, and
the energy source of our Probiotics. The glucose portion is what we are
interested in. The synergy of the yeasts cleaving the sugar and the
bacteria producing acids results in the common denominator that defines
Kombucha Tea as Kombucha Tea (and not something else) as acetic acid,
gluconic acid and fructose. The major variables; Sugar, Tea,
Temperature, Time and Oxygen. all further refine and define your
ferment.
Cane
Sugar. Cane is crushed, and the juice is then treated (often with
lime) to remove impurities, this is then neutralized with sulfur
dioxide.
Our choice is
Organic Sugar Evaporated Cane Juice. it is not fully processed as
plain white sugar and retains its natural vitamins and minerals-not
needed by the SCOBY but great for humans and organic is pesticide and
toxin free.
Beet Sugar.
Sugar extracted with hot water and precipitated with an alkaline
solution "milk of lime" and carbon dioxide
Sucrose
= glucose + fructose. Fructose is the naturally occurring sugar in all
fruits. It is also called levulose or fruit sugar. Glucose is
found in in limited amounts in fruits; also syrup made from crops see
D-Glucose
Fructose
is often recommended for diabetes mellitus or hypoglycemia because
it has a very low Glycemic Index (GI). Fructose
needs glucose to be properly absorbed. Excess Fructose is carried into
the lower intestine where it provides nutrients for the flora. It may
also cause water retention in the intestine. (bloating, excessive
flatulence, loose stools, diarrhea obesity, high cholesterol and
triglycerides). Fructose also chelates minerals in the blood which may
or may not be a good thing. Fructose produces almost all acetic acid and
very little gluconic acid while taking considerable longer to ferment.
Fructose is often suggested to add to your already fermented KT just
prior to bottling to sweeten and create more fizz. (1/4 tsp per quart).
Fructose is often added to lactic acid ferments (kefir, sauerkraut, etc)
to further along in a vinegar making process. Fructose leaves a slight
taste behind as does other sugars. Fructose is sweeter than glucose.
Unlike
glucose, fructose is almost entirely metabolized in the liver. When
fructose reaches the liver, says Dr. William J. Whelan, a biochemist at
the University of Miami School of Medicine, "the liver goes bananas and
stops everything else to metabolize the fructose." Eating fructose as
compared to glucose results in lower circulating insulin levels, leptin,
and ghrelin levels. These hormones are implicated in the control of
appetite and satiety, and it is hypothesized that eating lots of
fructose could increase the likelihood of weight gain.. Therefore in
Kombucha Tea even with a long ferment (and still contains some fructose)
people may gain weight – especially those that are sugar sensitive like
vegans. The weight loss reputation of Kombucha Tea is associated with
the acetic acid levels and the contribution of the tea (Camellia
Sinensis) in the ferment.
D-glucose
is made via the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch. (corn, rice, wheat,
potato,). A combination of heat and bacterial enzymes. [ α-amylase from
licheniformis or stearothermophilus]. Boiled for 1–2 hours, these
enzymes hydrolyze starch into smaller carbohydrates. In the second step,
saccharification, the partially hydrolyzed starch is completely
hydrolyzed to Glucose using the glucoamylase enzyme from Aspergillus
niger. The solution is then purified by filtration and concentrated. via
evaporation.
Glucose
/ Dextrose (corn syrup). All Glucose will produce almost all gluconic
acids with very little acetic acid. Reduces the activity of the yeasts
(Crabtree affect/ yeasts over-eat) and helps balance a kombucha ferment
from an over yeasty or foul taste. Also takes longer to brew, usually
8-14 instead of 6-8) and does not produce as thick creamy smooth
mushroom. Use 25-40% more Dextrose than you would use white sugar to
produces a much sweeter (less bitter taste) brew with reduced overall
sugar. A combination of sugars seems to work best. Use 2 oz (60 cc)
dextrose with 6 oz (180 cc) of organic sugar. Total of one cup of sugar
per 3 quarts (3 liters) of water. Leaves little if any taste
behind and is more completely fermented.
Raw Sugar
is a brownish color since it contains molasses. Also known as Greencut
sugar and used as cattle feed. "Raw sugar is unfit for direct use as
food or as a food ingredient because of the impurities it ordinarily
contains". (United States Food and Drug Administration). Therefore it is
bleached white by exposure to sulfur dioxide or by using phosphatation a
treatment with phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide that precipitated
the juice.
Brown
Sugar is produced when the purified white sugar crystals are once
again impregnated with molasses. Sometimes just “caramel” is added
sometimes chemical coloring is added.
In one Study of fermented kombucha Oriental/Tibetan with green/black tea
extract supplemented with brown sugar.
Kombucha beverages were made from sweetened tea by Oriental, European
and Tibetan tea fungus starters. The hot water extracts of green tea,
black tea, Gugija and Omija were mixed with white and/or brown sugar,
and were fermented under a static culture at 30C (86F) . Titrable
acidity, pH, color and cellulose production in kombucha beverages were
evaluated. All tea fungus starters showed a higher acid production in
green/black tea extracts rather than Gugija and Omija extracts. In
green/black tea extracts, Oriental tea fungus produced a kombucha
beverage with a higher titrable acidity and lower pH than those of
European and Tibetan tea fungus starters. By the static fermentation of
green/black tea extract for 18 days, Oriental, Tibetan and European tea
fungus starters produced cellulose pellicles of 0.43 g, 0.16 g, and 0.19
g (dry weight) on the top in the culture, respectively. As a mother
starter, the cellulose pellicle was more efficient in acid production
compared with tea fungus broth. Oriental/Tibetan mixed tea fungus showed
the best acid production in the green/black tea extract supplemented
with brown sugar.
Reference: Characterization of Kombucha Beverages Fermented with Various
Teas and Tea Fungus Sam-Pin Lee, Chan-Shick Kim pp. 165~169 (5 pages)
Turbinado
sugar is closer to refined sugar than to raw
sugar. However, there is still a molasses coating on the crystals.
Turbinado is centrifuge in Spanish. It is centrifuged raw sugar. In the
UK the term is 'Demerara' and in Australia 'Raw Sugar'.
Today it is more often steamed than spun.
Sucanat
(SUgarCAneNATural) is a US trademark term for the UK term 'Molasses
sugar' (90% sugar). It is the old style dark uncentrifuged raw sugar (Muscovado,
92% sugar) with added molasses.
you can substitute raw/brown/turbinada sugar for granulated white on a 1
to 1 basis, and the most significant difference will be taste.
Syrups
generally range close to 60% glucose 40% fructose. Plus the impurities
like vitamins and minerals, all which add to a particular taste and
character. The particular taste carries over to the ferment. Maple
Sugar is obtained from the sap of Maple trees. It is made up of
sucrose, fructose, and glucose. Other tree sugars are Birch,
other Syrups are Rice, Maple, and Barley Malt. All offer a
instinctive flavor.
use syrup in place of sugar in cooking, use 3/4 cup for every 1 cup of
white sugar.
Molasses
or treacle is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the
sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar. (In some parts of the U.S.,
"molasses" also refers to sorghum syrup.) The quality of molasses
depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or beet, the amount of sugar
extracted, and the method of extraction.
Black Tea and
Molasses produces the beverage richest in l-lactic acid was
suggested for Kombucha fermentation by a study comparing sucrose and
molasses made in 2007 by R. Malbaša, a, , E. Lončara and M. Djurića
Comparison of
the products of Kombucha fermentation on sucrose and molasses.
Fermentation of 1.5 g/L of Indian black tea, sweetened either with 70
g/L of sucrose or an adequate quantity of three kinds of molasses, was
conducted by domestic Kombucha (Acetobacter strains in symbiosis with
Saccharomycodes ludwigii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces
bisporus, Torulopsis sp. and Zygosaccharomyces sp.). Inoculation was
performed with 10% of fermentation broth from the previous process. The
fermentation in cylindrical vessels containing 2 L of liquid phase, was
carried out at 22 ± 1 °C for 14 days
HONEY is a combination of fructose, glucose, water, and other
nutrients. may have been the original “sugar” used in Kombucha
mushroom tea. (though
Beets/ beet sugar were more common). Because Honey kills various bacteria
it is erroneous thought to be bad for kombucha tea. However that opinion
is wrong. Honey kills bacteria and pathogens by
osmotic pressure and it contains hydrogen peroxide also a bactericide.
Honey does ferment kombucha mushroom tea, just usually takes longer but
the production of cellulose and acids in Kombucha is greatly enhanced by
the fortification of honey (5o Brix). Kombucha fermented for 12 days
produced 3.2 g
(dry wt.) of cellulose pellicle with 10.6 mm thickness. According
to a study entitled:
Factors Affecting
Production of Bacterial Cellulose and Acids in Kombucha by
Sam-Pin Lee*,
Joseph Baek and In-Seon Lee (Department of Food Science and
Technology,Keimyung University, Taegu 704-701, Korea). Other studies
indicate that Honey & Black Tea are better for diabetics then
other ferments.
To use honey in place of sugar, use 7/8 cup for every cup of sugar
Raw honey may contain unknown ingredients or may harbor pathogens,
especially Clostridium botulinum spores and
for that reason Raw Honey is not recommended for infants, or those in a
compromised position. Additionally raw honey (or kombucha tea) is not
recommended for infants as an infants immune system has not yet fully
developed and raw honey or Kombucha Tea may delay their development. A combination of Honey and Sugar is
common. And believed beneficial for Diabetics. Do not boil the honey—use
raw honey and add only when the water has cooled and is just warm enough
to melt the honey. A honey “taste” remains with the ferment. Honey like
Syrups contain less glucose gram for gram than white sugar so one’s
recipe should be adjusted accordingly. Generally use 25% more honey or
syrup than white sugar. Or combine with white sugar.
According to
Hippocrates – the father of modern medicine, the combination of vinegar
and honey was called Oxymel. This created the foundation
for many medicinal herbal formulas.
Oxymel is a natural combination as both vinegar and honey are used
extensively even today for medicinal purposes. Besides the immediate
medicinal affects it also served as a favorite solvent extracting the
various benefits of additional herbs. Not only were the sweet and sour
taste medicinally purposeful but allowed for a more palatable remedy and
for better patient compliance. Oxymel “ Besides the manifold benefits in
acute illness … It moves the bowels, relieves respiration, especially
when given warm and in moderation and when the mixture is not too sour,
when it dampens the intestines, it sates the thirst, promotes release of
gas and acts on the urine.” (Hippocrates as quoted by C. Hobbs: Kombucha
The Essential Guide p.32). You may want to create your own. Mix one
pound raw uncooked honey to 16 ounces of really sour K-T (the older the
better.) NOTE: Cooked or pasteurized honey kills the medicinal value of
honey.! If left at room temperature this combination will continue to
ferment therefore do not seal and leave at room temperature.
Lactose
(milk sugar) is the carbohydrate that is in milk. It is made up of
glucose and galactose.. Milk (and Milk Sugars) are commonly used in
Kefir and yogurt ferments. Does not work (ferment) for kombucha, but works for
kefir and other yogurts. Often used when bottling to increase the
sweetness without adding additional fermentation. (still adds carlories)
Dietetic sugars are absorbed by the body at a much slower rate than
sugar. Mannitol a by-product of alcohol production but does not
contain any alcohol. It does have a laxative effect when consumed in
large quantities. Sorbitol is produced from glucose and it is
also found naturally in certain berries and fruits.
White
sugar: after being treated (see above) the juice passes through a
machine (spin dryer). The spun off liquid is molasses. Plain White Sugar
is high octane to ferments and the kombucha SCOBY because the yeasts can
easily break it down into glucose and fructose and thus into
beneficial acetic and glucuronic acid. However many people believe white
sugar contains far too many toxic residues.
Our choice is Organic Sugar
Evaporated Cane Juice. it is not fully processed as plain white
sugar and retains its natural vitamins and minerals-not needed by the
SCOBY but great for humans and organic is pesticide and toxin free.
mascobado is 'sucre complet non raffiné' or non-refined complete
sugar
(Philippines) it's composition is
saccharose: 75-88%
fructose: 3-10%
glucose: 2-9%
mineral salts: 1,5-2,5%
Piloncillo,
is the Preferred Sugar for
Tibicos, Ginger Beer ferments
Piloncillo is raw, unrefined, non-centrifugal cane sugar with a
high molasses content. it contains what sugar producers call impurities.
It turns out that these so-called impurities are essential minerals such
as calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper, and iron, as well as small
amounts of fluorine and selenium. Piloncillo is pure natural cane sugar
concentrated by boiling. There are no additives. In addition to being a
food source as rich as honey. Piloncillo has been discovered to have
some unique medicinal properties. It has the reputation of being a
medicinal sugar and is prescribed for use in the Ayurvedic system of
medicine. dating back to 2500, purifies the blood, prevents rheumatic
afflictions and disorders of bile and possesses nutritive properties. A
paper presented at the Workshop on Biopersistence of Respirable
Synthetic Fibers and Minerals held 7-9 September 1992 in Lyon, France
Found Piloncillo a protective agent for workers in dusty and smoky
environments, as preventive action of on , Reduced regional lymph nodes
and benefited the Lungs and reducing smoke-induced lung lesions. Other
perceived benefits; prevents tooth decay being a natural energy
replacement for refined sugar. Constipation (in babies), which is very
frequent with white sugar, disappears. It prevents nutritious anemia and
rickets. Thrush or aphthae rarely returns. Children are more alive and
full of vitality. Source Dr. N.H. Beguin, Pronatec S.A. - Switzerland.
Stevia
and Xylitol do not ferment. They can not be used in ferments as a
food source but may be added where a sweeter taste is desired and
unusually added in the second stage bottling.
STEVIA 200
Times sweeter than Sugar !
A a dietary supplement, natural Stevia has been shown to help balance
blood sugar, lower high blood pressure, reduce one's craving for sweets
and fats, and "turn off" hunger sensations. Reduces the bacteria that
causes tooth decay and gum disease. It is also effective in skin care.
Makes an excellent face mask, both tightens and softens skin. Use in
coffee, teas and cooking The dark green colored whole leaf extract is
exceptionally healthful, both internally and externally. Highly
concentrated, it has a bitter-sweet taste until properly diluted. White
Stevia is Processed and standardized up to 80%.Rebaudioside A. (400
times sweeter than sugar) and is a fine white powder, no bitter after
taste. The raw powdered herb is green. very sweet, but not as sweet as
the processed white stevia. The raw green stevia and to a lesser extent
white stevia leaves a slight after-taste.
Other less
common sugars that are kombucha friendly
arabinose, glycerol, sorbitol, agaves, and mannitol,
but not
galactose or xylose, or lactose
Neohesperidin DC which is a semi natural sweetener around 1500
times that of sucrose. this FEMA GRAS citrus bioflavonoid is a great
flavor modifier and enhancer, particularly for fruit flavors. It
enhances the fruiter notes and some of the more subtle flavors, while
subduing the more dominant acid notes. NHDC is perfect for beverages,
dairy products, confections, table top sweeteners, snacks, and most
fruit based products. It also masks the off-taste of synthetic
sweeteners. Does not ferment,
and Thaumatin which is a natural (plant extract) sweetener about
2,000 times that of sucrose. but does leave a pronounced liquorice-like
aftertaste. Does not ferment.
High
Fructose Syrups Do not use - can not be broken down in the body.
This seems to be in everything and is literally a poison for the body.
refer to the Weston A price Foundation for research.
For the
Kombucha (SCOBY / Symbiosis Colony of Bacteria and Yeasts) and
yeasts in general will eat and thrive on most any sugar. They
do get set in their ways and changing from one type of sugar to
another will cause a lag time in their production until they become
accustomed to their new food source. While arguable White Sugar will
fuel the yeasts faster, the yeast and bacteria will leave behind
(for you) any heavy metals or toxic residues. Compared to Organic
Sugar which does not have heavy metals or toxic residues, the yeasts
and bacterial will leave behind other "impurities" like the vitamins
and minerals, which the yeasts or bacteria can not utilize but you
can. The balance is to find the right amount of fuel needed for the
bacteria and yeasts to optimally perform while leaving behind the
most beneficial and tasty drink. The vitamins and minerals leave a
slightly bitter aftertaste. Other tastes left behind are more
characteristics of the particular sugar used, for example Syrups and
honey impart their flavor to the ferment.
The
amount of sugar: too little and the ferment is incomplete. Too
much and either one of two things may happen. One, the yeasts will
"rush" or "flush" where they overwhelm the surface with bubbles and
spent yeasts cells ending up with a poor ferment. Or two, the yeasts
will become "stuck" and no fermentation at all will take place or a
very slow ferment will happen. Referred to as the "crabtree effect"
live being overstuffed after a large holiday dinner.
Yeast work
fastest at about 1-2% sugar concentration. High sugar levels
actually retard the growth of yeast; Initial concentrations above
25% are problems. To make the strongest possible elixir increase the
sugar gradually. For example adding 1/3 on Day 1. 1/3 on Day 2, and
the final 1/3 on Day 3. If you use a Hydrometer, add sugar at
1.040, bringing ferment up to 1.060-65, let it go until 1.040 add
sugar again up to 1.060 and so on until you've added the sugar you
want.
Remember that kombucha mushroom tea is
a balance between the yeast and the bacteria. Overactive yeasts will
diminish the bacteria and leave you with just kombucha (tea) wine
with higher alcohol and less beneficial acids. Refer to our
Kombucha Pictures to see how the yeast can rush or destroy a
ferment.
Kombucha brewing is a continuous
effort to balance the activity of the yeasts (carbonation and
alcohol) directly related to amount of dissolved oxygen in the
liquid and the type of sugar used and the Bacteria (gluconic and
acetic acids) directly related to surface oxygen and alcohol.
Carbonation vs. Gluconic Acid
Many homebrewers find the bottling
process to be mundane and tedious. With this in mind Coopers have
produced
Carbonation Drops, and a nice head. Ingredients:
Dextrose, Spray-Dried Malt Extract, Heading Powder (PGA). 5
tabs per 12 oz/350 ml bottle for high carbonation. 4 tabs for a
normal carbonation or 3 tabs for a light carbonation. This is
especially handy for the brewers that love the carbonation. Just
drop into the bottle, fill leaving 1-2 inch air space, then cap. 5-7
days for full carbonation at room temperature. Follow safe
bottling techniques.
How Much Sugar is Left.
For those that are concerned with the
amount of sugar left after a ferment - or for how long to ferment
for a
Hydrometer is a inexpensive used tool. To check accuracy
Residual Sugar Test Kit are also available.
At 2.5% sugar, it should have about
4.2 carbs per 6 oz portion
Regardless of how
long you ferment some unfermentable sugar always remains. Longer
ferment will cause the brew to become overly sour to a point of
being undrinkable. I recommend to stop the ferment when the taste is
to your satisfaction and then to do a
Secondary Ferment to achieve a more pleasant drier Kombucha
Mushroom Tea.
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