Raw sugar vs. refined sugar in making kombucha
Can one use raw sugar in making tea for kombucha? Most recipes recommend refined sugar, but I wonder if it is for any particular reason.
Best Answer
Absolutely you can. I typically use a Turbinado sugar when making mine because it's what I buy in bulk and because I like the robust flavor.
In my searches, I did come across this article indicating that you shouldn't use such raw sugars because they're more difficult for the scoby to digest, but as long as you start with a healthy one you should be fine. Maybe just don't go as far as using a brown sugar, or something very raw like muscovado.
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Can I use raw sugar to make kombucha?
Raw or Whole Cane Sugar: These sugars are recommended with reservation. They are less refined and can be hard on your SCOBY, but many brewers like using them.What type of sugar is best for kombucha?
Cane sugar is the most common type of sugar that is used for brewing Kombucha. Most people use \u201cplain white sugar\u201d \u2013 you want to make sure the package says \u201ccane sugar\u201d on it or you are most likely using GMO Beet Sugar.Can you make kombucha without refined sugar?
There is no way to produce kombucha without using sugar. It's quite simple: without sugar, there is no food for the yeast, so no kombucha! Indeed, to grow, yeast needs to eat sugar. The preparation will automatically go mouldy if you replace the sugar with a sweetener.Does kombucha have refined sugar?
Yes. But the good news is that the sugar in Kombucha is for the culture to consume, not for you. When done fermenting, there will be about 2-6 grams per 8 ounce glass of unflavored Kombucha. By contrast, an 8 ounce glass of orange juice has about 24g of sugar.What you need to know about the different types of sugar | Your Morning
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Answer 2
I brew Kombucha and use Organic but refined sugar. This helps especially when cooler temps come and the brewing time slows down because of it. The harder you make food available for the scoby the slower the brew time. With a slower brew time comes a higher risk of contamination.
Remember that the sugar isn't for you, it's to feed the scoby If you flavor your tea in a second ferment, I would recommend adding your raw sugars then if it's for flavor alone. The refined sugars should be pretty much depleted during the first ferment.
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