It’s wintertime, and for many of you, that means it is COLD! Having received a lot of questions lately on how kombucha is affected by the cold, I wanted to take some time and talk about it.
Brewing kombucha during the winter can pose some issues if your house runs below 75°F or so.
The sweet spot for the best kombucha is 78°F. At this temperature, the bacteria and yeast all thrive together. Keeping the cultures happy allows the fermentation to progress properly. As the temperature drops below 78°F, the yeast becomes more and more sluggish, and the fermentation duration begins to increase. After it gets cold enough, the yeast and bacteria will lose their power to protect themselves and can become susceptible to mold and other contaminants. See how to avoid mold when brewing kombucha for more information.
There are a couple of easy hacks that will help you get through winter and keep your cultures happy.
If your house is always chilly, you may want to consider brewing Jun tea over traditional kombucha. Jun ferments comfortably at lower temperatures, between 68 and 77F, and maybe a better option if your house maintains those temperatures. See What is Jun Kombucha to learn more!
Don’t let cold weather stop you from brewing. Use these few easy tricks to keep your cultures happy and healthy during the winter!