Kombucha is an unusual jellyfish. People call it kombucha. The slimy flatbread helps to obtain an incredibly healthy drink, appreciated for its wonderful refreshing taste, reminiscent of kvass. It is important to properly care for it, promptly change the fluid, divide it, and rinse it. With the right approach, kombucha lasts for many years.
We'll tell you how to preserve kombucha until next summer or just for a long time. Why does mold, brown plaque, brown spots, and other problems appear?
What happens if you leave it in solution?
If the owners can change the liquid to fresh at least once every 14 days, storage in solution is allowed.
To prepare it, take 1 liter of boiling water, 2 tsp. tea leaves, 5 tbsp. granulated sugar. The resulting drink must be cooled and strained through a fine plastic sieve. It is prohibited to use metal tools. Then it is recommended to pour it into a 3-liter glass jar.
You need to place the mushroom in lightly brewed tea, and then place the container on the balcony or in another constantly ventilated place. Once every 14 days, the medusomycete will have to be washed and immersed in fresh tea. Hot liquid should not come into contact with the mushroom, as it may cause its death. Washing is carried out in cool boiled water.
Beneficial properties of kombucha
A mucous formation similar to a jellyfish is also called kombucha. Despite its intimidating appearance, the usefulness of kombucha is difficult to overestimate. In composition, these are acetic acid bacteria and yeast fungi. Thanks to these components, kombucha turns the usual green or black tea into a slightly carbonated liquid. The drink differs in content:
- organic and fatty acids;
- vitamins B1 and C;
- carbohydrates;
- digestive enzymes;
- tea caffeine.
Thanks to the properties of the infusion, digestion improves after consumption due to the fact that the body is saturated with beneficial enzymes.
Freeze in the refrigerator or freezer
Storage in the refrigerator is allowed. The kombucha will have to be thoroughly rinsed beforehand and placed in a plastic bag. It is better to keep the product in the fruit and vegetable compartment.
Due to the slowdown of metabolic processes in a state of suspended animation, chilled kombucha does not spoil or die. When the product is placed in heat, the culture will come to life and begin producing the drink again.
Placement in the freezer is unacceptable. Ice crystals form in the tissues. After defrosting, the mushroom will not recover and will die.
How to solve problems that may arise during storage
You won’t be able to save spoiled, diseased kombucha until summer. Many housewives face various problems. Most of the unpleasant problems arise after improper refueling or storage. Some problems can be easily fixed.
The drink matures very slowly
The reason is cold. Kombucha works actively in a warm room. We also take into account the temperature of the added liquid. It is allowed to be placed near a radiator, stove, or other heating devices. Just protect from sunlight. Sometimes the problem occurs when using a young mushroom. In this case, we recommend adding less tea infusion. Let it grow, gradually increase it.
The culture has grown too big
Great news! The fungus feels great, grows, cells multiply. Separating new layers is a mandatory procedure. In summer they appear very quickly. We rinse and carefully push apart with our hands. Do not use metal objects such as shovels or knives. Now we share with neighbors, relatives, and sell! It’s easy to store until this moment in a glass jar, fill with a small amount of tea.
A brown coating has appeared
There are brown species of kombucha. Only the appearance of a dark coating is a bad sign. The main reason is thermal burn. Do not add hot liquids. Sometimes a dark film indicates insufficient care. It is important to periodically rinse, remove mucus, and get rid of damaged layers.
The mushroom sinks to the bottom
Good sign! A new layer has appeared. This means that the mushroom is enough. While washing, look carefully. We leave the new thin films. Let them grow up. Separate the thickened layer. If necessary, we grow. We are in no hurry to put it into a three-liter jar. We use a small container.
The mushroom is covered with small spots
Dark, light dots and spots are often caused by sugar crystals. Sand requires complete dissolution before adding. Sometimes spots form when hot tea is introduced. We try to use a drink at body temperature.
Where is the best place to store it at home?
A jar of sweet tea covered with gauze is suitable for storing medusomycetes. The container should not be left open, especially from mid-July to the end of August. Otherwise, fruit flies may lay eggs in the kombucha. The larvae will spoil the product, after which it will become impossible to restore it.
In the cold season, when a refreshing drink is rarely consumed, the container with the mushroom should be placed in a place inaccessible to drafts. Do not place the jar close to a window, as the cold will cause the product to spoil. Rinse your kombucha regularly.
During holidays, it is recommended to place the washed symbiotic culture in the refrigerator. If you plan to return no later than 3 weeks later, you can leave the tea-drenched medusomycete in the dark. The infusion will deteriorate during this time, but the mushroom will remain until the owners return.
Metal utensils are prohibited. You should not place kombucha in a solution with undissolved grains of sugar or tea leaves: if such impurities come into contact with the mushroom, they can lead to its death.
Recommendations
In order to use kombucha for a long time and without difficulty, you need to follow simple rules:
- For growing, use glass, but in no case metal containers.
- Make sure that the dishes are always clean.
- You need to strain the kvass through cheesecloth or a plastic strainer.
- Do not cover the container with a tight lid.
- Do not leave the container in an area exposed to intense sunlight to avoid burns and blue-green algae.
- Maintain temperature conditions.
- Beware of drafts.
- Rinse once a week in the warm season, and monthly in winter.
- Bath procedures for kombucha should be carried out in slightly warm boiled water.
- The prepared solution must first be filtered so that no grains of sugar or tea leaves remain in it.
“Manchurian mushroom”, which has long gained popularity all over the world, is a favorite inhabitant of apartments. A drink prepared by a living worker perfectly quenches thirst and gives the body vigor and love of life. When you have to leave your home for a long time, you should take care of this wonderful friend in advance. There are various ways to preserve a jellyfish-like mushroom in an anabiotic state, without losing the ability to restore all its vital functions in the future.
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How to properly revive it afterwards?
If a brown coating appears on the product, it is not necessary to throw away the medusomycete. It is possible to restore it.
First, carefully clean the kombucha, rinse thoroughly in warm water. Divide the thick mushroom into several layers, each of which will have to be placed in a separate sterilized container. Fresh portions of sweet tea are then poured there. A thin medusomycete can be placed in a new solution without cutting.
It is not always possible to revive kombucha. In the case when the mushroom drowned, after being placed in a fresh portion of the solution, it did not float up after 2-3 days, it died. This product will have to be disposed of. You cannot drink the infusion from it.
What is a medusomycete? Brief description and history
People who see an unusual mushroom growing in a jar for the first time begin to doubt whether the medusomycete really belongs to the kingdom of plants and not animals. Its original appearance is similar to a sea inhabitant - a jellyfish. It was because of the visual similarity that it received its name. The mucous structure, the presence of legs (processes) and small thickness represent a single tandem, living in a sweet, watery atmosphere.
According to the classification, Kombucha is classified as a zooglea. Translated into simple language, it is the mass obtained as a result of the formation and growth of microorganisms and cells.
Details
How to store kombucha if you need a break until next summer
In order to preserve the mushroom all winter without spoiling, use the following method:
- Kombucha is washed, poured into fresh tea and stored at a temperature of 20 to 22°C.
- After 15 - 20 days, the infusion is drained and fresh is added.
- The kombucha and jar must be washed periodically.
This method is also used if there is no temporary need for it.
If you are away from home for a long time, for example, during vacation, there will be no one to change the solution. In this case, it is better to use other methods of preserving the mushroom.
The jar with the mushroom in solution should be placed in the refrigerator, where the cold will stop the proliferation of microorganisms. In this way, medusomycetes can be preserved for 20 to 30 days. After this, you will need to take out the jar, let it warm up to room temperature, and then take out the mushroom and rinse it. Now you need to fill it with fresh tea solution and put it in its usual place.
REFERENCE! Before storing the mushroom, it should be filled with fresh tea solution with the addition of a small amount of sugar.
To preserve the mushroom for 1-2 months, you will need a vegetable compartment in the refrigerator. To do this, you need to remove the mushroom from the solution, dry it a little on a napkin, put it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. When exposed to cold, microorganisms fall asleep. When you need the mushroom again, you need to take it out, put it in a favorable environment and it will begin its life activity again.
To preserve kombucha for a long time, it must be dried or frozen.
How to freeze kombucha for storage
You can freeze kombucha with caution. If large ice crystals appear, they could injure his body. In this case, the medusomycete may die. Storage duration is 3 - 5 months.
The mushroom should be removed from the solution, washed and dried by placing it on a cloth, and then placed in a plastic bag. After this, the mushroom is placed in the freezer with the lowest temperature, this is necessary so that it freezes as quickly as possible. Thanks to this, small ice crystals form inside and on the surface of the mushroom, which are not able to disrupt its structure.
REFERENCE! If freezing is slow, it will lead to the formation of large crystals, and this is detrimental to the fungus.
After the mushroom is quickly frozen, it must be placed in another tray.
When you need the mushroom again, you need to take it out of the freezer and add a small amount of tea solution at room temperature. It will begin to function after it thaws. If the mushroom has been stored for a long time, then the first infusion obtained must be drained.
How to dry kombucha for storage
The mushroom can be dried if, for example, there is no refrigerator. To do this, you need to remove it from the solution, rinse it and spread it on a cloth. Now you need to place it on a clean plate, which is placed in a deep container. The whole thing needs to be covered with gauze on top to protect it from insects and dust. It is important not to block the air supply.
To ensure that the mushroom dries evenly and does not become moldy, it should be turned over periodically. After it turns into a dry thin plate, it must be placed in a plastic bag. In this form, it can be stored for a year or more in the closet.
When you need the mushroom again, you need to put it in a small amount of tea solution and put it in its usual place. After long-term storage, the first infusion should be drained, and subsequent ones can be used.
Selecting a storage container. The best option for storing kombucha is a three-liter glass jar. It fits perfectly in diameter, is convenient to change the solution in and is easy to clean. You can monitor the mushroom thanks to the transparent walls of the vessel. Glass does not react with the infusion. To prevent insects and dust from getting inside the jar, the container should be covered with gauze on top. From time to time the jar needs to be washed and sterilized.
Metal containers cannot be used for growing medusomycetes, as the metal reacts with the acid and spoils the product.
