# Using a Kombucha SCOBY with beer wort.



## Hambone (12/1/18)

Weird question, any idea what this would produce? I've got heaps of SCOBY's and little 5l container I could put some wort to see what might happen.

Any thoughts on techniques, ingredients etc for a 5l brew?
Cheers


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## Danscraftbeer (12/1/18)

I'm sure these guys http://www.milkthefunk.com/ would have experience in that they play with all the funky stuff so could be worth looking into it.


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## pcqypcqy (12/1/18)

Give it a shot and post the results!

I'm guessing it would be very similar to kombucha, just with a malty twang. Maybe like a malt vinegar.


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## Hambone (12/1/18)

Danscraftbeer said:


> I'm sure these guys http://www.milkthefunk.com/ would have experience in that they play with all the funky stuff so could be worth looking into it.


Thanks Dan I'll check it out


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## Hambone (12/1/18)

pcqypcqy said:


> Give it a shot and post the results!
> 
> I'm guessing it would be very similar to kombucha, just with a malty twang. Maybe like a malt vinegar.


Yeah suppose I'll just have to give it a shot. Some light malt extract, maybe some steeped grain and leftover hops.


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## paulyman (12/1/18)

Basic Brewing Radio did two attempts at a quick sour using a kombucha scoby. The first attempt caused bottle bombs, not sure how the second went.


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## Hambone (13/1/18)

paulyman said:


> Basic Brewing Radio did two attempts at a quick sour using a kombucha scoby. The first attempt caused bottle bombs, not sure how the second went.


Thanks, I'll try and find it.


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## akx (13/1/18)

Hambone said:


> Thanks, I'll try and find it.


Please post up here if you find anything. My wife makes kombucha and I am following this thread with great interest!


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## Hambone (13/1/18)

akx said:


> Please post up here if you find anything. My wife makes kombucha and I am following this thread with great interest!


Found a bit.

http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Alternative_oBacteria_Sources


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## Hambone (14/1/18)

Ok so here we go.

I made a simple wort of 1kg LME with 100g of steeped Crystal Malt. Brought to just shy of the boil to pasteurize. Cooled the wort and put into this 5l vessel.







Then added some Kombucha starter and a SCOBY.






According to Brewing Basics, I will let the SCOBY have it's way for a few days to sour the boil and add hops as I want and then ferment as usual with US05.

Here's hoping.


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## laxation (16/1/18)

keep us posted this is interesting stuff!


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## pcqypcqy (16/1/18)

So you're still aiming for a 'beer' as we know it, i.e. hopped, boiled fermented wort? The approach there is pretty close to how a kettle sour is done.

If you were aiming for a more kombucha like drink, I would let it go and drink it when you've reached the desired level of kombucha-ness. As I understand the theory, boiling it would kill the supposed beneficial bacteria that kombucha is supposed to be about.


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## Hambone (16/1/18)

Ok so day 3 in the FV.

Yeah I'm after a beer like a kettle soured beer. According to a you tube video you need to do the boil to kill the bacteria to avoid bottle bombs.

Milk the Funk has also been an excellent resource.


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## Hambone (16/1/18)

Thanks to Dan and Paulyman. Both those resources have been excellent.


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## Hop Star (1/4/18)

A friend of mine has done an experiment similar to this.

Got 20L of golden ale wort (mostly pils malt, very low SRM) and added approx. 20 Lipton tea bags and a healthy SCOBY to it and let it go. It's been roughly 6-7 months so far and it's begun to taste quite lambic-y. 
After 2-3 months we were convinced it was a dumper as it tasted and smelt foul but decided to leave it. I suppose it's similar to a long term sour in that bugs/bacteria continue to do their thing and eat up undesirable compounds and associated flavours. Will probably be ready to bottle shortly as gravity has stabilised and I wouldn't want it to sour any further


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