Should I Use A Heating Pad or Heater to Brew Kombucha?

It seems that the internet is ablaze right now with disgruntled Kombucha makers around the globe. As we move into winter, the temperatures of our homes drop significantly which slows down Kombucha production.

“My Kombucha is taking 4 weeks to brew!”

“What is going on???? My continuous brew booch just won’t get sour!”

“Ten days my rump! This brew is taking more like ten weeks!”

Yep – winter has arrived folks!

Up until this year, I never used a heater with my Kombucha. I didn’t mind the slightly longer brew time and honestly, it wasn’t that much longer for me. My trick was to keep my brew in close proximately to the crock pot (which is almost always going during the cool weather months) or the oven which gets a lot more use this time of year. So my brew was able to stay a tad warmer than it would has I just left it to its own devices.

Ideally, Kombucha brews around 72-84 degrees F. But really, you want to keep the brew at a consistent temperature (80 is ideal) and not allow it to go up and down throughout the day and night. Why? Glad you asked!

• If the brew get too cold and the cycle slows down it will reduce the healthy stuff in your brew.
• Cooler temperatures and a reduced brew time can also expose your brew to a potential mold infestation. That is no good!
• You get more carbonation if your brew stays cozy warm.

So what is the best way to keep your Kombucha at it’s ideal brewing temperature?

Like I said, up until this year, I wasn’t doing anything special. But after investing in my Continuous Brew Crock from my affiliate partner Kombucha Kamp, I decided not to leave anything to chance.

Along with my crock, I purchased the Kombucha Mamma’s Essential Heating Strip. It was designed by Kombucha Kamp with the help of a thermodynamics engineer. Designed for WARM TO MODERATE CLIMATES, the state of the art ultra-thin construction & patented heating technology makes for more uniform heat distribution. Wrap around one vessel or lay behind several vessels to keep them all warm. This is a powerful little mat but is also very safe to use. I recommend using it on the sides of the vessel rather than underneath so that the yeast isn’t over stimulated.

Features:

• Terminals & electrical connections are sealed using a high performance self fusing sealant
• Warms the brewer area by 5-10˚F over ambient temperature to maintain the ideal temperature for Kombucha fermentation
• 4″x28″ provides plenty of heating capacity for a variety vessels
• No heat wires or thick pad, so heat is always dissipated evenly over the whole mat
• Almost the entire surface of the mat is covered by the heat strips creating an even heat distribution
• Moisture sealed electrical connections (Do not submerse in water)
• Ultra-thin Super durable construction (No Multiple Plys, just one solid extra tough mat)
• Heat Strip & power cord are UL Listed Components
• 110-120V AC Power
• Uses 18 watts of power
• Approximate Dimensions: 4″ Width x 27.5″ Length
• Assembled in USA and all components made in the USA (except power cord)
• Comes with 1 Year Hassle Free Guarantee
• FREE Thermometer Strip included

If you need a more powerful heating solution check out the Year Round Heating System With Dimmer.

I took my heating system for a spin last month and wow! What a difference it made. My brew did not take as long to well, brew. The carbonation was incredible. The SCOBY even looked happier. Ha!

Throughout the winter I will definitely be using my heating system. I will keep you all posted on it but I think I will be loving this new addition to my Kombucha set up!