WOW that was FAST!!! Have FUN!!!!!

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i know it-- your mail is very fast! i started the grains with some whole milk. yay!

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If you have any questions, make sure you post em here!!!! I stuck mine in the frig tonight cuz I didn't have time to mess with it (and I'm out of milk) So tomorrow when I run out for a few things, I'll get some milk.

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barb-- quick question--
i know i should be changing out the milk on these guys every 24 hours for the first few days.
do i rinse the grains with water as well, or just strain & transfer straight to new milk?

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Good question!!!!

No need to rinse the grains, in fact you absolutely do NOT want to rinse them. The grains keep a mucousy substance on them after they are strained, called "kefiran" or something like that, which helps to inocculate the new batch of milk. The only time I rinse the grains is when I am going to dry the extras. And I use bottled water instead of tap water, since tap contains chlorine. I also don't rinse my brewing jar, but maybe once a week. Then I dry it out real well with paper towel, so there isn't any tap water left inside. So, just strain and transfer into new milk. How easy is that???

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yikes!
i rinsed yesterday & today.
i guess it won't hurt too much, i'll just start again today by not rinsing.

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NO big deal.........just know in the future you don't have to rinse them, easy peasy!!!!

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Barb,
my kefir is doing awesome!!! it's so easy & i love love love it!!! i'm trying coconut milk today. yummy!

i have a problem with my kombucha though. it appears to be growing mold. i don't know what to do! i read you have to throw it away & completely start over :( i'm devostated. i had two jars going this week, and i was hoping the second jar would be ok, but i just checked it & it appears to be moldy as well. i threw away one of the scobys & the whole jar of tea & was so hoping this jar would be ok, but i think i'm going to have to throw everything away. i wonder what i'm doing wrong to get mold? any ideas? you don't have mold, do you? where did i get mold from? this is horrible! i may have to have you send me another scoby so i can start all over again. i feel so badly. i'm wondering if it's because i put it in a cabinet? do you think there was mold in the sun tea jar i used? i washed it before i started. i just don't know.

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Is it really mold or is it a thin spot in the scoby? A thin spot CAN look like mold. Real mold will have a VERY definite round growth ring and several other rings here and there. It will look somewhat fuzzy too. If it IS mold, keeping it in a cabinet might increase the growth. Keep it out on your counter where air will circulate better. You may want to wash EVERYTHING you use with it in a weak bleach solution, rinse well with boiled water and dry everything with clean, fresh paper towel. Perhaps also, wipe your walls and counter down with a weak bleach solution also. If you need a new scoby, no problem, I have another one ready. (Did you send me money for the last one? I never got anything. If not, you could send $10 and that will cover the cost of shipping for both.)

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Check out the pictures on this site to see if yours looks the same. Kombucha Site Scroll down until you find where they talk about healthy scobies vs. moldy ones. This should help you determine if it truly is mold or just weird growth patterns.

When you start a new batch, it's important to pour some of the fermented liquid in rom the old batch in with the new batch to make it incompatible to molds. (makes it too acidic.)

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i'm pretty sure i saw some mold on the first one, it was growing on the top & it was fuzzy green stuff.
i'll give this second one another couple days to see what happens, i've got it out on the desk this time.
i'm so sorry you never got the $ i sent for the first one-- pm me your address & i'll send a check this time.

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No problemo!!! Do you want me to send you another scoby????

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if you don't mind, i think maybe that would be good, since i'm so wary of this one.
i'll go ahead & write a check this time, & let me know when it arrives-- i know i sent $5 cash before. :s
thank you so much, barb.
and the kefir is awesome. it took maybe 5 or 6 days to really get going. now it's so easy & i love it!!!

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Will do. That darn mail..........who knows who ended up with it!!!! Makes me think some people can actually SMELL cash in an envelope!!!!

Glad the Kefir is working great for you!!! I haven't done mine for awhile, been low on milk. My babies are in the frig in stasis. Maybe I'll have some tonight since I just bought a new gallon of milk!!!

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