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N.Benton/Ohio

I was wondering when brewing "TEA" .Is their a point while brewing it that the benefical microbes and bacteria drop off? Do we look for the "frothyness"( big froth = Big power or ??)or is it more than that? This is a question i have been wondering about for a while and would like to have some "Comparisions"(<?) on what other peoples tea looks like when well brewed.I dont do the analysis on my tea but i think i got it to what it should "be" 'BUT' thats why im askin to see what other peoples look like! If anyone has pics for some odd reason so someone like me can have a gander it would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Bryan

12/15/2008 2:35:21 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Bryan, yes as the bacteria, eat and grow and hopefully multiply, they need more food and oxygen to grow and reproduce, there will be a point where the growth slows and possibly stops.

12/15/2008 6:32:54 AM

Pleasant Hill, Or

Yes, there is a point that the growth of beneficial bacteria drop off, and will reverse. It is generally around 24 hrs. I say generally because the point at which this happens is highly dependent on a bunch of variables like how much oxygen is dissolved in suspension, how much nutrient you started with, how warm the water is etc. Usually brewing for 24 hrs, with a normal recipe and an adequate aeration system will give you a good healthy, stable population of bacteria. Is it the maximum population yet, or have you dropped off the other side and your population is in decline? Only testing will show you that. 24 hrs is a very good, conservative brew time that will give you an adequately brewed tea.

I don't think "froth" is a good indicator if the brew is done. It is a good indicator that your tea is alive and the bacteria population is expanding. I use a few different recipes, and they each "froth" differently. One of them builds a big foamy head within 2 hrs, but I don't think it is anywhere near done.

Thad

12/15/2008 11:56:20 AM

Seattle, WA

Bryan,

Through testing with Soil Food Web, and personal microscope work, we've found that the bacterial population will take off around 8 hours and continue to around 24-36 hours. Depending on aeration and amount of food inputs for the microbes, this is a good range, as Thad already suggested.

There is no known visual indicator of a good or bad tea, or if you've maximized your microbial growth and diversity, unless you are using a microscope. I've seen both good and bad teas with "froth" or "foaming." Jeff Lowenfels attributes this to an enzyme relating to the worms in the compost, but I haven't seen the exact data myself.

The best test to date is probably the smell test. If it stinks, the tea went aerobic. If you're using a food resource like molasses or fish hydrolysate, the smell will dissipate as the organisms use up the material. The tea should have a rich, earthy smell to it.

Ingredients I like to use in homemade recipes are:
Seaweed (ascophyllum nodosum)
Humic Acids
Unsulfured Blackstrap Molasses
Fish Hydrolysate
and many others are possible as well

We also use 3 different composts (Alaska Humus, vermicompost (worm castings), and a fungal compost we make ourselves), so as to maximize microbial diversity. We don't use any manure based composts, as there exists the possiblity of pathgens such as e. coli if the compost was not fully finished. Typically this is not an issue if you're not spraying on vegetables and have adequate aeration of your tea (most pathogens are anaerobes or facultative anaerobes).

Cheers,
Tad

12/15/2008 2:17:56 PM

Seattle, WA

Oh, and forgot to mention that if you extend the brew too long, you will lose diversity and start to see monocultures, as particular species will be more successful at reproducing and consuming the food resources in the tea. Think "survival of the fittest" on fast forward!

12/15/2008 2:19:00 PM