No. It doesn't appear to make any difference. Kombucha can be fermented in full daylight, total darkness, or anywhere in-between. Some people living in far Northern climates such as Alaska, have reported very good results when fermenting their Kombucha Tea in full morning and afternoon sunshine during the winter months.

Boil 96 ounces water, plus 2 cups extra to allow for evaporation during the 5 minute boiling period. Cover with a lid while boiling. After 5 minutes remove cover and add 1 cup of white sugar. [use measuring cup] Remove pot from heat add 5 -6 regular size tea bags--or the equivalent amount of loose tea--in a tea-ball or tea holder. You can use either black tea, green tea, or oolong tea or a combination of teas.

A very simple inexpensive solution is to place your container in a wooden or cardboard box with a 15 watt light bulb, then cover the whole thing with a cloth to keep in the heat.

Yes, But if you do use plastic, be very sure that it is a good quality food grade plastic that is recommended for acidic wet foods.

You might try "Subway." They have one gallon glass pickle jars that can be used for the Kombucha Tea. In some cities they give them away to anyone who has a use for them. Some people prefer a wider mouth jar, but you can not beat the price. Also most stores sell gallon "Sun-Tea" jars made of glass that have a built in spigot.

You have to make certain that any ceramic, or clay container you use, does not have a lead-based glaze on it (very common with imported items). Acidic substances cause the lead in the glaze to leach out into the liquid. There are tests kits available to determine whether your container has a lead glaze

No. Do not use any rubber products to ferment and store your Kombucha Tea. Rubber is bad news even when mixed with plastics. It deteriorates easily and is prone to low pH.

To ferment the tea some people use stone crocks but everybody can't get those. You can also use gallon size glass pickle jars, or glass Sun-Tea jars, or a round glass fish bowl. If you use a gallon jar, do not use the metal lid that may come with it. Some people like to use a container that has more width than height, such as large glass mixing bowls, enamel roasters, crock pots, etc. Be sure the container you use is large enough to hold at least one gallon of liquid.

According to Günther Frank, Tupperware is a high-grade synthetic material of the polyolefine group, e.g., polyethylene (PE), or polypropylene. Wine or cider which has a pH value similar to that of Kombucha, is also stored in containers of this food-grade material. However, you should avoid containers made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or polystyrene. Sterol is damaging to one's health and can pass from containers made of this material, into the liquid undergoing fermentation.

A new or unchipped enamel pot can be used successfully to ferment Kombucha Tea. Just be certain that there are no chips in the enamel, because heavy metals underneath the enamel coating might leach into the acidic Kombucha Tea and cause heavy-metal poisoning.

In response to the query about the carbohydrate content of Kombucha, the following was found in Christopher Hobbs book: In tea made with 1 cup of sugar to 3 quarts of water, fermented for 7 days -- there are about 4 grams of sugar in a 3-1/2 oz. glass. That's about a teaspoon or 16 calories. The analysis was done by a certified food lab. A test done by Kappa Labs in Miami Florida, for John M. Novar of "Kombucha Power" was as follows:

There have been some reports stating that bottled Kombucha has remained viable for up to one year, as long as it is kept in the refrigerator, or another type of cold storage. If not kept in cool, the microörganisms will not survive, although many of the other components found in the ferment will remain stable.

Kombucha Tea can become toxic if it becomes contaminated by pathogenic moulds or bacteria, such as C. botulism. However, these organisms will not grow in an acidic medium below pH 4.

Although heating will destroy the enzymes, microörganisms and some of the vitamins which are found in Kombucha Tea, many of the other components remain stable.

Some people only drink 4 ounces once or twice daily others are drinking 30 ounces or more per day without any ill effects.

The amount will vary, depending on growing conditions and amount of sugar used. Usually less than .5% on up to 1.5%.

Clean cotton muslin, cheese-cloth, unbleached paper coffee filters, fine plastic strainers, or anything of this nature will work equally well.

Michael Roussin, Director of the Kombucha Consumer Research Group ™ says: "Until today (4 Jan 1996), I would have recommended that Kombucha not be given to pre-puberty children. The reasons are iffy, and propounded in several books and papers, but the basis for those iffy suggestions are not valid, therefore, the suggestions are not valid either. In short, there is no reason (except concerns about caffeine) not to give Kombucha to children.

No. It was previously believed Kombucha ferment contained heparin (a compound found especially in liver that slows the clotting of blood and is used medically), however, according to recent scientific research reported by Michael R. Roussin, Director of the Kombucha Consumer Research Group ™, there is no heparin found in Kombucha. No. It was thought previously that Kombucha ferment contained heparin (a blood thinner).

This is done to prevent air-borne contaminants from getting into your fermenting container and contaminating the contents. Never use a solid lid, (the bacteria and yeast are aerobic--need oxygen to survive) use only a tightly woven cloth, disposable unbleached paper coffee filter, unbleached paper toweling or similar material held closely to the edges of the container with a rubber band.