IrisSophie
420 Member
How much should the TDS value measured with the digital refractometer dilute it to?Exactly. I use 5 gal plastic buckets, pure water, and worm soil. At the bottom of the bucket are airstones that emit tiny bubbles... the bubbles have to be tiny. I think it brews for about 48 hours, and near the end of the brew I will add a couple tbs of apple juice. (I am not a fan of molasses, because it contains heavy metals.) The sugar helps the beneficial bacteria bloom. When the brewing is done, I run the mixture through panty hose filter twice. This is the concentrate, and then it gets diluted to the right amount by checking the TDS pen. The tea needs to be used fairly quickly; however, you can keep the bubbles running and that will preserve it for a while, but best to use it asap.