October 2025 – Cultures of Learning

Reflecting on TED Ed Where Kombucha was Even Found When I Dug Deeper

This past week we looked at OERs or Open Education Resources. I selected Ted Ed to review this week looking at the user-experience, organization, quality of resources, value to educators and value as an Open Education Resource. While I have accessed a few TED-Ed videos in my classroom I had not really explored the website fully before.

User Experience

A screenshot of the homepage of the website TED Ed. The logo TED Ed on the left hand side functions intuitively as Home in the Menu bar.

It is easy to search. The top menu includes Discover, Create, Get Involved, Support, Search and icons for personalizing one’s experience. Users intuitively associate discovery with the pull down options of learning or browsing new ideas whether they were lessons, or collections (thematic or topic based), explorations that might be a more interactive learning opportunity and Blog being a more in-depth view of content. Users do not have to guess where to click.

Visually the webpage is not cluttered. It is clean, the font and colour choices are intentional. If I hover over one of the subjects it turns red. Each of the thumbnails for videos clearly communicate the main idea, theme, with short readable titles. This consistent format across all videos is optimized for accessibility, ease of navigation, to be informative at a glance and to be aesthetically engaging. Below the thumbnail two icons a heart (add favourite) and three lines with a plus (add to collection) enhance the user experience by allowing users to revisit content, personalize their experience, and turn browsing into an active curation of content.

Organization (and my search for Kombucha)

A screenshot from the TEDEd website lessons page. On the main home page users can search by subject. Each subject (Arts) further has a sub menu (Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Value of the Arts, Back). Subjects can be filtered by level (elementary/primary, middle school/lower secondary, high school/upper secondary, college/university), content type (animation, lesson, best of web) , video duration and subtitles (language). Subjects can also be sorted by options like featured, popular, newest, oldest etc. This makes content easy to find, narrow what viewers need, and help them locate relevant materials. It allows for flexibility and a the ability to control content. It can also support different learning goals and increase accessibility for multilingual learners.

As I am interested in kombucha I had to use the search function to see if I could find a video or lesson about kombucha. Surprisingly a video/lesson came up instantly, Are Food Preservatives Bad For You, and while not directly mentioning kombucha in the video I did see the word kombucha mentioned in the dig deeper section of the lesson. This suggests to me that the video search function is effective in using tag-based organization to link ideas that belong to the same category.

Each lesson is structured to follow the same format. Below the title is a short two to three sentence overview of the video. The side menu to the left of the video has the following options Watch (the video), Think (multiple choice or short answer questions), Dig Deeper (links to resources) and Discuss (questions to extend thinking). This is followed by a red box Customize this Lesson. When clicked the options laid out for customizing follow the same structure. This consistency or pattern in layout aids users in navigation and sets them up for success in customizing their own lessons.

Quality of Resources

Under the Menu Get Involved there are two selections that speak to how TEDEd videos are created, Educator Talks and Nominate. “Ted-Ed videos are collaborations between the TED-Ed team and at least one of the following: a curious learner, an exceptional educator, or a talented visualization artist.” The TED-Ed Educator Talks program is a 4-6 month program where educators create an approved talk alongside TED-Ed coaches and staff. The videos and content is curated and approved by the TED-Ed team ensuring they meet quality standards, and have a consistent style.

TED-Ed Videos having been subject to this rigorous selection and production are of high quality and feature engaging content, animations that are captivating and clear narration. The content is meant to encourage critical thinking, and is often presented in a creative way.

Value to Educators

I have accessed TED-Ed somewhat in my teaching practice, especially for Health lessons and occasionally for Art. I think it is useful to have a library of videos that you have used to refer back to on a website. I search my history on YouTube on a regular basis to recall resources I use with lessons at particular times of the year. I like that the videos are short, the narration is clear, often complex topics are presented in an engaging way. Students generally are interested in the content. Having the ability to search and filter content and the ability to access ready made lessons is a time saving value to educators. While I have not yet used the customization feature I like the ability to adapt lessons that might fit your classroom. I also like the idea of the extra resource links that are curated for various subjects. Several of the links I clicked led me to interesting articles . I think TED-Ed could be especially useful in remote learning contexts.

Value as an Open Education Resource

TED-Ed videos are free to access. However, the site generates revenue from YouTube ads. TED-Ed also works with partner organizations to sponsor videos. This may challenge the definition of an OER being neutral or without commercial interest. As a repository of videos the site supports customizing lessons. However users are not able to legally remix the videos without permission. I think of the podcast we listened to this week hosted by Alan Levine and how openness is not just about access but being able to adapt, remix and localize materials to reflect local voices and experiences including indigenous perspectives. Does curation restrict community contribution and local perspectives or can the customization of the lessons provide enough adaptability for educators to remix open content?

The Second Ferment Test

Last week I bottled up our first ferment to make four flavours of kombucha: Pineapple Mango, Strawberry Cream Soda, Blueberry and Kiwi. This week it was time to test our second ferments.

I moved our production to the basement. I started out burping the kombucha. As you will see in the video that follows my first time opening the flip top bottle I was quite nervous. Thankfully the first flip open on the Pineapple Mango was not very explosive. There was a little carbonation. It did have a nice flavour profile. Next I opened the Strawberry Cream Soda. This one had a lot of pulp. In our taste test my daughter and I thought this one was quite flavourful. Having opened two flavours I went into opening the third, Blueberry with a little more confidence. It was explosive! The blueberry was so pressured that it sprayed the roof, wall 10 feet behind and even hit my cream coloured couch in the adjoining living room. This was a little upsetting and I spent most of the evening cleaning. I will have to replace the drop ceiling tiles. Thankfully I was able to get it out of the couch cushions. Into the fridge went our second fermentation to prevent over carbonation.

A drawing of co2, carbon dioxide on the chalkboard. — Photo by geralt on Pixabay

We now open our kombucha outdoors. The blueberry was a bubbly disaster. It tasted horrible, it was overly sweet with a boozy aftertaste. Finally we ended off our flavour tests with the kiwi. It came out on top for flavour despite not being carbonated. It was tangy, sour and sweet and my daughter’s favourite.

I think I need to learn yet about carbonation. I listened to a podcast this week that while it was from a commercial brewer it left me with a few questions. In this podcast, Living Full Kombucha – Teacher Turned Alchemist/ Episode 17- All Things Flavoring, she speaks of force carbonating her kombucha. Can I do that? Is that what they are doing with kombucha I purchase at the grocery store? I love when a kombucha is carbonated and yet my explosive tests this week leave me questioning does increased carbonation also equate to a boozy taste? My blueberry had the most carbonation, but it was also the worst. The kiwi had the least carbonation, but tasted the best.

It was interesting to hear that as a commercial brewer she is only working on mastering three flagship flavours. Here I was trying out four flavours! Actually, I am sure she landed on these three flavours after much trial even though she does not mention this. Part of mastering these three flavours is keeping consistent flavour, and a low alcohol content while increasing batch size. A low pH starter that was acidic combats bacteria and drives down alcohol content she shared. I thought the podcast was very interesting, she was good at storytelling and I may return to her story later. I enjoy listening to podcasts for their flexibility. I can listen while driving, walking or doing chores around the house. As a way of learning a skill it is easy to fit learning into daily life. I also enjoy auditory experiences in my downtime as sometimes I come home from a day of screens and feel like my eyes could use a rest. At the same time the podcast was a little confusing for where I am in my journey. A podcast has limited interactivity. In a way it is harder to practice alongside the content or visualize what the speaker is saying. If I was really learning from this experience or another podcast I would need to pause and replay frequently, which disrupts flow.

After the question of carbonation was raised I mined Youtube for videos on carbonation. YouTube makes it easy to see process in action. At first I was excited to find Bite Scized Education had a video on the Science Behind Kombucha Carbonation and I could connect with Molly’s journey. The hardest part she found initially when she was learning how to make kombucha was deciding if she wanted it fizzy and then how fizzy. “Making kombucha that is not fizzy is so much easier.” This video models scientific thinking and encourages curiosity, observation and inquiry by setting up a testable question. She asks “can we engineer a way to measure the pressure that builds inside a bottle.”She then builds a few prototypes to measure the pressure including using a gauge from a basketball, a recycled bottle and household glue. This demonstrates that learning is not always about answers, but the process of exploration. While this was a fun video to watch she concludes that maybe it is up to us the viewers to figure out. The conclusion is open ended leaving viewers to think critically and encourages active engagement. However, this lack of closure still leaves me confused without clear answers. It still feels ambiguous.

In this next video, the creator talks about carbonation being something that every brewer struggles with at some point. To address it he also uses a scientific process to test various variables in a lime juice kombucha. Controls include temperature (stored in a chest set to 78 degrees) and 9 grams of sugar in each bottle. The changing variables include nucleation sites (lime pulp, ginger, strawberry), pH (removing lime juice replacing with more simple sugar and zest) and time. The takeaways were to reduce the amount of pulp (nucleation sites) and that ginger always overwhelms. The most explosive/pops were the ones with increased nucleation sites yet after the explosive impressive show (the strawberry) what remained in the bottle was flat. The creator’s advice was to increase the amount of time as the second bottle with 7 days of fermentation compared to 3 in each of the others produced an effervescent, carbonated, delightful tingle with the best flavour profile. This video is helpful to see various variables manipulated. Viewers might apply these findings in their own problem-solving process especially with citrus based kombuchas. I appreciate his conclusions even if I might not be able at this time to control variables like temperature or sugar levels. I wonder if he is letting it ferment for the full 7 days without burping. It seemed like the 7 day open was the first open. I reflect on Madison’s instructions to leave the second ferment for 7 days before returning to the fridge. Further, she added in juice rather than fruit. Perhaps there is something in having less nucleation sites!

This week I am going to scale back my flavours and test the lime kombucha that this creator makes. I am going to be patient and wait the entire 7 days before opening my second ferment. I am also going to test the kiwi kombucha again/juicing the kiwi this time and waiting 7 days.

An photograph of two glasses of a matcha, kombucha float with ice cream and toasted coconut on top.

As a fun addition to this weeks learning, I thought I might make a matcha kombucha float with the first ferment this week and I thought it was delicious.

Inspiration was a matcha float . Instead of sparkling water I added kombucha because Food52 has an article on why kombucha floats are the greatest drink of the year (even if it was 2019).

Digital and Participatory Cultures in the Classroom

video conference, video call, online, zoom, skype, communication, home office, webinar, laptop, video chat, call, e-learning, meeting, internet, connection, work, conference, homework, teacher, virtual, training, technology, video conference, video conference, video call, video call, video call, webinar, webinar, webinar, webinar, webinar, teacher — Photo by Alexandra_Koch on Pixabay

Digital tools and technologies shape the way we teach and the way we learn. During the Pandemic we became adept at communicating, and collaborating online. From joining Zoom or Google Meet classrooms we learned how to join breakout rooms, chat, and learn online. Today there is an increase in online courses and virtual or hybrid classrooms. Digital tools encourage collaboration and students are able to co-create, or collaboratively brainstorm, share ideas, and images through shared Google Docs, Slides or Jamboard. Technology allows students to create podcasts, videos, or digital texts/art. Technology automates tasks. Google Forms grade quizzes. AI can be used to personalize learning and adapt resources. While I am building my skill set in this area some of the teachers at my school adjust texts with AI to match reading levels. AI can also be used to generate rubrics, or even lesson ideas. Lesson delivery can be made interactive with live polling and quizzing using digital tools like kahoot, Wayground (formerly Quizizz), Mentimeter, or Blooket. Technology expands access to resources from joining virtual field trips, to accessing online libraries. Digital tools also help organize and online calendars like Google Calendar or Edsby allow students to plan ahead, while also allowing teachers to coordinate and communicate expectations. In the article, Understanding the role of digital technologies in education: A review the authors detail 34 applications of technology in education. In summary the authors argue that instructors must incorporate technology or face marginalization. At first I thought that was a bit extreme having survived an old school education, but I can see how if you were not using digital tools and technology to communicate with parents, to enter grades, submit data, and complete report cards you may be made redundant.

Digital technologies assist in developing abilities that will require students’ professional performance, such as problem-solving, thinking structure creation, and process comprehension. They are also preparing for a more unpredictable and changing future in which technology will play a critical role. Students’ acquired qualities and abilities will be essential to their professional success. Educational resources and digital tools help to improve the classroom atmosphere and make the teaching-learning process more compelling.

One way to make the teaching-learning process more engaging is through the use of memes. In the article, Enhancing the student learning experience through memes, the authors detail a project where students were asked to reflect on their learning and produce a meme. Participants used a Meme Generator and shared their Memes in real time through Padlet. Students reflected on the activity in a word cloud. Engaging, Interesting, Creative and Different stood out and validate that using/making memes was both positive and enjoyable as a learning experience. The authors conclude that meme-making is an engaging way to have students reflect. As it is both fun and relevant students will retain class content.

In an era where class participation can be difficult, this method demonstrates that as educators we need to innovate in our approaches and consider trying new methods for engagement, even when they are not within our own cultural experiences.

Occasionally I have used memes in the classroom to introduce humour into otherwise routine topics like classroom expectations. Memes can provide an entry point for discussion rather than just listing rules, and it can also make the expectations memorable, set a positive tone, and capture student’s attention. I think it would be interesting to have students in my class make memes to encourage engaging critically with content.

In a lecture given on October 6, 2025 Dr. Hildebrandt speaks of shifts in technology. One of these shifts she speaks of is access to content. Immediate access has changed how we engage with content. Another shift is the change in tools available. Now many of our students have access to their own personal devices and are actively posting on various social media platforms. These shifts have caused a change in relationships. Through sharing and creating Memes, TikTok‘s, SnapChats culture is being shaped. Henry Jenkins describes participatory culture where we have the capacity to produce and share media. By tapping into the desire to play with media and technology he encourages educators to see this as an opportunity to prepare students to recognize their role in contributing to and shaping culture. He provides an example of having students change a Wikipedia entry, to have their entries be tested and back their arguments up with evidence. These students were empowered by participating.

Henry Jenkins also advocates for educators to equip students with the tools to engage with content and communities online.

Dr. Hildebrandt spoke of the challenge of digital and participatory culture being the lack of mediation. Participatory culture invites anyone to join the conversation. This can lead to challenges including misinformation, with bots automating harmful or misleading content. Echo chambers and algorithms can limit perspectives. Superficial participation of liking, commenting and sharing do not replace meaningful interactions. Remixing, reposting and sharing blur copyright and ownership. Other concerns might include privacy and curated online selves seeking validation in unhealthy ways. How do we help our students critically navigate digital content?

I am reminded of a conversation I had with my class the other day where we discussed sources in their research. There were some gasps when I said google might not have the right answer and then showed them the google answer versus another response from the Canadian Encyclopedia online. Not everything on the internet is true. Recognizing that there is fake news, bias, questioning sources, thinking about what we are seeing and asking questions can be steps toward building critical media awareness. Charlie Gedeon compares this experience of using Google to ChatGpt and the magical allure of the first result. He speaks to the importance of having students study myths and disinformation. While it may seem all doom and gloom that AI is making us dumber, as we offload our learning, perhaps by analyzing responses, comparing and verifying sources, uncovering bias and voice, assumptions, and asking better questions we can enable students to critically participate in this digital culture.

Four Flavour Ferments

Different flavors of Kombucha in glass bottles on a counter. In this week’s learning project update, I will explore the second fermentation process of kombucha, focusing on flavouring and using social media platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and Pinterest as sources of inspiration.

As the snow started falling outside, I found myself deep in a digital rabbit hole of kombucha flavour ideas.

Photo by WeDevlops_com on Pixabay

Reddit

I started my search on Reddit, where communities like r/Kombucha share tips, troubleshoot, and post pictures of their latest brew. I admit I initially went with the hope of maybe finding a copycat or “inspired-by” kombucha recipe of Parkerview Brews, my favorite brand of kombucha. Sometimes home brewers will post threads like “Anyone made Kombucha w/ kiwi juice like GT’s (THE kombucha brand)?” Unfortunately, while I did not find the flavour recreation I was looking for I decided I have to recreate this Ocean Blue one day (Coconut, Pineapple and Blue Majic). Oh wait, what is Blue Majic? And how can I find it?

spirulina, seaweed, vegetable proteins, detox, nutrition, spirulina, spirulina, spirulina, spirulina, spirulina — Photo by Nouchkac on Pixabay

Reddit is useful if you are able to find a community around a shared interest. Here people will share advice, questions and experiences. These experiences are authentic, personal, and often include practical tips. It can also be interactive where users ask and answer questions. I was inspired by one post to make a list moving forward of my batches and to rank them in flavour profiles. I also found this chart an interesting way this user came up with to describe flavours of various kombuchas to others. It can be a challenging to use Reddit to search for specific information. Sometimes information is not current, or mixed in with long discussions or tangents. What you’re searching for can be buried within the comments. Sometimes the comments are unreliable. Everyone has an opinion and not everyone’s version is great. Beginners to experienced brewers may be weighing in. While sometimes there are photos, like the Ocean Blue mentioned above, details are often missed. Reddit is conversational and often unfiltered.

Instagram

Photo by Samuel1983 on Pixabay

I decided to start a Kombucha collection on my Instagram account perhaps to further influence the Algorithm to send me content that was useful. I like the visual, micro-learning that Instagram offers. I found it useful to have a visual refresher on how to make kombucha. I also thought it might be useful to save posts as stories disappear quickly and posts can be hard to find again. While I may not always find what I am looking for, often I am inspired or my curiosity is piqued.

matcha, tea, food, japan, cake, dessert, capsules, healthy, powder, milk, sweet, chasen, tradition, green, drink, japanese, culture, cream, sweets, milktea, organic, fresh, ai generated — Photo by NutriScanApp on Pixabay

I had this idea that I wanted to make a matcha kombucha as I had some matcha powder. Trying to find the matcha kombucha that was in my head on instagram proved impossible, but I did find some interesting ideas that I might want to try later. In this instagram post on Matcha Raspberry Kombucha salomelafermentee shows making the first ferment from matcha powder then later adding in the raspberries. I thought it might be interesting later to explore making other recipes/drinks from kombucha such as this mango matcha smoothie that looked delicious, or a kombucha ice cream float, or even mocktails.

Photo by PixLoger on Pixabay

Pinterest

As the snow continued to fall, I had less of a desire to brave the cold and source ingredients. What did I have at home? I turned to Pinterest as a digital file cabinet for recipes. Pinterest is also image focused with posts that often link to blog posts, tutorials or videos. I searched for recipes that could make use of what I had on hand: strawberries, frozen blueberries, frozen pineapple and kiwi. This allowed me to plan a second fermentation without leaving home. A bag of frozen pineapple, a package of strawberries, four kiwis, and a bag of frozen whole blueberries on a kitchen counter with kombucha and a mixer in the background. A challenge I found with curating a board was that there is an overwhelming volume of pins and often many are ads for products or unrelated. One of the pins that I tried to follow my computer informed me that it had malicious links attached which was a little shocking and I quickly clicked off. While the pins helped source blog posts often I found the blog posts were so cluttered with pop up ads.

Finally I sourced four recipes that would provide direction for my second fermentation. Mostly I was interested in the ratio of fruit/kombucha and hopefully, if this is a recipe that has been tested, how long ideally to let it ferment for the second fermentation to avoid a kombucha bomb.

Pictured below are the four types of flavours I made for my second fermentation and a review of the recipe.

Buchabrewers Strawberry Cream Soda

A bottle of Strawberry Cream Soda Kombucha on a kitchen counter. This recipe, from Bucha Brewers, leads with a clear photo that shows the ingredients that are needed. I found this helpful to see quickly what was needed. The recipe layout is well organized and printable. The jump to recipe button improves navigation, even though the entire post is not cluttered. The author tries to make the post fun and engaging pointing out visual cues like carbonation building up in the bottle. There are links to resources and support that are subtle and unassuming offering convenience without overwhelming the reader. While the author provides the opportunity for feedback, “enjoy! Let us know if you like this one,” I do wish there had been a comment. It shows how a platform like Reddit or even Instagram shines in the opportunity it provides for users to discuss and review providing tips, variations, and troubleshooting advice.

Grow Forage Cook Ferment Homemade Blueberry Kombucha

Three bottles of blueberry kombucha on a kitchen counter. This blog prominently shows a toolbar indicating how many times the post has been pinned or shared which highlights its popularity and encourages further sharing. There are options to jump to the recipe or print which are helpful considering the lengthy post which includes videos, advertisements and descriptions. The photos are visually striking and clearly designed to be pinned. The photos make the recipe attractive and even inspired me to try this recipe. There are multiple links to other kombucha flavours and additional blueberry recipes which allow the readers to explore related content.

Intuitive Food Design Pineapple Kombucha Tea Recipe

A bottle of pineapple mango kombucha. This blog was quite clean also. I liked that there were clear directions indicating how much pineapple in comparison to amount of tea and what size of flip top bottles were used. Also in the method it tells how to avoid gas build up and explosions. If I search Kombucha on the blog I can see several other posts about Kombucha which gives me some hope that this author, a holistic health coach, knows what she is talking about.

Create Mindfully Kiwi Kombucha

A bottle of kiwi kombucha on a kitchen counter. While the first two steps of the recipe were clear making it easy to follow, the blog was less polished in other areas. One of these areas is the tip about straining out the mango which is confusing since the recipe never mentions mango. This inconsistency may cause confusion for readers especially beginners. I did not like this blog as much for all of the advertisements which distract from the main content. It impacts readability and makes the page feel cluttered. I thought the background information was basic. I question the nutritional information included as fermentation consumes some sugars so the numbers may not accurately reflect the final beverage. Accuracy, clutter, and clarity in tips and nutritional claims could be improved.

A jar of kombucha brewing with a scoby on top of the green tea liquid. A white cloth is held in place on top with a blue elastic band. Today felt like an ambitious day as I attempted to make four flavours for the second ferment. I wasn’t completely done. The process of making kombucha is a cycle. I needed to rehouse my original SCOBYs and start the fermentation cycle again. I am happy to report my SCOBY’s are looking good (even the Amazon SCOBY batch actually formed a new SCOBY on top), my kombucha is bubbling (hopefully not a bomb in the making!) and I’m proud of what I created from what I had on hand. I am excited to see and taste how it will all turn out this week.

The Art (and Anxiety) of Second Fermentation

Fermentation School: Learning from Others

On Tuesday of this week I went over to Madison’s to watch her make her second fermentation. Second fermentation is when you flavour and add carbonation to your Kombucha brew. She shared a bottle of her second ferment with me that I am anticipating trying.

I wish I had been more proactive in taking photos or a video to document this learning journey as I only took two photos and they are not that great of quality. In this photo on the left she is showing me that you need to leave at least an inch in the top of the bottle. She also recommended these air-tight, glass, flip-top bottles. When pouring in the Kombucha from the first brew she strained the kombucha and filled the bottles about half full before adding different flavours of juice.

The photo on the left shows the type of juice she adds to her second ferment. Her favourite juice flavour to add is Raspberry Juice. Madison recommended leaving the bottle for about 7 days at room temperature. After about 7 days the bottle can be transferred to the refrigerator to halt fermentation and prevent over-carbonation. Refrigeration, she shared, prevents it also from becoming too sour.

A SCOBY being held above a jar. The SCOBY is a carmel colour and about the thickness and shape of an English muffin. The texture is rubbery or gelatinous. Madison also shared with me a SCOBY that she separated from another SCOBY. I was a little worried about my previous Amazon SCOBY as it is living on the bottom of the jar, (and later a comment from Matt) so I was excited to try this time a version with Green Tea.

On Wednesday, a new jar arrived as well as some pH strips. Wednesday evening, I brewed a new batch of Kombucha and changed out the cheesecloth covers for a thicker weave of bamboo cotton material.

Scrolling for Answers: Overthinking the Bubbles

Thursday, in reflecting on TikTok’s potential for education I thought I would explore creators who posted about “second fermentation”. Simply Moods by Ida was an interesting account as well as Cakebrain. Another creator recommended burping Kombucha once every day or every other day after three days of fermentation to prevent Kombucha bombs. There is a lot of crazy content on TikTok also. #burpingkombucha. There is a lot of content about exploding kombucha which makes for dramatic content. I was a little worried about a Kombucha bomb, so I tried opening the flip-top bottle, but there was only a little carbonation. Perhaps I should have waited 7 days as Madison suggested. I closed it up again and thought I would look further into tips about flat Kombucha on TikTok, manifest.kombucha had an interesting TikTok about decarbonating Kombucha that was in your refrigerator. Searching “kombucha flat” did not give me the search results I was looking for rather it was mostly about flat stomachs. I discovered that searching for specific content may not be the intended use of TikTok. Rather coming across interesting content creators such as the Cultured Guru, a food microbiologist teaching people how to ferment, and following those tangents seemed to be a better use of my time. My questions/concerns about second fermentation I realized were best answered outside of TikTok. I am a little apprehensive about the user agreement for TikTok. While I do not plan to link my CapCut account to TikTok and share my financial information, I made a small video on CapCut to test out the idea of making a short video less than 30 seconds and of the same resolution 720p as a TikTok video and posted it as a short on YouTube (my first ever YouTube short!) I have deep admiration for content creators that can take 30 seconds and make it also educational.

Video Experiments: pH Practice

As soon as my pH strips arrived I was testing different pH levels. It reminded me of Chemistry class. I think I am right on track. The Green Tea was initially 5.5. Then after I added in the SCOBY and starter the pH was around 4.0. Today it was around 3.0. Here is another YouTube short I made. By contrast the Amazon SCOBY trial batch number 1 still is around a 4.0 or maybe even 4.5.

The ultimate test is taste. Amazon batch surprisingly still tastes like sweet tea so I think with a pH still near the starting point this batch may not have taken. By contrast, the batch from Madison already tastes tangy! Follow along next week to see where the fizz, fears, and fermentation will take me!