Tea is THE MOST POPULAR beverage in the world. Humans drink more tea than all other beverages combined including soft drinks, coffee and alcohol. So, it makes perfect sense that one of the chief ingredients of Kombucha is tea.
But, what is tea? We hear about green tea, chamomile tea, peppermint tea, genmaicha, rooibos, honeybush and Lipton's tea to name a few. Perhaps any plant that is soaked in hot water to create a beverage can be called tea? It may seem that way, and for day-to-day conversation there's nothing wrong with that definition.
However, many "teas" do not contain what Kombucha needs to brew successfully, especially over time. Moreover, some plants may harm your culture and retard the formation of healthful elements in your homebrew.
Let's take a closer look at the best types of tea for long term brewing of Kombucha.
The Latin name for the tea plant is Camellia sinensis. All types of tea – white, black, green, oolong, and post-fermented teas (such as pu-erh) etc. are derived from the same plant. The different types are primarily determined by how they are processed.
Traditionally, Kombucha has been brewed with black tea (known as "red tea" in China, named for the color of the resulting brewed liquid rather than the color of the leaves themselves). Research has shown that green tea produces the healthiest looking culture. The most common recipe for brewing Kombucha includes a combination of green & black tea.
Each type of tea has been shown to demonstrate specific healing properties which Kombucha's fermentation process helps to unlock. With Kombucha's help, the polyphenols & anti-oxidants become more bio-available, which just means they are easier for your body to absorb. Once again, Kombucha works with nature's own systems to improve their efficiency. Symbiosis defined.
Tea contains several nutrients and compounds that feed the Kombucha culture including nitrogen, caffeine and theanine to name a few. Along with the sugar, tea is the main fuel source for the SCOBY. When you brew Kombucha with herbal infusions (also called tisanes), you may get a delicious, healthy fermented beverage, but over time, due to the lack of necessary nutrients, the culture will atrophy and eventually die.
That isn't to say that advanced brewers shouldn't make herbal "kombucha," but in order to protect the health of your culture it is recommended to either add some actual tea to your herbs or alternate batches with the tea plant to reinvigorate the culture. Beginners are advised to stick to tea until you have enough large healthy cultures in your SCOBY Hotel to brew experimental batches.
I have four criteria for purchasing tea: loose leaf, bulk, organic, Fair Trade (whenever possible). Loose leaf & bulk means less less packaging (more green) and less expensive (more green). I make the personal choice to pay out some of those savings to select organic and Fair Trade. I value knowing that pesticides won't be passed on to me and that the laborers were paid a living wage for their work. The more often I make conscious choices, the more impact I have in creating an ethical global society.
Here is a short breakdown of the different types of tea that are included in my special Kombucha tea blend. I select each one for a combination of its healing properties and flavor profile.
Specifically, organic white peony tea (白牡丹茶). White tea is harvested from the youngest, most delicate buds & leaves which are covered in fine white hairs and located at the top of the tea plant. Once picked, they are allowed to lightly wither in the sun and then are gently dried to prevent further enzymatic oxidation (meaning to turn darker from exposure to the air, kind of like an apple).
Black tea has a long history with Kombucha. The literal translation of the Chinese word for Kombucha – 紅茶菌 – is "red tea bacteria" (read more about the many names of Kombucha).
Though it was once thought that black tea didn't contain nearly the benefits of green tea, it has been discovered that despite a longer oxidization process, it is very healthy.
Black tea is higher in purines which aid blood circulation and encourage warming properties. I blend in more black tea during the Winter to compensate for cooler temperatures. Women especially may experience poor circulation in their extremities and drinking Kombucha made with black tea can improve that condition.
No wonder Kombucha has such a host of healing properties. It is made from a beverage that already has amazing health benefits. Then Kombucha makes it easier for the body to absorb those benefits through the magic of fermentation and a little colony of special bacteria and yeast, which end up producing a bunch of vitamins and enzymes that weren't there before as well. Bonus!
Kombucha cultures love green tea just as much as black tea and grow thick, healthy SCOBYs in either one.
**Bonus Definition – flush – tea is harvested 2 times per year. Each harvest is called a flush. The leaves from the first flush in Spring have a different flavor and quality than those of the second flush in Summer. Some types of tea also have an Autumnal flush.
All of these teas, in their seemingly unlimited varieties, have been shown to make healthy, delicious Kombucha and SCOBYs. Mix them and match them for a flavor combination you enjoy.
However, there are some teas to be avoided when making Kombucha.
Flavored teas such as Red Zinger or Chai – these are often flavored using essential oils that may damage the culture. There are varying opinions about Earl Gray as it contains oil of bergamot but several people have brewed Kombucha with it successfully. You may not want to use it as your main tea but it adds nice flavor and body.
Herbal infusions – as mentioned previously, these do not technically contain any Camellia sinensis. Some herbal infusions with high levels of volatile oils will retard the culture's growth as they have a bacteriacidal effect (kill bacteria).
Strongly smokey teas such as Lapsang Souchong – while they won't technically damage the Kombucha, the flavor is considered a poor match by most brewers.
Of course, now that I said don't use these teas, everyone will want to use these teas and the comments will fill with people who have used them successfully. That's one of the beautiful things about Kombucha: Experimentation!
Look for my next post about teas: Yerba Mate, Rooibos, Pu-erh and the wonderful world of Tea Tasting.
I found a roasted kukicha tes and we are curious to brew it. Is there any problem in brewing any roasted tea??? Thanks!!!!
We always encourage experimental brews be conducted with a spare SCOBY from your hotel. Let us know how it turns out with the kukicha!
Can you use Lipton iced black tea peach for kombucha and i did read the ingredient it has orange pekoe and pekoe cut black tea and natural flavor.
We don't typically like to use flavored teas as they could have essential oils that might damage the culture – use one from your SCOBY Hotel as an experiment and if it turns out ok, then it is good to go!
Before I knew I shouldn't use Earl Gray tea that IS what I made kombucha with. I still do. My SCOBY's are beautiful thick healthy things and the kombucha is a hearty flavor. I hope I continue to be successful w/it!
Sounds like they've adapted well! Happy Brewing!
In my country it's very usual to find bancha in local market. But, it seems bancha is very light or weak. I know bancha is green tea too, but is it good to produce kombucha?
Bancha can be used. If too weak in terms of flavor, combine with a darker tea.
i use senna infused tea just for that extra gut health and improve my digestion. turns out fine no issues. and i use regular tap water rather than distilled and still no issue. as long as everything is clean and sanitised there should be no issue.
Can I use Japanese green tea with the roasted rice?
For the past 15 years I have been using i/2 cup sugar per gallon of water. So it is not too sweet.
To cut down on caffeine, I use a small pan of water, bring it to a boil, take it off the heat, with stainless steel tongs put 7 tea bags in the water and stir them around for about 10 seconds then lift them out and add them to my gallon of boiled water which has the 1/2 cup of sugar in it.
With this method a number of people including me find regular Kombucha too sweet or to buzzy like this.
Thanks for sharing your tip Loren. Once you have a good mother culture, experimental brews of all types can be tried. What other tweaks to the recipe have you found necessary as a result of reducing the sugar and caffeine content? Shorter fermentation time?
Is it ok to use genmaicha for a brew? I have a ton of it I'd like to use for something. I was concerned about whether those little popcorns would attract mold.
I have a problem. I have brewed 14 batches of kombucha. My last two batches ate all the sugar but didn't taste at all vinegary. Just flat nothing! I made sue I used correct amt of sugar, tea and starter. Only difference was I changed the location of placing my brews. I had fan's and AC running (I have heard these may effect brews. Do you know if this is true?
I have never brewed my kombucha with Camellia sinensis tea, only herbal tisanes. My culture is several years old and shows no sign of weakening.
The Kombucha culture is a flexible technology and can adapt to other types of tea – however for most people just starting out it is best to stick to unflavored tea aka camellia sinensis. Enjoy our Exotic Teas post for more info on brewing with tisanes.
The last booch I made smelled kinda like farts. We're all drinking it without problems, and the SCOBY looks beautiful. But the smell is off-puting Any reasons why this happened? Besides cleaning off the yeasty bits and container, is there something I can do to prevent the next booch from smelling farty?
Yeast is the culprit. Be sure to take your starter liquid from the top of the vessel to prevent imbalances that may lead to off flavors and smells. Happy Brewing!
I am very new to kombucha and am trying my first batch. Will decaf tea produce suitable kombucha. Some in my family cannot tolerate the regular caf tea. Thanks!
The short answer is yes, but we don't recommend it as it may not serve the needs of the culture long term. The caffeine in Kombucha is very low compared to drinking a cup of tea and most find they don't even notice it. Of course, every body is different – Trust YOUR gut! If you've been drinking a commercial brand, they all use caffeinated teas for their base. Here is an article with more information regarding Kombucha & caffeine.
I bought a scouby from Kombutcha camp and the first ferment I did was great and then second I accidentally measured wrong and put too much water in it for two different ferments, then I realized it only had 3 quarts in and did the last one right. but the scoubys just don't seem as nice as the first one. grrrr. I went a head a bought black orange blossom tea, green, white and rubies and I mixed them but it seems a lot thinner than the first one. still. Any suggestions on the best way to do large quantitates do you prefer to do gallon jars. I bought a few 2 gallon jars but they are so heavy they are hard to pour. So I went back to the one gallon. I'll have to buy another thermometer because I stuck it on the 2 gallon and it wouldn't come off.
The daughter cultures will not be as thick as the mother. We want to ensure your success and send larger cultures than your brew will make. Keep the daughters together until there are enough to start a second batch or place them in a SCOBY hotel. The thermometer strips are permanent and can only be removed by destroying the strip. Here's a three pack option for all of your vessels.
Any tea or herb may be used to brew Kombucha – at least once. As to whether it will be appropriate for future batches depends on how the culture behaves – if it is able to adapt, it will continue to reproduce and taste delicious. If the culture weakens and fails to reproduce over time, then it is not a good substrate for regular use. Because of this potential for failure, we use extra SCOBYs from our hotel for testing new teas & herbs in order to protect our mother culture.
Just a quick question which I can't seem to find a clear answer to. I'm wondering if it's better to use loose leaf tea as opposed to tea bags? Or the outcome and the health of the scoby is the same across both.
The health of the SCOBY will not be adversely affected by whether the tea is in bags or loose – it will, however, be affected by the quality of the tea used for brewing. We prefer to use loose leaf tea for a couple of reasons – 1) it wastes less paper (packaging) and 2) wastes less paper (money – cheaper in bulk).
I have Hashimoto Syndrome, and have read to avoid fluoride. Is your teas blend okay for me to use, or should I stick with just one type of tea?
We are not doctors and cannot diagnose any ailments. As for tea and Hashimoto's, from what we've read, it appears to depend on which aspect of the immune system (Th1 or Th2) which is affected by YOUR SPECIFIC Hashimoto's diagnosis. While we see references to avoid green tea if it is Th2 dominant, we don't find any information related to black tea. Hannah's Special Tea Blend, while it does contain some green tea, is primarily a black tea dominant blend. If you are avoiding green tea altogether, then you might consider using a blend of black teas or our Yin Yang blend which is organic white and oolong tea and is lower in caffeine.
Hanna when you talk about blending teas, is it usually equal amounts of each tea or does one need to figure out which teas require for instance one tsp more than the others?
Mix n match – they do not need to be in equal amounts. Creating unique blends leads to unique flavors of Kombucha.
I am new to brewing and would like to know if it is okay to use orange pekoe black tea and how much of the kombucha with the scoby should be added to brewed tea.
Hello Hannah, I'm not sure if you've already answered this question somewhere, but I'm wondering if you know of any significant difference in nutrient profile or health benefits between using cold brew tea for making kombucha versus normal hot-brewed tea. At least one study has shown that the antioxidant properties of white tea are significantly increased with cold steeping (see "http://ergo-log.com/whitetea.html"), and I'm wondering how much this increase is retained (or even amplified) through the kombucha fermentation. And I'm curious about cold brewing other types of tea as well. When I've used cold brew black and green teas (brewing them overnight) for my kombucha I've found the natural "green tea" and "black tea" flavors to come through more strongly in the final product. I wonder what this means for nutrient profiles. Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!
I'm new to the openings community and want to know why a jelly – like substance is formed in the bottles I filled up and kept for daily consumption after 2 or 3 days. I'm still with the batch brewing method but want to switch to continuous brewing.
The Kombucha culture is a vibrant organism that is always reproducing. Even in the bottles, they are starting to form. This is a positive sign as it means your brew is very active and healthy. You may strain them out if you prefer or simply swallow them for an extra dose of good stuff.
I have been using regular lipton tea bags and brown sugar for my brew – is that okay?
As long as you are enjoying the flavor and the culture is continuing to reproduce, then its okay!
There has been a lot of misinformation about Kombucha that has circulated and this piece of advice is an old, leftover from that time. The thought was that pesticides would also kill any other organisms that might naturally live in the tea. Our experience has been that the flavor and quality of the Kombucha brewed with organic tea is superior to that of conventional tea. Any other "cohabitants" in the tea leaves ought to be killed off by the starter liquid. This is why it is always important to have the correct ratio of starter culture & liquid to sweet tea in order to protect the brew. Use organic!
I was gifted a scoby and usd your info to brew my first batch. It has been ten days now and while I believe the resulting brew tastes good- it is quite sweet still. I used green tea and just read above some folks saying it takes longer than black teas and others saying it takes less time. So- if after 10 days, it is still sweet, it is n't finished brewing yet?
It is finished brewing when it has the sweet/sour flavor that YOU like best. This time of year, it is a bit cold for KT brewing. We recommend using a heating element to keep it happy and fermenting properly.
It should be noted that "White Peony Tea" is not the same as White Peony, a commonly used medicinal plant (Paeonia lactiflora). In chinese medicine the root is usually boiled and the tea used. It would probably be a great additive tea.
I am going to start my first batch of Kombucha tonight. I am going to try using Rooibee Red Tea. I am hoping my kids will try the Kombucha, again. They hated it the first time. They love rooibee! Any suggestion?
Not a good choice for primary as rooibos doesn't have the nutrients the culture needs to thrive. If you are using an extra baby, that's fine – but if it is your only mother, then best to stick to camellia sinensis.
Curious about adding some milk thistle to the black tea?
Experiment with a baby to see how it responds. Then decide if you want to include it in primary fermentation or use it as a flavoring in secondary. Let us know how it turns out!
For Green tea…How is the taste differ for Gunpowder Green tea vs. Green Tea?
I like light kombucha taste and need help deciding which type of tea to get. Thanks!
Experiment to see which has the flavor you prefer. You might try steeping each type of tea and tasting it to see if you like the original flavor. Then use that tea to make your booch and see how they compare. Over time, you will train your palate to taste the difference.
Can I use rooibos tea to brew kombucha, or some other caffeine free tea? Also, what is the minimum amount of sugar I can use? now I use 1.5 cups per gallon and I find it way too sweet.
We wouldn't recommend rooibos as your sole "tea" as it is not the same as the tea plant – here is a post on some of the more "exotic" teas that can be used for brewing KT.
As for the best recipe, check this one out.
This is so great to go through the teas that work and why. I am really happy you have this site for reference. I was discouraged when I read this about the pesticides and soy in tea, especially since I have a soy allergy!
I am so thankful my friend told me about Kombucha.
Also I noticed layers growing on the mother fungus. We now have divided it and have two jars going now.
I want to try an orange spice flavor but was concerned about the oils in the orange rind. Any comments on this?
Save the orange rinds for 2F (flavoring stage) to prevent any interaction between the oils and your mother. Plus the rinds can be bitter, so use sparingly until you find the right ratio.
I was just reading somewhere… that a guy ismmaking kombucha using ground raw cocoa beans… what? That is a new one on me… hr didn't say how… it makes me wonder if he used Choffy….
Otherwise it seems like there would be too much oil in that? Have you ever heard of this?
You can flavor with nearly anything. We don't recommend using them for primary fermentation except as an experiment with your extra babies. Give it a try and see what happens!
I just discovered your site this morning and I'm super excited. My husband and I are novices, we started brewing about a month ago. I found that you said chai is not a good tea to brew with. So, my question is how would we go about getting a chai flavored kombucha? We are trying to get his dad away from the commercial chai teas with all the sugar, and he really liked the chai kombucha he found at the store. Is there anyway to make our own?
Can I use a tea that has orange peel (not orange peel oil) but just the orange peel…? Thank you!!
It might work fine, though we prefer to reserve non tea additions to the flavoring stage. Best to try it with an extra SCOBY so as not to harm the mother. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi! Love the incredible amount of knowledge offered here. I am a newbie, and I'm currently on my 3rd batch of KT tea. How many times can you brew the mother before its no longer safe to use?
The mother atrophies over time. Typically you can get 10 batches from a mother before she tires out. Best to use the babies for healthy, vibrant cultures.
I am interested in starting this kombucha brewing but I am getting a little confused with all the different tea types. I am unable to have caffein due to a heart condition but I have a pantry full of teas that I can safely drink. How do I know which of these would be safe/oil free for the Scoby?!
Our first recommendation would be to try some commercially produced Kombucha to see if it aggravates your allergy nearly every brand that is commercially produced Kombucha is made with caffeinated tea. The caffeine is important for the culture as it utilizes it in the fermentation process. Reading the ingredients list on your teas will help you discover if there are any additional flavorings or essential oils or other yucky stuff (i.e. soy lecithin) is in your tea.
I just brewed by 2nd batch of kombucha. The first batch I used a mango black tea and everything seemed fine. I didn't realize you shouldn't use flavored teas. This second batch I used a blueberry tea. Is this not ok? You mentioned not using flavored teas due to the oils. These teas had dried fruit in them. Not sure if it's the same. I don't want to ruin my scoby.
Better safe than sorry. Skip the flavored teas in the primary ferment and use them to flavor your KT in 2F. Flavored teas often have other ingredients that may adversely affect the culture. You could use them in primary with an extra SCOBY from your hotel as an experiment but I wouldn't risk my main mother messing around with flavored teas.
Hi all, I am new to kombucha brewing, and the new scoby that forms on top is consistently going mouldy each time. I peel off this layer and throw it away and have even transferred the old mother and washed/sterilised the jar etc. Any tips on how to stop the new scoby going mouldy?
Are you sure you are getting mold and not a new baby? Check out this post on mold to double check. Also, if you have mold, but use the same mother, then you will get mold again because the spores have already infected the mother. You will need to use an untainted culture to get unmoldy booch.
Hannah, before starting can you explain the best way to strain loose tea? Perhaps I am over complicating things but am not sure what to use.
You can strain the tea through cheesecloth or use a muslin tea bag or tea ball to hold the loose tea.
I've been experimenting in quart sized jars – it brews faster, so you have your answer quicker, and works super well!
Don't try oatstraw. total disaster.
YES for dandelion, chrysanthemum, hyssop, fennel, lavender, ginger, horsetail, chamomile, rosehip, hybiscus, and berry blends.
Don't do cinnamon – it tastes horrible.
Anyone know why certain organic green teas don't work?
Thanks for the tips! I actually love cinnamon brew – but I use the cinnamon chips, not powdered cinnamon (not sure what you used). What organic green teas did you try? Were they flavored? Kombucha is traditionally a black tea & sugar ferment and does best with those inputs.
I used cinnamon sticks, but i think the problem was that I boiled them and added it to the black tea for fermenting. The fermented cinnamon flavor was not my favorite, at all. I've tried just adding them to the bottle after the first fermentation is over, and that tastes fine to me. Clove and Star Anise especially were really nice this way, too. And they make a beautiful color and drink with floating herbs in them. Nice for gifts!
It was a bancha twig green tea, and it just wasn't producing like I'm used to. It took forever and wasn't very flavorful, not tart at all. But I tried it with calendula and that worked well – maybe it was just the combinations I was doing that didn't work. For instance, I brewed dandelion all summer with green tea and that worked super, until I tried it this winter with the bancha tea and it didn't work at all. Who knows, maybe it needs summer time weather to work.
I am excited to try different teas to find my personal favorite. Does anyone know if you can use matcha powder during the brew process or should I wait till the bottling stage? I plan to have an experiment jar with it's own scopy… just in case of a fluf up. Any tip would be welcome!!!!
Definitely do an experimental batch. Nearly anything can be used to ferment Kombucha once. How it fares with the culture over time will indicate if it is suitable for frequent use. Let us know how it turns out!
If your KT is forgotten : …& it gets greatly overbrewed, does the acid have vinegar-like qualities, which can be used like vinegar for various household purposes (non-ingested)? Or other usefulness?
I wonder if green tea still has the antioxidants if the scoby feeds on the tea itself. Is it possible also to put milk thistle in it?
Our village school was gifted a SCOBY, actually about 4 or 5 mothers. They had been fed on raw honey for as long as the previous brewer knew/had them. They had also been feed Hibiscus tea they're whole life. At least 20 ferment cycles, likely 50 or so before I have been brewing with them, and I have brewed like 3 times. They are the happiest, healthiest looking SCOBYs i have ever seen!!
Hannah (or anyone else, please!) I am wondering what you know about brewing with hibiscus? As far as I know, it does not have any tannins and probably lacking more 'so called necessary' ingredients.
You can brew anything with a Kombucha culture – once. How it behaves over time is what indicates which herbs/flowers/spices may be used in the primary fermentation process. Hibiscus is one of the flowers that works with the culture and many find it works great in primary fermentation. However, the strain that you have may or may not have the same bacterial colony that a "traditional" Kombucha brewed with tea & sugar might possess as it would have evolved to adapt to the substrate upon which it has been feeding. Would love to hear how it does with tea.
I have been using half Hibiscus flowers and half Sencha tea, with great results. Scobys are healthy and prolific.
i have been able to produce a very white scoby and tasty komucha using an organic ethanol extract of gotu kola and non organic loose leaf oolong tea from the local oriental market.
im now currently using a 2 gallon food grade plastic bucket to brew as opposed to a 1 gallon jar. im aware glass is ultimate, but this will do untill i can get either a 5 gallon carboy or a 5 gallon food grade bucket. CHEERS! STAY HEALTHY!
is guayusa tea good to make kombucha?
So I take it all this information means that it's a no on yerba mate?
Check out the next article in the series – https://www.kombuchakamp.com/exotic-teas-kombucha While Kombucha is traditionally a black tea ferment, yerba mate does contain enough of the elements that it can sustain a Kombucha culture.
Hi! I was wondering if using Thai tea in kombucha would be a safe choice. It contains a mix of ingredients that may include added orange blossom water, star anise, crushed tamarind seed or red and yellow food coloring, and sometimes other spices as well (according to Wikipedia). I was wondering if the ingredients would damage the kombucha. Thanks!
You are welcome to experiment with a spare SCOBY Vina, but based on that list of ingredients, I'm not holding out much hope. The volatile oils of the spices will likely inhibit the growth of the SCOBY. Please keep us posted on your progress if you decide to brew with it!
Which black teas specifically? I have assam, darjeeling, and an irish breakfast tea which we haven't been drinking so much. The darjeeling normally gets brewed at a lower temp and for a shorter time than other blacks so would I have to be careful to not over brew?
Unflavored black teas work best – be they any of the types you mentioned. Best to avoid those with artificial flavorings as they may contain volatile oils that could harm your mother culture. I use assam, darjeeling, english breakfast and many more! I did find Lapsong Suchong to be a bit on the smoky side for my preference.
We have been given a Kombucha culture by a friend who uses Yerba Mate tea. We also now use Yerba Mate and after two months the scoby has tripled in size with a lot of new white growth. The Kombucha tasted very good. Is Yerba Mate suitable for long term use? It does contain caffeine, which I understand to be good, even though of the holly family.
Yerba mate does contain many of the components the culture needs for sustained growth. The evidence of the new white growth over subsequent batches is proving that it can be used long term. Enjoy the brewing process!
I have recently been given a kombucha culture from a friend. He uses Yerba Mate tea and we have also been using this for about two months now. It seems to work well and the scoby has tripled in size with a lot of new white growth. Is Yerba Mate suitable long term? I believe Yerba Mate does contain caffeine, which is supposed to be good, even though it is of the holly family. Does anyone have experience of this? Is Yerba Mate suitable for long term use?
Yerba mate is one of the "teas" we can use with Kombucha though the culture is best adapted when some tea (camellia sinensis) is also used in the nutrient solution.
Hannah – have you ever brewed with jasmine tea? It is my favorite tea but if it brews too long it gets too tannic. Just wondering how it does as KT.
I had a similar question about other green teas. The instructions say to brew with boiling or near boiling water and for 10 minutes but most of the green teas I use would turn out bitter under normal circumstances if brewed under those conditions.
Most folks are not tea savvy in the way that you seem to be Craig. Follow the steeping instructions for the type of tea you'd like to use. The fermentation process does convert the bitterness of the tea into a milder flavor.
I'm pretty new, but also follow the boil instructions as you stated. (I imagine, as in beer brewing, the 10 minute boil is to sanitize thoroughly and remove chlorine if tap water was used) I add the black tea early in the boil, but wait until I've cut the heat and it's cooled off to add the green or white. As soon as my thermometer reads 180f I add the green, which prevents not only bitterness but damage to more fragile nutrients.
I just started brewing, How many batches in a row can the same scoby and mother be used together?. I don't want to overdue it.
A culture is usually viable for 10 brewing cycles or until you notice it lose its firmness and fall apart.
Hi Sue. One batch of chamomile will not destroy your culture. Simply use some tea in your next batch.
Once you have some extra cultures, use them to make batches with other non-tea infusions. Always protect your mother cultures by using tea.
I used celestial seasonings honey camomile,green tea,and black tea..is this combo ok do u think?
only one way to find out! Let us know how it turns out.
hmm.. sounds good, where did you get the Razz tea from?
I recommend only flavoring in the bottling stage to protect the culture – keep some cultures as back up in your SCOBY hotel that are fed unflavored tea and sugar, just in case this culture atrophies over time. You want to avoid teas that use oils to produce the flavor as they can harm the culture. Since this tea has pieces of fruit, the culture is likely using it as an additional sugar source. Observe it over time and if it continues to be robust, then you are good to go!
I bought a green tea with natural strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate flavors. I haven't tried but would this be good/safe?
Depends on if the flavors are from pieces of fruit or essential oils or flavorings. If they are from fruit, you might give them a try but if the flavoring comes from chemicals, we'd avoid using it for Primary Fermentation (PF) but it certainly could be used as a flavoring in Secondary Fermentation (2F).
My experience shows that the green tea ferments do get sour in a shorter amount of time. I don't brew with just one type of tea but rather a blend of green, white & black (plus yerba mate & roiboos) as I have found that it yields a tastier flavor and the cultures appreciate the variety.
Do you currently blend your teas or use just black or just green? There are so many variables that effect ferment times, it may not be the tea that is increasing the time.
Hannah, I have tea on my mind! I was until last week blending only green teas together, Dragonwell Green Tea + Gunpowder Green Tea and my ferment cycle is 20 days. After 20 days enough acidity is present to still enjoy and yet not be overpowered by it. Also, my Scoby's are quite thick and flourishing well after five months of brewing and rotating them. You recommend blending black and green tea, is there something in the black tea that is not in the green tea?
Yes, there are different compounds in black tea than in green tea. For instance, black tea is higher in purines which contributes to the KT having more warming properties – great for in winter. As each tea has its own specific organic profile of different acids, therfore each will have a slightly different effect and taste on the culture.
There seem to be varying opinions on purine content of black versus green tea.
Yay! Chickens ♥ Kombucha too!
Question: is there any other use for the new white "mushroom" SCOBY, other than starting more K? Can it be used for animal feed, fertilizer, compost, etc. I hate to just throw it out, but I can't use so much.
I know this is an old question, but I made scoby "jerky" from one of my extras. I put it in a zip top bag, pounded it out to about 1/4″ thickness (this probably isn't necessary but mine was pretty thick and I didn't want it to be inedibly chewy.) I then poured some Bragg's liquid aminoes and fresh black pepper and put the bag in the fridge for about a week (honestly, I forgot about it after a couple of days!) Then, I layed the scoby onto a rack fit over a rimmed baking sheet and put in the oven on the lowerst setting (~150°) for 4 hours or so. The result was chewy, salty, meaty – great vegan jerky! Almost bacon-like!
I love your website. Your Youtube videos are how I got started brewing. Friends are starting to get curious about brewing their own and I want to give them beautiful scobys like my first ones. Any ideas of the best way to produce unblemished scobys, without yeast (brown spots and edges)?
The cultures start out white and then turn darker the longer they are exposed to the tannins in the tea.
According to one of our bloggers from Thailand, white & green tea produce the whitest scobys.
Id like to add my 2 cents, but i share scoby's with friends as well, and i have actually found that growing them in pure apple juice produces THICK and white scoby's rather quickly. 2-3 weeks and you will get 1/4 inch plus, and then transfer it to green tea for another week or so to help keep it from atrophy. cant hurt to try it 🙂 and the apple cider vinegar type liquid left is very yummy on salads.
Most SCOBYs will thicken at that rate if left undisturbed, though the apple "cider" you are making does sound tasty! Here's a post about using fruit in the primary fermentation instead of sugar. Happy Brewin!
I heard oolong was good or irish breakfast.


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This "Dynamic Duo" creates the most hydrating, cleansing, alkaline rich water which contains natural nutrient complexes. Both products work together in harmony to give your body premium healthy water. Because our bodies are about 70% water, it really does matter what kind of water we drink.
Even if you eat healthy, organic food, you may be missing vital minerals because our soil is so depleted.
One thing I noticed after starting on these products was that all of the swelling in my ankles disappeared! I wonder what they could do for you?
WHAT IF AGING CAN BE SLOWED, EVEN STOPPED?
and gene expression can be disrupted.
What if there were a way to keep cellular communication strong.
cellular signaling that we had when we were young.


text:
Don't Get It "Twisted" Marcus Darc's New R&B Release Is Explicitly Delicious
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-platinum selling songwriter, producer and R&B charmer Marcus Darc has been crooning the sounds of sensuality since the 80's when he formed his first group in Chicago, R-Kelly & MGM. As one of the original new school sexy soul swooners, his signature sound has elicited a body of work that has always catered to what women want to hear. Darc possesses no inhibitions when he writes, produces and performs for his target audience of females. Yet unlike most of today's hip hop lyricists, who shun sentiment over gratuitous sex, Darc sensuously aims for hearts and hips, swaying them with synchronized satisfaction. "Twisted," on Lucky Entertainment, his latest musical release since dropping "Pretty Woman" in 2013, is perhaps unprecedented in its aural explicitness. Darc leaves very little to the imagination when wooing and cooing his love interests, while inciting fantasy and fervor to a fever pitch.
"Twisted" is loaded with 13 shades of succulent seduction. Darc dedicates the production to Prince, his primary influence in the art of acoustic eroticism. Multi-platinum producer, Hurt M Badd, produced most of the project, including the first single release "The Greatest," which is currently sweeping digital radio in heavy rotation. Hurt M Badd and Darc have been writing and producing since their days together in the group B-Rezell on Death Row Records, when the two were signed to the label. Badd famously produced Tupac's "Makaveli" album and is often acknowledged for his work on Pac's singles "Hail Mary," "Me & My Girlfriend" and "Just Like Daddy," from the classic CD.
"Collaborating with Hurt M Badd after all these years was great," offers Darc about the musical process and vision for "Twisted." "Badd knows as well as anybody how I have always been an advocate for the ladies. A lot of artists sing 'at' them, I sing 'to' them. My music was considered too explicit back in the day, but now the musical arena is pretty much no holds barred. Time has finally caught up to a vision I had years ago. My mission to tastefully tease and please has come full circle, and "Twisted" is really not twisted at all anymore. I have always stated that women are sexual creatures and they crave music that acknowledges them as such."
"The Greatest," the debut single from "Twisted," currently in heavy digital radio rotation, unabashedly boasts Darc's steamy sexual prowess, as he stirs passion and heat with tales of his magic stick. "XX" is a seductive invitation to come along with Darc, while "Let It Out" is a bounce-flavored ode to freakiness. "I know You Want Dis Luv" is a candid disclosure about the pleasures of self-induced romancing while "Shake A Lil Azz" is a classic twerk-a-thon anthem. "If Only" explores forbidden lust and "J.O." unveils and details a cautionary tale of confessional gratification.
Darc's musical legacy is quite extensive. His recent in-depth interview on Bomb1st.com (https://youtu.be/_rtXADa0Xbs), where the artist/entertainer highlighted his industry exploits over the years, has garnered over 11,500 listens. During the interview, Darc discusses his uncanny knack for tapping new talent, i.e. R. Kelly, Hurt M Badd and even Jamie Foxx, (who Darc was about to replace R. Kelly with in the group MGM, before Foxx booked "In Living Color") to his never before revealed run-ins with notorious Death Row founder Suge Knight. Part 2 of the interview session is slated to post soon.
Over the years, Darc has shared the stage as a performer with R-Kelly, Snoop Dogg, and Frankie Beverly & Maze, to name a few. His "My Pretty Woman" CD was a pinnacle achievement for him, showcasing his profound development as an artist. Songs like "So Many Wayz," "Beautiful," and "Touch U" were laced with live instrumentals, luscious vocals and evocative refrains, painting a tapestry of devotion to women and the art of loving them. While "Pretty Woman" was "G" rated, "Twisted" revels in a more explicit homage to the opposite sex.
Twist in carnal delight with Marcus Darc. Get "Twisted" on iTunes at http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1126486380?ls=1&app=itunes , at Apple Music http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1126486380 and wherever online music is sold.
Friend Marcus Darc on Facebook at Marcus Darc and on Instagram at @MarcusDarc.
"Twisted" album cover:http://imageshack.com/a/img923/6474/c3QEGX.jpg
Hurt Em Badd and Marcus Darc photo: http://imageshack.com/a/img921/1411/4AxRJl.jpg
Jamie Foxx and Marcus Darc: http://imageshack.com/a/img923/2944/LzGicv.jpg
SOURCE Lucky Entertainment
Lucky Entertainment
CONTACT: jazzmyne Public Relations, 323-380-8819, email makeda@jazzmynepr.com
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How to test if a parameter is provided to a function? I was wondering, can you create a function with an optional parameter.
Example:
function parameterTest(test)
{
   if exists(test)
   {
     alert('the parameter exists...');
   }
   else
   {
     alert('The parameter doesn\'t exist...');
   }
}

So if you call parameterTest() then the result would be a message "The parameter doesn't exist...". And if you call parameterTest(true) then it would return "the parameter exists...".
Is this possible?

A: In JavaScript, if you neglect to give a parameter it will default to undefined.
You could try it out for yourself easily enough, either in your browser console or using JSFiddle.
You can check for the existance of the parameter, as you say, and that way write a function that can use a parameter or not. However, JavaScript Garden (a great resource) recommends staying away from typeof in most other cases, as its output is just about useless (check out the table of results of typeof).

A: init default values if not exists:
function loadDialog(fn, f, local, anim) {
  switch (arguments.length) {
    case 1: f=null;
    case 2: local=false;
    case 3: anim=false;
  }
  ...
}

A: function parameterTest(p) {
    if ( p === undefined)
        alert('The parameter doesn\'t exist...');
    else
        alert('the parameter exists...');
}

A: best way to check: if the param is not undefined
function parameterTest(param) {
    if (param !== undefined)
    ...

the param could be also a variable or a function name

A: None of these answers were doing it for me. I needed to know if someone had used the parameter or not. If someone invoked the function passing undefined I wanted to treat that as them using that value as the parameter. Anyway, the solution was quite easy using some modern JS:
function parameterTest(...test) {
  if (test.length) {
    return `exists`;
  } else {
    return `not exists`;
  }
}

parameterTest(123);         // exists
parameterTest(undefined);   // exists
parameterTest();            // not exists
parameterTest(window.blah); // exists

For older browsers you can use arguments:
function parameterTest() {
  if (arguments.length) {
    return "exists";
  } else {
    return "not exists";
  }
}

A: function parameterTest(bool)
{
   if(typeof bool !== 'undefined')
   {
     alert('the parameter exists...');
   }
   else
   {
     alert('The parameter doesn\'t exist...');
   }
}

A: This is a very frequent pattern.
You can test it using
function parameterTest(bool) {
  if (bool !== undefined) {

You can then call your function with one of those forms :
 parameterTest();
 parameterTest(someValue);

Be careful not to make the frequent error of testing
if (!bool) {

Because you wouldn't be able to differentiate an unprovided value from false, 0 or "".

A: null == undefined is true
if (arg == null){
    // arg was not passed.
}

Code example:

var button = document.querySelector("button");

function myFunction(arg){
  if(arg == null){
    alert("argument was not passed.");
  } else {
    alert("argument " + arg + " was passed.");
  }
}
<button onclick="myFunction('foo');">click to fire function w arg</button>

<button onclick="myFunction();">click to fire function w/o arg</button>

A: I know this is old, but this is my preferred way to check, and assign default values to functions:
function testParamFunction(param1, param2) {
    param1 = typeof param1 === 'undefined' ? null : param1;
    param2 = typeof param2 === 'undefined' ? 'default' : param2;

    // exit if the required parameter is not passed
    if (param1 === null) {
        console.error('Required parameter was not passed');
        return;
    }

    // param2 is not mandatory and is assigned a default value so
    // things continue as long as param1 has a value
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Autumn is a data-driven storyteller working in recruitment marketing. She loves to discover the drivers behind employee motivation and satisfaction so she can share their stories, answer questions and inspire other top candidates to join the company. In addition to her day job, she teaches yoga, coaches endurance running and advises clients on improving their health.
Discover how employee advocacy can target passive job seekers, how advocacy can help recruiting efforts in a decentralized structure, and key metrics to focus on to fuel your recruitment marketing strategy.


This is one of the largest dental discount networks available, providing enrollees access to over 53,000 available dental practice locations nationwide (according to the Aetna Enterprise Provider Database as of 10/25/04). Participants can save up to 50% on certain dental services. Actual costs and savings vary by geographic area.
The GE Wellness Plan is here to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses for health services like dental, vision, pharmacy, and more. It was designed with YOU in mind - to fill in the gaps in your current health care plan. So, if your employer's coverage is not cutting it - and Medicare is not enough - the GE Wellness Plan can help you afford the health care you need.
The Patriot Plan was created to make DENTAL care affordable to more Americans. The Patriot Plan helps you receive the dental care you need while saving you money. Your complete dental fee schedule is on average of up to 50% off usual and customary fees as compared with ADA regional survey averages. The Patriot reduced fee-for-service dental program provides quality dental care at over 7,000 participating dentists nationwide.
The UNI-CARE 200 plan offers discounts on dental care, prescription drugs, vision services, chiropractic treatment, and hearing devices! The plan offers a very large Nationwide network of providers to help you save on all your health care needs.


text:
Star Journal
Hodag Star Journal E-Edition
Northwoods NOW
Home›Sports›WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Taylor Wissbroecker in senior season at UMD
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Taylor Wissbroecker in senior season at UMD
By Star Journal
At left, the Bulldogs' Taylor Wissbroecker (3), a 2013 Rhinelander High School graduate, is now in her senior season on the University of Minnesota Duluth women's volleyball team. Photo by Brett Groehler, University of Minnesota Duluth
BY KEVIN BONESKE
REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER
Having begun her senior season 21-0 in match play is the latest in multiple-win starts Taylor Wissbroecker has experienced in four years as an outside hitter on the University of Minnesota Duluth women's volleyball team.
"We always usually start out strong," said Wissbroecker, a 2013 Rhinelander High School graduate who notes she plans to graduate in 3 ½ years from UMD majoring in biology.
This year's opening string of wins lifted the Bulldogs to No. 1 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II poll. However, after two consecutive match losses followed up by a win before this weekend's pair of home matches, UMD dropped to the No. 2 spot. The No. 1 team, Concordia-St. Paul, lost Sept. 30 to the Bulldogs before the two teams' rematch slated for Friday.
Wissbroecker said she didn't expect the Bulldogs to drop from the No. 1 spot, though she regards a loss as an opportunity to see where the team can improve.
Going into this weekend's matches, Wissbroecker started in all of this season's first 24 matches, in which she played in 84 games, and recorded 231 kills and 197 digs along with 12 service aces.
She said she decided to play for UMD because "this program would allow me to be a better player."
Wissbroecker said being in Duluth makes it possible for her family to attend UMD's matches with Rhinelander being a drive of about 3-4 hours away. She also noted the Bulldogs have a "great fan base" with about half the team from Wisconsin and the other half from Minnesota.
In her freshman year when she only appeared in a pair of matches, Wissbroecker said the only skill she had mastered was blocking and had to "relearn volleyball" at the college level.
She said the "transition of speed" is the biggest difference she has noticed going from high school to college volleyball with the ball moving much faster and the pace of high school games now seeming slow to her, also noting tall players on the front row are the norm at the college level.
Wissbroecker's playing time her sophomore year increased to 20 matches and 32 games, primarily as a reserve. However, she did have her first collegiate start that season when she recorded 12 kills, five service aces and a pair of blocks against Lake Superior State. Wissbroecker ended the year with 23 kills, 10 digs, seven blocks and five service aces and was also named to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's All-Academic Team.
Wissbroecker started in 30 of the 31 matches she appeared in her junior year and also received NSIC Player of the Week honors. She recorded a season-high 20 kills in a match against Minot State and also had 14 kills with a season-high 18 digs against Minnesota State University Moorhead, ending up for the season with 10 "double-doubles" in matches with at least 10 kills and digs.
However, 2015 marked the first season Wissbroecker wasn't part of a team at UMD that advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament after finishing 23-8 overall and fifth in the NSIC at 15-5. That compared to the Bulldogs recording 33 total match victories in both her freshman and sophomore seasons when the team played in the postseason.
Given the level of competition in the NSIC, in which six conference teams were ranked in the top 10 in the latest AVCA Division II poll that came out Oct. 31, Wissbroecker said it was "very frustrating" UMD didn't get an NCAA bid last season among the nation's 64 teams in the tournament. She noted the Bulldogs are using that as a motivator to make it to the tournament this year.
Wissbroecker said UMD is playing good enough this season to possibly receive an at-large NCAA bid, though the team would prefer getting an automatic bid by winning the NSIC tournament.
She said the Bulldogs' goal in 2016 is to win the NCAA Division II national championship.
After graduating in December with a bachelor's degree from UMD, Wissbroecker said she hopes to go to dental school, for which she has applied to attend either the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, the University of Florida or in Denver.
Her younger sister, Hope Wissbroecker, a junior outside hitter at RHS, was named to the Great Northern Conference's first team in volleyball this season.
"It would be cool is she came to UMD," said Taylor Wissbroecker, who also noted it will be up to her younger sister as to where she wants to play volleyball after high school.
TagsFeaturedTaylor WissbroeckerUniversity of Minnesota DuluthWomen's volleyball
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text:
Q: ISPConfig showing default apache page I am trying to install ISPConfig on Debian Jessie.
I was following this tut https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/perfect-server-debian-8-jessie-apache-bind-dovecot-ispconfig-3/3/
I can install everything alright, but when I access https://ip:8080/ I get the default apache page. Why is this happening?
In my /var/www/ folder there is an html/ folder, as well as an ispconfig/ folder, and I tried moving ispconfig into html but when I try to access it the php is not run.
And no, short tags are not the problem.
I tried a2dissite 000-default and then service apache2 restart but all stays the same.
Maybe I have to make some configuration that enables me to run different websites on different ports? In /etc/apache2/sites-available/ there is:

*

*000-default.conf

*apps.vhost

*default-ssl.conf ispconfig.conf

*ispconfig.vhost

I am not really sure what to do. I don't have much experience with apache
What are you trying to do?
I am trying to get ISPConfig to run when I access https://ip:8080.

A: The Basics
It seems like a virtual host entry would possibly solve this issue.
Under the following directory:
/etc/apache2/sites-available

copy & rename 000-default.conf, keeping the .conf extension e.g.
 # cp 000-default.conf virtual.isp3.conf .

Edit your new .conf file and make it look something like this (note particularly the :8080):
<VirtualHost *:8080>

ServerName example.tld
ServerAlias www.example.tld *.example.tld
DocumentRoot /path/to/isp3/

</VirtualHost>

This should set all requests to that server on port 8080 to pull from /path/to/isp3/
Note that you don't have to delete any lines, just uncomment them.
Once edited, save the .conf and enable it with a2ensite e.g.
# a2ensite virtual.isp3.conf

Then restart Apache
# service apache2 restart

Caveats

*

*If ISP3 is still failing, try a regular html page first to test the virtual host configuration (i.e. set DocumentRoot to access this custom plain page).

*You may need to add or configure addition options for SSL access.

*Likewise, if the plain page works, but a .php based page doesn't, you may need to take additional steps to make sure the server can parse .php files.

A: Had a similar problem, ispconfig url was showing apache default page, it was fixed by:
yum install mod_fcgid
service httpd restart


Tricker's M.T.O Cordovan Polo Chukka with Beams Plus green tartan socks and Ralph Lauren navy chinos.
I'm a big fan of the blog A Suitable Wardrobe. Although my own sartorial interests lie on the casual side of menswear, I find Will Boehlke's musings about classic and bespoke tailoring very inspiring. Many of his ideas and principals regarding colour, pattern and texture are applicable across every gentleman's wardrobe.
One of my favourite regular posts from Will has been his Suit & Sock installments. I start pretty much everyday with an idea to wear one thing in particular and then dress the rest of the outfit around it. More often than not, that item is either shoes or socks. Socks often dictate an outfit as it can depend on what's available on that day (i.e. not stuck in the laundry). I never don a pair to coordinate with anything else I'm wearing, but rather to compliment another garment (co-ordination being one of Will's biggest no-nos. A man should look like he took care to look good, but didn't try too hard).
You'll notice there is a lot of Fair Isle in this particular collection of shots. It's obviously a great winter pattern, adds a flash of visual interest to the ankle (make sure what's going on up top isn't too brash as well – don't want to over cook your 'look'!) and it often has plenty of colour to work with for the rest of the outfit.
So with this post – rather than a total rip of an idea – please think of it more as 'Stitched & Stitched after A Suitable Wardrobe'. A casual man's whimsical and light hearted homage to the serious business of classical menswear and colour matching. There's more to come down the line – I'm already looking forward to Summer so I can break out some socks and sandals combos. Regardless of my missus wincing every time I mention it, I'm convinced they're going to be the way forward.
Yuketen M.T.O Maine Guide Boots with Present London mixed red and blue wool socks and four year old A.P.C New Standards.
Tricker's M.T.O Black Scotch Grain Toe Cap Derbys, worn with Ralph Lauren black and white polka dot and Fair Isle trim socks and two year old A.P.C Petite Standards.
Alden Horween Cordovan Longwing Bluchers worn with Falke red Fair Isle socks and Our Legacy brown cords.
Yuketen Peanut Suede Angler Mocs worn with Ralph Lauren green Fair Isle socks and 4 year old A.P.C New Standards.
Mark McNairy x Engineered Garments Longwing Derbys worn with Ralph Lauren Rugby socks and Post Overall Brick Red Cords.
Tricker's Espresso Scotch Grain Stow Boots worn with Falke wool Fair Isle socks and two year old A.P.C Petite Standards.
Yuketen M.T.O Antler Mocs worn with Ralph Lauren cream and blue Fair Isle socks and Our Legacy cords.
Tricker's M.T.O Cordovan Polo Chukkas worn with Ralph Lauren cream and navy large Fair Isle pattern socks and two year old A.P.C Petite Standards.
This entry was posted in Detail Matters, Footwear, Laundry and tagged A.P.C., Alden, Beams Plus, Engineered Garments, Falke, Our Legacy, Post Overalls, Present, Ralph Lauren, Trickers, Yuketen. Bookmark the permalink.


Because of the season I am having to put items into Royal Mail after the cut-off time on Saturdays which means - in theory - the deliveries actually start on the following Monday. In the RC on-line form you can change the sending date ok for the delivery advice email. Unfortunately RC is over-riding this date entry and setting the shipping date to the date of entry which makes it look to customers that the items are delayed or lost. As RC allows over-ride of the shipping date - why isn't it "sticking"?


text:
November 14, 2018 by Sarah
Inspired by a trip to the Somme
Over the past 4 years we have enjoyed sharing stories from research undertaken at Gresham's School into their Old Boys and a recent email about how the research, and a trip to the Somme, have inspired current pupils is wonderful.
History competition inspires pupils to create poignant World War One tributes
Year 9 pupils at Gresham's School in Holt have created some impressive replicas of World War One trenches for a History competition following their recent trip to the Somme Battlefields in France.
Ben Hunt, from Holt, was awarded first prize for his outstanding tribute entitled "Far Field" made all the more poignant as he had individually made 115 poppies for his trench to represent the staff and pupils from Gresham's who had lost their lives in the Great War.
Ben said, "I feel extremely proud of what I have created as I spent so much time perfecting my trench to ensure it looked as authentic as possible." The fourteen year old used a shoebox, wood, barbed wire and even some clay he had gathered on a recent trip to France to help recreate his trench.
Head of History, Mr Simon Kinder said, "This term we are studying the Great War and I have been really impressed with how the pupils researched and developed their entries for this competition. The standard this year has been particularly high and this is a consequence of how important commemorating the Great War centenary has been at Gresham's. The students have clearly embraced the challenge and learned so much from constructing their trenches."
More than 500 former pupils fought for their country, leaving a lasting impact on the school and the surrounding community. As part of the commemorations of the end of the Great War, the school held Remembrance Services where the 115 pupils and staff who lost their lives were remembered.
Posted in Arts projects, research project, Schools	| Tagged art competition, Gresham's School, models, Somme, trenches, We Will Remember Them | Leave a comment
February 14, 2017 by Sarah
Snow in the trenches, the harsh winter of 1916/1917
After the iconic images from the Trenches of soldiers wading through mud then next most common images are of snow covered battlefields. After listening to historian Steve Smith dispel myths and show how we can't always trust photographs I decided to do some research in to this and see if it was snowy on the Western Front or if these images are actually of the Eastern and Balkan lines.
This image, was taken in early 1917. It shows a German machine-gun position in a forward trench close to the village of Le Transloy on the Somme.
The photograph comes from the photo history of the 26th Division, a Wurttemberg division, who fought in Russia and on the Western Front. https://greatwarphotos.com/2014/12/13/winter-war-snow-bound-german-trench-on-the-somme/
Met Office reports for the UK in December 1916 list the month as having "weather conditions appropriate to the month of the winter solstice – cold and inclement, with frequent and severe frosts and a good deal of snow." Snow depths of up to 23cm were recorded in some areas of Wales and Scotland whereas "the streets of Dublin were exceptionally dangerous on the 17th, when some 300 cases of accident were treated in the hospitals" due to the ice.
January 1917 is headlined as being "Stormy and Abnormally Mild" and the full account talks of gales across the country throughout the month and temperatures recorded in Scotland made it the warmest January for 60 years. More worryingly "a sharp Earthquake shock occurred at Shrewsbury, Craven Arms and Onndle at 7.30pm on the 14th. The rumbling noise lasted 10 seconds; houses were shaken and windows rattled."
Picture Norfolk Image: Norfolk Regiment, 2/5th Battalion group 'somewhere in England' 1917
February was a much worse month being listed as "Stormy, Mild, and Rainy, then Cold with much Snow." The snow, when it arrived towards the end of the month, was particularly heavy with Norwich (specifically mentioned) recording 261% of the average expected. The drifts in Dartmoor were 3 ½ metres deep.
This cold and snowy weather continued through March and well into April, which in places was the coldest recorded since 1856. Records show that it showed somewhere in the UK every day right up until the 19th of April.
However as was noted in a previous post about wartime weather however close to the Western Front areas of the UK are the weather conditions may not have been mirrored.
By reading some of the diaries and letters available from men serving in France and Belgium we can get an idea that the winter of 1916/1917 was exceedingly cold, snowy and unpleasant in France and Belgium too, although December and January seem to be swapped in conditions!
In the book Somewhere in Flanders: Letters of a Norfolk Padre in the Great War the Revd Green's collected letters from the Front to his Parish give a clear indication into the weather in his sector:
Letter from 1 Jan 1917
On the day before Christmas Eve, we left the trenches to go into billets. The trenches had become very uncomfortable owing to the prevalent wet weather, and we were glad enough to leave them. We had to march six or seven miles […] There was a head wind, which at times almost brought us to a standstill.
A letter from 11th Feb 1917 written in the Neuve Chapelle sector states:
We have been having a very severe spell of cold weather. The French people say that they have not had such a frost for over 20 years. For weeks now the whole country has been covered with snow, and all the streams and ditches are covered with ice many inches thick.
The cold weather is very trying for the troops. When we are in the trenches it is not possible to keep warm because it is impossible to move about very much, and it is not always possible to have much of a fire because the smoke might attract the unpleasant attractions of the enemy over the way. So we have been very cold in the line.
The mild December is also remarked upon in another correspondent's, Arthur Dease letters home. (Arthur's letters have a wonderful story behind them and I recommend exploring the whole website where they are published http://www.arthursletters.com/)
Curious all the frost you have had & snow, here mild for the time of year & cloudy, some rain and everlasting wind. I sincerely hope it will not freeze, so hard on the poor men in the trenches standing in mud & water up to their waists, it would mean so many frozen feet.
Sadly Arthur's hopes for a mild winter are dashed and he mentions a change in his letter dated 14th Jan "Snowy & very slushy & beastly generally" and again on 26th Jan "Bitter cold continues, hard frosts & clear days, ground like iron & all lightly covered with snow."
His report from 3rd Feb paints an even colder picture:
Weather still cold & bright, but not quite as bad as it was. It freezes night & day. Such a long spell. We dread rain here as this limestone country is so sticky & messy, still the roads even after rain will be a treat after the Somme. Such a job to get dry wood & keep warm. It keeps us busy cutting & splitting for kitchen & our wretched little oil drum stove in room where we eat. My friend who went home a few days ago left his petrol stove & I keep it in my room all day going & it makes quite a difference. Without it was just an icehouse.
Which continues in his letter from the 11th
At last today a bit milder, been bitterly cold day after day, freezing day & night. Almost as you throw out water it freezes. Clear days. Seems coldest winter in France since 70! Home too it seems cold & snowy & a lot of skating, so it has given some pleasure.
After February neither Arthur nor Revd Green mention the weather again but another correspondent, Philip Hewetson writes to his parents from the Wulverghem sector on 18th March:
"we having good weather which is very nice as we are in tents." It does seem however that this was only a temporary respite (or perhaps Philip trying to reassure his parents) as in a letter from 25th March he writes "It is bitterly cold weather, you know, freezing hard and blowing, occasionally snowing too."
The bad weather continues and is written about on 27th March:
"It snowed hard yesterday, then it freezes in the night thaws & rains in the mornings so the roads are in a dreadful state."
Like in the UK the weather doesn't improve in France as April starts as Philip continues on 2nd April:
"We are having extraordinary weather, this morning when we woke up there was snow on the ground & all the puddles etc were frozen, there has been a biting wind all day too."
Easter Sunday, 8th April is reported as being a nice day but again this seems to have been a false spring as Philip writes on 12th April that:
"it is now a land of snow! The whole place is white with it lying thick, it has been very cold all this week, and I am glad we are not in the trenches."
It doesn't get better as his letter from 17th April says:
"I must just say what awful weather we are having. I am not really as hard up for news as that you know. But just fancy it is the middle of April and I am wearing two waistcoats to-day. Last night there was a hurricane of cold wind and driving rain, to-day has been the same, & sometimes hail and finishing with driving snow!"
Fortunately for all of those in France this does seem to be the last report of really bad weather for this winter as the cold is not mentioned again.
This bad weather didn't stop the fighting however and while there were no campaigns on the scales of Ypres or the Somme there were still deaths.
By using the Commonwealth War Graves websitethink I have ascertained that 47, 763 men are commemorated in France or Belgium as having died between 1st December 1916 and 20th April 1917. Further research shows that 144 of these men were from the Norfolk Regiment. (The Norfolk Regiment is listed on the same site as having lost 635 men in this 4 month period – the majority of deaths not coming from the Western Front.)
The Imperial War Museum has a recording of an actual WW1 Veteran NCO Clifford Lane recounting his memories of winter 1916/17 which you can find here along with other first-hand accounts.
Resources used in this Blog:
Imperial War Museum website
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Met Office Weather Reports (accessed using the internet archive)
The Edwardian Era and WW1 from a Different Perspective website
Somewhere in Flanders: Letters of a Norfolk Padre in the Great War edited by Stuart John McLaren (borrowed from Norfolk Heritage Centre)
The First World War Letters of Philip and Ruth Hewetson edited by Frank Meeres (borrowed from Norfolk Heritage Centre)
Posted in research project	| Tagged Norfolk, Snow, trenches, weather | 1 Comment
Images from the archive
A hard earned rest
This image has been loaned to us by Bethan Holdridge and comes from a collection of WW1 photographs belonging to Julie Brown. The collection has been in the family for several generations and seems to have originated from Oliver Brown (J.B's grandfather on the maternal side). The only information we currently have about him is that was born in Hadleigh and during the First World War he accompanied an official war artist.
Posted in Local collections	| Tagged poor conditions, soldiers, trenches, WW1 | Leave a comment
WW1 on Stage – The Wipers Times
A review of the New Wolsey Theatre matinee performance, 9th November 2016
Official poster for the play
The Wipers Times is a new play (based the TV drama of the same name) created by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman and apart from calling it a wonderful watch putting into words what I saw on the stage is proving very difficult.
The original Wipers Time newspaper was the brainchild of two officers serving on the front-line who realised that perhaps the best way to survive the horrors of the war was to do so by making them comical. Their newspaper was written and printed by men actually serving in the trenches rather than those sitting behind desks behind the lines or back in Blighty. It was a firm favourite with the men and and a thorn in the side of those officers bravely fighting the war from their desks a long way from any bombs…
The comic scenes of the men writing the articles (these would start by simply being read and turn into action scenes upstage or shown as full vaudeville acts) were interspersed with scenes from behind the lines in staff HQ, the men on leave in France and the bittersweet moments of home leave or letters. Then there were also the scenes of the men in the trenches waiting for the big pushes – the Somme and 3rd Battle of Ypres for example.
I found the play managed to show the absurdities and horrors of war very effectively without ever feeling as if it was playing with my emotions, it was sad at times but overall very uplifting.
I've seen the play described as a cross between Blackadder Goes Forth and Oh! What a Lovely War but I did also see a hint of Journey's End in there – it wasn't all comedy.
Some of the lines, puns and jokes were terrible and were signposted a mile off but these weren't necessarily the lines from Hislop and Newman and neither were the lines about press accuracy interestingly enough.
What I found the most interesting about this play however was how much the later World War One satires such as Blackadder owed to the Wipers Times even if this was unintentional and they knew nothing about the paper.
All of the original editions of the Wipers Times newspaper were reprinted in a facsimile edition and you can borrow this from Norfolk's Libraries but I really do hope that this play will return to the stage soon – it has an important story to tell.
Posted in Book, film, televsion and film reviews	| Tagged Blackadder, comedy, Newspapers, Somme, theatre, trenches, Wipers Times, Ypres | Leave a comment
November 3, 2016 by Sarah
Christmas in the Trenches
Wednesday 14th December
7pm (tickets £2)
We're very pleased to welcome author and historian Steve Smith back to the Millennium Library in Norwich for another of his fascinating, and moving, talks about the Norfolk Regiment's involvement in World War One.
This talk will have a seasonal theme as Steve will talk about the 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment and the Christmas Truce. Other Christmas myths surrounding World War One will also be looked at.
To book please call into the Millennium Library, call 01603 774703 or email millennium.lib@norfolk.gov.uk
Posted in Events	| Tagged "Christmas Truce", Christmas, Norfolk Regiment, talk, trenches | Leave a comment
June 28, 2015 by Sarah
Mud, Mud Glorious Mud?
Trench Warfare and mud appear to go hand-in-hand when World War One appears in books, on film and in photographs which lead me to wonder what the weather was like during the first year of the war. Was it really extraordinarily wet?
A working party in the rain.
Weather forecasting as a science was very much in its infancy during the war, although it did improve rapidly as advance knowledge of the weather proved to be essential when planning aerial or gas attacks. However detailed records of the daily temperature, pressure, rainfall and hours of sunshine were recorded all over the UK.
These detailed UK records have been made available thanks to the Met Office and I have found it fascinating to read through the monthly reports for the first year of the war to see what the weather was like.
Walking the trenches
Below is a very simple table of the month, the weather in the South East of England and also major events on the Western Front.
Month and Year Weather report Western Front Activity
After the first 8 days of the month it was warmer and drier than average, some thunderstorms but little rain.
BEF arrive in France
Battle of Mons
Windy, slightly warmer than normal but much wetter than average.
Battle of the Marne
Trench network started
Rainfall much below average and temperatures above normal.
Trench network continued
Start of 1st Battle of Ypres
Above average rainfall, often occurring in torrential downpours. As a whole temperatures above average.
Trenches reach the coast
1st Battle of Ypres continues
Wettest December since 1876. Mainly mild for first half of the month then cold.
Isolated skirmishes but no major battles.
Both sides digging in to trench system
January 1915 Rain fell on every day of the month and it was also windy. Generally mild but the worst frosts were in the South of East of England. Battles in the Champagne area of France
Wetter and windier than average with isolated heavy snow showers. Temperatures around normal.
Battles in the Champagne area continue
Rainfall was below average, the month ended colder than it started. Battle of Neuve Chapelle
A mostly dry and sunny month although cooler than average. 1st use of poison gas
2nd Battle of Ypres
Heavy downpours at the start of the month make the month wetter than average overall but the second half of the month dry and warm.
Exceptionally dry (no rain is recorded in Dover for 37 consecutive days in May/June). Heavy thunderstorms at the end of the month. Temperatures average but not much sun recorded.
No major battles or offensives on the Western Front although isolated action/fighting does take place
Windy, heavy and thundery downpours push the rainfall figures above average, not very warm or sunny for the time of year.
August 1915 Again heavy isolated storms push up the average rainfall totals but the month is not consistently wet. Temperatures and hours of sunshine around or just above normal. No major battles or offensives on the Western Front although isolated action/fighting does take place
Although this is a highly unscientific and rudimentary comparison of the weather it can be seen that during the autumn and early winter of 1914, when the initial battles were being fought and the trench network on the Western Front was being dug, the weather reports do show that it was wetter than average. This analysis is backed up by reports given by members of the Royal Meteorological Society in 1915 and thus perhaps the iconic image of a muddy trench is accurate and not an over used trope.
Knee deep in mud
A disclaimer to all of this: relying on weather reports from England to make comparisons with conditions on the continent may not give an accurate representation at all. However close Dover maybe to France the weather patterns that affect the two areas can be very different. The British weather is controlled by a maritime climate pattern whereas just across the channel the weather is influenced by the continental pattern .
It must also be noted that the soil in Northern France and Belgium also played a role in the creation of the muddy trenches as it was it often drained poorly and quickly became waterlogged. Being churned up by the constant movement of men and equipment also worsened the muddy conditions.
Posted in research project	| Tagged mud, trenches, weather, Western Front | 1 Comment


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