How can I confirm its still alive?

[BrewRew]

I preparation for a new batch, I boiled some water and was waiting for it to cool down before adding the GBP. Recalled the instructions stated to never add to water over 90 degrees. While I had that in the back of my head....forgot there are a few countries still not converted over to Celsius yet. While it was more like 40-42c ~105f ... concerned if I killed them. Haven't noticed any real activity, but that was normal in the last batch. Is there any way to confirm if they are alive or dead, other than just wait and see?

thanks

[AlexP]

There's no real way to know if they are alive other than doing a couple batches and seeing how they do. Go by the taste instead of visual cues. You should be able to taste some kind of fermentation. 105 degree water may have caused some damage, but if it wasn't too hot for too long, they may be able to recover.

Alex

[BrewRew]

turns out its by far the best batch i've had....and seemed to more than double the plants size. who would have thought.

[george969]

I acquired a plant about five weeks ago. I followed all directions. I did not see any growth in the grains during the first or second batch. There was no visible activity or carbonation thye taste was basically sugar water with a ginger favor and no carbonation very sweet. I strained the grains and started a third batch following all directions using spring water and fresh ginger and some white plus some natural unprocessed cane sugar. The grains seemed to grow a little maybe but not much and still no carbonation again. I am suing an airlock? Maybe that is the issue?

My third batch the liquid turn white like very watered down milk at around the third day within a few hours. The grains were larger in size and were floating up and down in the liquid a little. I am not surer what the white color is? The first two batches were very clear except the slight brownish color from the cane sugar. The is no increase in grain quantity still. But some have grown in size and are large and as i said float up and down in the liquid. i emptied the batch washed the grains in fresh spring water. I used wine sterilizing solution on the container and strainer etc then rinsed with spring water even tough this was a no rinse solution for wine and beer. My fourth batch is again turning white.

What am i doing wrong? i have carefully watched the sugar and water quantities and have started with a specific gravity of 1.062 to 1.065 that matches the water and sugar measurements by grams per instructions.Batch four started turning white in the top 1/3 of the container after about 30 hours. Now at 48 hours its mostly all white except bottom 1/4 of the liquid. The specific gravity has NOT changed at all so there has been no fermentation I assume? There are more grains this time floating up and down and some staying about 1" from the bottom suspended but nor more in quantity.

Suggestions please.

[Robinstar]

If the grains are moving up and down, there's at least some activity. The white may be from the ginger, I'm not sure what else that could be. Try just sugar without ginger and see if that helps. Use a mix of light and dark sugar. I don't think its the airlock. I've done ginger beer with airlocks without any problem.

[telloyd]

If your grains are floating, that means they are fermenting the liquid and contain CO2 that is making them float. When I first got started, I also found the GBP grains unsettlingly inactive compared to my very vigorous Water Kefir culture. So I did what I do with water kefir when it's feeling "down" and fed the GBP egg shells. Amazing difference, and the nutrients from the shells kicked the GBP into life. Almost 50% increase in quantity of grains on the first recovery cycle.