I'm starting to experiment with malt extract in Kombucha. I started a batch about a week ago using a cup of sugar and just under 1/4 cup of pure malt extract. It developed lots of strands which I presume to be yeast in the first days. It's growing a baby scoby now on the top. (The original scoby is hanging around the middle.)
It's taking longer than expected but the scoby I used had been sitting in a "scoby hotel" of vingary tea so that might be the reason it's slow. It has a sweet/sour taste right now and slight fizz.
Has anyone else here tried fermenting with malt at the beginning?
I also added about a tablespoon of malt to a finished bottle which is now in the frig. I let it sit out sealed (occasionally releasing pressure) for 2 days. Lots of sediment in the bottom but tastes pretty good considering the original kombucha had been fermenting a little too long and was pretty sour.