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If you are into brewing Kombucha, you must be worried about how you can keep your Kombucha warm even during the fall, spring and winter months. It is a common problem that most brewers face!
In fact, the problem may persist throughout the year and only become worse during colder months. That is why people are desperate to find answers to how they can avoid that SCOBY growth, weak flavors, and the dreaded mold, all of which spoil their Kombucha brewing experience.
If you too are experiencing the same issues that are preventing you from mastering the art of Kombucha brewing, read further to find out the best Kombucha heaters including wraps, pads, and mats.
These Kombucha heaters would help you avoid the common issues with brewing. We will also have a look at the features, as well as the pros and cons of these heaters so that you can choose the best one depending on your preferences.
Table of Contents
Top 9 Kombucha Heaters for Brewing Kombucha
1. Kenley Fermentation Carboy Heater with Thermostat
Fermentation Carboy Heater with Thermostat by Kenley is one of the best Kombucha heaters for beginners as well as seasoned brewers.
Whether you are brewing kombucha or wine or beer, this Kenley heating system lets you control the right temperature uniformly throughout the vessel. It is designed to control the temperatures in such a way that you won’t run the risk of letting your brew chill and get overheated.
This heating kit from Kenley is provided with a temperature controller, which means the heating effect would commence only when it senses a drop in the temperature. It is designed to shut the heating automatically when a higher level of the desired temperature has been reached.
Kenley Fermentation Carboy Heater is compatible with most fermentation vessels. So, you can use it even with your existing vessels. The heater is flexible and can easily fit up to 8 gallons. It has a 32”x11” film that simply wraps around the fermentation jar and secures it once the elastic bands are applied.
What makes Kenley Fermentation Carboy Heater superior to most other Kombucha heaters is it is designed to minimize energy wastage. It uses the minimum amount of energy required and lowers your energy costs.
In spite of so many features and thoughtful design, Kenley Fermentation Carboy Heaters is priced reasonably making it a cost-effective option even for beginners.
Pros
- An automated control system
- Fits most jar sizes
- Heats the contents evenly
- Has in-built temperature controller that prevents overheating as well as a drop in the temperature
- Reasonably priced
Cons
We couldn’t find any particular drawback for using this heater. It seems to be perfect for brewing a perfectly flavored Kombucha at a continuously monitored temperature.
2. Fermentation Heater by The Weekend Brewer
We are quite impressed by the features of this Fermentation Heater by The Weekend Brewer. It is a flexible heater that is perfect for brewing Kombucha at home. It is also designed to help you brew beer and wine.
You just need to secure it around your bucket or carboy using electrical tape. For better control, simply pair it with a thermowell and digital temperature controller so that you can manage the temperature settings more precisely.
The 25″ long and 10″ tall dimensions of the heater would easily fit most fermenters.
It is even designed to provide heat throughout the vessel. It keeps the fermenting liquid at the most appropriate temperature when paired with a digital temperature controller.
One feature of this heater that may not work in your favor is the wire connection to its thermal film seems to be weak. So, there are chances it may break easily. You need to be very careful and handle it delicately to ensure your device lasts longer.
This fermentation heater does not come with a thermowell and a temperature controller. So you will need to get those separately.
Priced at the budget level, we feel it is a good deal you can grab especially if you are a beginner and would not like to spend much initially.
Pros
- Perfect size that would easily fit most fermenters
- Accurate temperature control
- Manufactured with sturdy clip connections that are safer and designed to last longer
- Provides even heat throughout the vessel
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Too delicate to handle and a high risk of snapping the thermal film
3. Kombucha Heater with Strap
If you are a seasoned brewer or would like to take your hobby of brewing Kombucha to the next level, Kombucha Heater with Strap could be the best heater for you.
The features and the design of this heater are the proof that manufacturers have taken efforts to understand the needs and constraints of brewers.
Most heaters have inherent problems like the lack of ability to distribute heat evenly across the fermenting jar. Most heaters do not even have a durable Velcro strap to secure the kombucha heating strip around the fermenting jar firmly.
These common problems have been tackled perfectly while designing this Kombucha Heater with Strap.
This 3″x20″ sized kombucha heating pad would heat your fermentation jar 75 to 85 degrees evenly to ensure each batch of the contents is perfectly fermented. This kombucha heater kit also has an in-built temperature control system, which would allow you to set the temperature according to your preferences.
What’s more? This Kombucha Heater with Strap is made of ultra-thin, and eco-friendly material and is designed to deliver that apple-y sour bite of a delicious Kombucha you are looking for.
Some other features of this heater include an adjustable Velcro strap that can fit any typical jar size and a durable and powerful battery that can allow your heating strip to stay plugged in for several days without sacrificing efficiency.
The only factor that could prevent you from investing in this heater is its cost. It is priced in the mid range, and not all brewers are enthusiastic to invest this amount, especially if you are not sure for how long you would stick to you new hobby of brewing.
However, if you are serious about brewing and want good equipment then the price is justified by the great product quality and features.
Pros
- Has a built-in temperature control system
- Heats the contents evenly throughout the jar
- Made of ultra-thin, and eco-friendly material
- Adjustable Velcro strap that stays securely fastened for optimum heat distribution
- An in-built temperature control system
- Comes with durable and powerful eco-friendly batteries
Cons
- Higher cost
4. Kombucha Brewing and Fermentation Heat Wrap Mat
Kombucha Brewing and Fermentation Heat Wrap Mat is designed to create an even heating effect throughout the fermenting vessel, albeit with some manual efforts.
It does offer a safe and effective heating system for the kombucha brewing vessels. It can increase the temperature of your brewing contents between 5° and 20° F above the ambient temperature. However, what most brewers may not like about this heater is you need to monitor the brew’s temperature with the help of the provided thermometer and adjust the heat accordingly. This means it lacks the automated temperature regulating system offered by advanced heating pads.
You can adhere the thermometer to the sides of the brewing vessel and then, increase or decrease the heat. To increase heat, you need to wrap the heating mat around the fermentation vessel and secure it with the provided rubber band.
If you feel the vessel has overheated, remove the heating pad and let it stand around the vessel forming a wall of heat. In this manner, you need to monitor the vessel so that the temperature is regulated throughout the fermenting process.
If you are ready to invest your time and have the patience to monitor the brew from time to time, this heat wrap may do the job for you. It is priced in the lower range and it would definitely take your brewing experience to the next level without having to spend much.
Pros
- Heats the contents evenly
- A lower price
Cons
- Requires you to monitor the brew regularly
5. Fermentation Temperature Control Kit
If you prefer to brew a large batch of Kombucha, Fermentation Temperature Control Kit may be what you need. This kit has all that you would need to exercise precise control over the heating of your fermentation vessel.
We feel it is rightly called the Temperature Control Kit as it is designed to allow for conversion from controlled heating to controlled cooling quite easily.
All components of this Kombucha heating kit fit most standard glass carboys. This kit also comes with a fermentation heater, #7 stopper thermowell, and a 3-piece airlock.
The thermowell is included to allow you to minimize the risk of contamination while the #7 stopper has a hole to airlock the contents.
It is one of the best easy-to-use heaters that offer great convenience to enthusiastic brewers who live a busy life and like to juggle between different activities. You just need to attach the heater with electrical tape, and set the temperature to brew the perfect Kombucha.
Pros
- Effective temperature controlling system
- Comes with accessories like a fermentation heater, #7 stopper thermowell (there is #10 size available too), and a 3-piece airlock
- Easy to use
- Easily fits most fermentation vessels
Cons
- On the expensive side
6. Kombucha Heating Wrap
This heating wrap from Kombucha Shop is custom-made for brewing Kombucha. It has been exclusively created for kombucha home fermentation. Based on the features, we can say everything about this heating wrap including its fit, temperature settings, and the wattage are perfect for home brewers.
It offers the perfect solution for keeping your Kombucha safe within the proper temperature range.
This Kombucha Heating Wrap has an in-built adjustable hook-and-loop strap that can allow you to easily and snugly fit it to your brewing vessel. It offers four temperature settings so that you can maintain an ideal brewing temperature during any season.
It is also designed to contract and expand to fit a fermentation vessel as small as half a gallon and large jars of 2 gallons.
It comes with an Adhesive Temperature Gauge that you can adhere to the sides of the brewing vessel.
Kombucha Heating Wrap is available in 2 colors: A Plain Black version and the Limited Edition Print.
Pros
- Exclusively created for kombucha home brewers
- Has an adjustable hook-and-loop strap
- Fits snugly to the fermentation vessels of smaller as well as larger sizes
- Available in 2 colors
- Custom-made for brewing Kombucha
- Cost-effective
Cons
- Control of the temperature regulating system could be easier
7. Prairie Essentials Thermometer for Fermentation and Germination
This 3×20 Inch Strip Wrap Around Heating Pad Warming Heat Mat & Thermometer by Prairie Essentials comes with a self-adhesive, easy to read liquid crystal thermometer.
You can easily adhere it to the fermentation vessel to monitor the temperature of the contents. This heating device is provided with a rubber band that holds the mat firmly to the brewing container.
The comparatively smaller size of this heater allows it to sit on the window seal. The wrap is also flexible enough to allow you to wrap it around brewing containers comfortably.
It is also water resistant and quite easy to clean. Looking at the features and price, we feel, it is a deal to steal.
Pros
- Has a self-adhesive liquid crystal thermometer
- Comparatively smaller size
- Flexible device making it easier to wrap around the vessel
- Water resistant
- Easy to clean
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Lacks the features most advanced heaters have
8. Kombucha Fermentation Heating Pad Strip
This Kombucha Fermentation Heating Pad Strip from Propagate Pro is perfect for heating and brewing your Kombucha, Yogurt, and Kimchi. It is designed to warm the container from 5 to 20 degrees above the ambient thus creating perfect conditions for your Kombucha to brew at a controlled temperature.
It has a strong built making it a durable heating device. It is waterproof, very simple to use and easy to clean. You can simply wrap it around or place it underneath the container to heat the brewing contents evenly.
Its small footprint of 3”x 20” makes it convenient to use on countertop or windowsill, keeping your kitchen neat and tidy.
The lower cost of this heating device is another positive.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Waterproof
- Perfect for brewing Kombucha
- Stronger and durable
- Small footprint
- Cost-effective
Cons
- Takes a longer than necessary time to heat the contents
9. Ohuhu Seedling Heat Mat
While not specifically made for heating kombucha, if you are on a very tight budget you can try using this heat mat.
Despite being made available to you at a much lower price, Ohuhu Seedling Heat Mat does impress with a host of desirable features.
It offers a stable heating system with an in-built mechanism to increase the temperature of the contests about 10℉ to 20℉ more than the surrounding air.
One particular feature of this heater that may attract you is its waterproof design. It is also easy to clean.
Besides being water-resistant, it is proofed against splashes, sprays, and showers to which it may get exposed in case you plan to brew your Kombucha outdoors.
It is made of a heavy-duty, durable PVC material that is insulative, corrosion resistant, and firm.
Another feature of this heater that attracted our attention is its size. The 10” x 20.75” size of this heater is large enough to accommodate more than one brewing vessel.
What’s more? It also comes with a storage bag in case you need to roll up your heating pad to keep it aside when not in use or carry it along. This makes it convenient for brewers to handle the heater.
As revealed earlier, this heater is priced on the cheap side making it one of the most cost-effective options for Kombucha heaters.
Pros
- Large size
- Made of durable material
- Water resistant
- Easy to clean
- Comes with a storage bag
- A lower price tag
Cons
- Temperature settings are not as perfect as you would desire for brewing Kombucha
For those new to kombucha brewing, below is some background and further reading.
What is a kombucha heater and why do you need one?
A kombucha heater is a simple tool that helps you brew a perfect kombucha by maintaining the right temperature on a continuous basis.
We understand how difficult it can be to let your kombucha brew when the temperature drops. It seems it would take forever to brew your kombucha during winter months. Even if you do not mind waiting and are prepared to invest as much time as needed into brewing, the fluctuating temperature may spoil the contents and thus, would not yield the desired results.
This is why you need to maintain a constant temperature so that you can brew kombucha under controlled conditions. This would help to speed up the process and make sure the contents are not spoiled.
Sounds great?
Ok, let me now reveal some ways by which kombucha heater would help you be better at brewing:
Your kombucha is likely to get infested with mold when the brew becomes too cold. Yeast may dominate your Kombucha brew thus causing the smell and flavors to be funky, musty, or even a bit strange.
And once the mold forms, all your efforts to brew kombucha would go down the drain.
Even if your kombucha is not particularly ruined by mold and yeast, the cold brew would surely lack the complexity and depth of flavors as the bacteria may have difficulty in producing the similar range of acids, which can contribute to the taste and health benefits of kombucha.
This is where a controlled temperature provided by kombucha heaters would be needed!
By maintaining the perfect temperatures, heating pads, wraps and mats enhance the flavors and the unique taste of kombucha.
Above all, they ensure no mold or yeast infests your brewing kombucha keeping it safe and healthy to consume.
However, it is important to make sure you choose the best kombucha heater so that the device is effective enough for providing the effect you are looking for.
How to use a Kombucha heater?
Kombucha heaters can help you brew Kombucha at the optimal temperature despite cold weather. You can also use the heaters to brew JUN, milk kefir, and water kefir.
You can choose to use a separate Kombucha heater for each ferment. However, since most of us Kombucha brewers do it as a part of healthy living lifestyle and not with any commercial interests, it is less likely that you need more than one heater. Hence, it may not be convenient to use a separate Kombucha heater for each ferment.
So, an alternative way is to use multiple small jars each of which is wrapped around the heaters or strips.
This can make it possible for you to have an entire slew of fermented veggies brewing at the same time with just one Kombucha heating pad or mat.
However, you also need to keep in mind that each ferment has its own preferred range of temperature. So, it may not be a good idea to brew all of them together at the same temperature. A viable option, in this case, would be to rotate the heating mats or pads.
For example, we know that heating Kombucha is the most critical step during the initial 7 to 8 days of one-gallon Batch Brew. If you are brewing 2.5 gallons of Kombucha Continuous Brew, you need to increase the duration of heating at a higher temperature to the first 10 to 21 days.
If you are on a break between 2 batches of the Continuous Brew or brewing a longer Batch Brew, you may “steal” the heater from the Kombucha to help with the other ferments, particularly those which require a short turnaround such as Milk Kefir and Water Kefir.
One thing you must remember while using a heating pad for Kombucha brewing is to boost the temperature after you have added to the booch.
For example; when you add sweet tea or JUN to the Kombucha, the heating mat must be re-attached to it. It should be set at a higher temperature close to at least 80°F or 27°C. In the case you have added Jun, set the temperature at 75°F or 24°C.
This would guarantee the bacteria and yeast a favorable environment needed by them to grow and ferment the brew. These bacteria and yeast would then be able to gobble up the nutrients they need from the sweet tea when they are exposed to a higher temperature. This would create a state of symbiosis for best results.
As you can see, it is all about setting the right temperature and regulating the environment so that you can brew your Kombucha in a way it ferments optimally and contains all the flavors you are looking forward to enjoying.
Second fermentation heating
Heating mats and wraps can be very useful during the colder months for improving the carbonation effect of the second ferment just before drinking. You can store the second ferment bottles in a cool surrounding to maintain its unique flavors.
However, though the carbonation usually comes out to be very good by the time you drink it, during winter, the bubbles may become too hard to come.
This is why you need to set it around the heater and give it at least 24 to 48 hours of warmth.
Most Kombucha heating mats can come in handy at this stage to warm the contents rapidly and kick up those bubbles without affecting the flavors.
Conclusion
Based on our assessment of these Kombucha heating pads, wraps, and mats, we found Kenley Fermentation Carboy Heater with Thermostat to be the best. It offers several features that can make it easier and convenient for you to brew a perfect Kombucha that has the unique taste and flavors you are looking for.
It is designed to maintain a controlled temperature throughout the vessel with an automated system to avoid overheating or cooling thus enhancing your brewing experience significantly.
What about (for a gallon brew) using a gatorade type cooler with an aquarium heater set to the correct temp? Keep the kombachu gallon just off the bottom and surrounded by the warmed water.
I’ve never done it that way. It sounds like it can work as long as you set the right temperature.
Stan, that sounds like a brilliant idea, to use an aquarium heater and have the kombucha bottle surrounded warm water. Did you try it, did it work?