Brining is definitely a new tool in my toolbox.

We do a two stage ferment for kombucha. Primary ferment is sweet tea with the SCOBY and a cup of the previous batch (I think we use the recipe from the "Nourishing Traditions" cookbook, but we use half black and half green tea. After the primary ferment, we remove the scoby, add fruit juices (or ginger/herbal/elderberry tea), and then bottle and leave it on the counter for a few days to second ferment/carbonate.