Back to a better typing facility! At least I can review what I have written.

Now, alternatives to these herbs.

In the chemical level I think you can find local substitutes:

Keep in mind that they come from a diversity of habitat, so each of them will bring along different microflora, esp. the flower yeasts are valuable fed back into the soil! So we have 2 of very macronutrient enriched places, 2 of poor places (one often rather dry), 1 of a “waterlogged” scenario and one with access to the deep soil layers.

– nettle is the nitrogen source for the brew, apparently nitrate is the type accumulated (makes sense as caterpillars like it), silicon, iron

– chamomile and yarrow contribute essential oils which hold back the multiplication of “spoilage organisms”.

– oak bark brings phenolics, also pretty antiseptic stuff. Very rich in minerals. If I am not mistaken Manganese was particularly high.

– dandelion, inulin, saponins, calcium, magnesium, iron

– valerian, here I think the main issue is the “smelly” volatiles that act as messengers in the microbial world. So flowers of Lambs lettuce could maybe work, the have the same note and are the same clade.

The other side of the coin is the immaterial signature that really surprised me. This is much more pronounced, if you work with fresh material and use it submersed (fish tank pump, not aerator). When you add the valerian to the mix last, it becomes a very harmonious, uplifting, joyful “something”. Mr. Cho teaches to treat microbial brews as an entity – this mix certainly is one. I would need to feel the substitutes to tell you, if they fit the pattern – and maybe different places even need different patterns. I can imagine that places with a rather rough note could do with something more wrathful.

I have had not many many, but some biodynamic preparations in my hands and as E. Ingham stated that the quality varied widely in terms of microbiology, I can say the same for the energetic signature. Some were powerful stuff, some were so unpleasant, that I would not want them in my soil. This is an issue that is very hard to discuss, as the perception is subjective (or not present) and I see that a lot of ego often comes along with preparation making and stirring. The fine energetic signature I perceive is lost upon stirring pretty quickly, while something else happens in the water.

Talking about it, what I would like to try is to set the mix up in a concentrated sugar solution/fruit mix to select for the yeasts.

Best H