If you missed yesterday’s post on why growing your own SCOBY from a
bottle of Kombucha is not a recommended practice anymore, please click here.
Dehydrated is not best for water…or SCOBY
I love what Kombucha does for my daily life, as a living food, a message to spread and a path to empowerment.
One of the critical tenets we hold here at Kombucha Kamp is that ALL Kombucha is good. With the uphill battle we face in so many areas of nutrition and public policy, all of us must be united in delivering this hopeful message that change is possible, one diet and one healthy, repopulated gut at a time.
Still, there are basic truths regarding any food preparation that apply in the extreme to Kombucha and particularly the SCOBY.
Because you are dealing with a LIVING ingredient, it will require certain conditions to produce the kind of quality beverage any homebrewer wants when they make their own Kombucha.
After all, you are making Kombucha at home because you are conscious about your health and want to have access to a better alternative to sodas, coffee and other sugary drinks. So then it only makes sense to use the best possible ingredients to make your Kombucha.
We’ve covered Tea, Sugar (twice!) and even Water. But what about the SCOBY?
We discussed in yesterday’s post why growing your own Kombucha SCOBY can be difficult and even deceptive following the reformulation.
However, there are two other Golden Rules we are yet to cover. Let’s review.
Kombucha SCOBYs:
The Golden Rules
Never
- …use a refrigerator stored SCOBY to make Kombucha.
- …use a dehydrated SCOBY to make Kombucha.
- …attempt to grow a SCOBY from a commercial bottle of Kombucha that:
-
- has been pasteurized
- has been flavored
- has been filtered or reformulated
- says anything less than “100% Kombucha” on the label
Always
- …use a fresh, full-size Kombucha SCOBY to begin brewing.
- …store your SCOBYs in a SCOBY Hotel in a dry and dark place.
- …pass along healthy, fresh SCOBYs with at least 1-2 cups of mature Kombucha Tea and complete, clear instructions to ensure success. If you cannot, recommend a reputable source instead.
Kombucha SCOBYs From The Refrigerator
No SCOBYs in the Fridge!
The most harmful widespread piece of misinformation that exists about Kombucha today is that SCOBYs can or even should be stored in the refrigerator.
Perhaps rooted in our society’s deep disconnection from the concept of fermentation, this nasty nugget of unwisdom is passed around from well-meaning brewer to brewer as a tip for storing cultures, often with the caveat of “So they won’t rot,” or “It puts them to sleep.”
People mean to be helpful, but really this is terrible for the cultures. Kombucha never “goes bad.” In fact, storing them at such cold temperatures may cause more harm than good.
Instead, they should be stored at room temperature in a SCOBY Hotel, in a dark dry place out of the way. They will “sleep” in the jar and only “wake up” when you add sweet tea to keep them wet or decide to use one of them to brew.
What is so bad about the fridge? In one word: mold. The cultures do not like the cold temperatures of the fridge and all the living things that protect the brew from invasion go into a deep sleep.
Sometimes, if they haven’t been stored for too long, the cultures will brew alright. However experienced brewers report the first few batches are flat and not particularly great tasting. After a few batches, the culture may regain it’s strength.
Brazil shows how badly it goes from the fridge.
Just as common however, the brewer encounters mold. A strange, as yet unexplained, fact: mold often occurs during the second batch brew, not the first, after removing the culture from the fridge.
Why it skips a batch before molding is unclear, but it happens regularly. While it may be possible to have success with a culture that has been in the fridge, more people report that they have problems getting it to ferment properly.
Here is a recent post from a Brazilian Kombucha blog showing their experiments using cultures that had been stored in the fridge (the page has been translated by Google).
After a period of almost 600 days, the colonies had a darker aspect. Some were very thick and a few still remained with the light color. All without exception had a look healthy, although they apparently were not producing gases which concluded on the basis of the cover will not even be stuffed, as it normally would.
So they looked okay, or had been mostly preserved in appearance, yet they were inactive. That sounds like they would brew up just fine, or at least appear as though they would to an inexperienced brewer.
The results? One culture did nothing, the other two got mold. Three tries, all failures. The cultures produced mold because they lacked their innate ability to protect themselves from invading micro-organisms.
Dehydrated Kombucha SCOBYs – Life Without Water?
Less common but just as ineffective are dehydrated Kombucha cultures. The issues are the same only this time, the living things that protect from mold are too weak from dehydration, rather than cold, to protect the Kombucha.
#2 has more action…and more disastrous mold too.
The additional problem with dehydrated Kombucha cultures is that they require a process of rehydration that can take up to 6 weeks to complete, and that’s before even attempting the first batch.
Once rehydrated, they follow a similar pattern as those stored in the fridge, exhibiting mold after either the first or second batches in many cases, and producing a less “vibrant tasting” Kombucha that is sour and flat.
It makes sense right? If water is the basis of all life, and we want to make a living beverage, why would we start with something that’s supposed to be alive, but has no water in it? Again, we only need to use common sense here to understand that hydrated cultures are better for starting Kombucha, and when the experience of brewers worldwide is factored in, the case is clear.
Whenever I receive an e-mail (from non-clients) that someone has gotten mold, the first question I ask is “Was your culture dehydrated or stored in the refrigerator?” At least 9 times out of 10, the answer is, “Yes.”
Moreover, as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, new brewers blame themselves for the failure, with no idea that they have received bad advice and a bad culture. (I confess that part of the reason for writing this post is to have a place to send these poor folks who don’t understand why their brew didn’t work out and I won’t have to type as much everytime! 🙂 )
Mold is one of the incurable problems of Kombucha – which is why we keep a SCOBY Hotel in the first place, for just in case. When embarking on the rewarding journey of brewing Kombucha at home, I recommend that you obtain a quality culture from a trusted source, be it a friend or seller.
A dehydrated SCOBY makes a great doggy chew toy, but a terrible brewing culture
But first, ask them where they got their culture, how it’s been stored and how long it’s been since they used that culture. Never assume anything when purchasing a culture.
There are sellers who offer silver dollar sized or even test tube sized cultures, and rarely does a day go by that I don’t hear from someone new who was disappointed with a sub-par culture they received from an online seller.
However, it’s not just online that you must be careful. A client (he became a client) wrote in last month with mold problems after getting his SCOBY at a farmer’s market. When I questioned, he remarked that they had stored the SCOBYs in a cooler packed with ice as they “didn’t want them to go bad” while at the market!
These are not bad people. I don’t believe they have bad intentions, but the customer pays the price anyway.
Ask before you buy or even accept as a gift an inferior culture. Make sure you are receiving at least 1 cup of starter liquid to fully protect your brew. If the answers you get don’t satisfy you, keep looking!
Start with a full size Kombucha culture that has never been compromised and you will have much greater brewing success and more delicious Kombucha than you ever imagined.
The right culture makes all the difference.
“Know before you Grow!”
clack
May 9, 2023 at 8:03 pmHi! So, I killed my SCOBY by leaving it long in the fridge, and not maintaining it… :'(
… Can I compost it? And more importantly, will a vinegar SCOBY serve?
Txs!
Anthea Tayag
May 10, 2023 at 11:18 amHello, we are sorry to hear that the SCOBY may not longer be viable to use. The only way to make sure that the SCOBY is still viable is to allow it to come to room temp, add half gallon of sweet tea, and allow to ferment for 7-10 days. If the pH does not drop below 3.0, or if the brew gets moldy, then the batch is not usable and can be discarded. There are other uses for extra SCOBYs as well as composting, please check out our post here.
Nola
March 5, 2022 at 1:59 amHow often should you change the tea in the Scooby bank or can you leave them in water
Hannah Crum
April 10, 2022 at 1:26 pmOur post on how to maintain a SCOBY Hotel has more details.
Linda B
November 8, 2020 at 5:44 pmHi. My scoby molded and of course I threw it away. I had just gifted some and called her to get a piece back. She put it in the refridge. ? anyway. I have a few second batch kombucha brewing to drink. One of the ones that has blueberries in it has what looks like a very healthy scoby. Can I use it to start my new batch? It has only been on the counter.
Love your site. ?
Hannah Crum
April 2, 2021 at 6:03 pmIf it looks healthy, give it a go!
Simone
August 1, 2021 at 3:26 amI live in Malaysia where “room temperature” is 30+ degrees and I have been storing my soby hotel in the fride in a air tight container and its alive for 2 years already… maybe I am lucky but I never had any issues with flat brews. I have around 30 scoby’s now, will take some out to see if there is any difference in terms of brewing quality and keep you posted! cheers Simone
Michelle Dennard
July 3, 2020 at 6:12 amHi,, I have a question, What can I do with my Scoby I will not be able to look after him for a couple of months. I was going to put him in the fridge, but after reading it is not good for him, I don’t know what to do now.
Thank you for your help
Hannah Crum
June 1, 2023 at 1:43 pmMake a SCOBY Hotel!
Dannie
November 12, 2019 at 9:07 amWIth my latest batch, I think the tea/starter kombucha may have been too cold when I placed my SCOBY in. It looks fine and the SCOBY looks fine, but I’m concerned I may have started with too cold of a batch. Will this play an issue with the final result? I know it should be room temp – not too warm to hurt the SCOBY – but not sure about something a bit colder. I didn’t realize until after I put in the SCOBY and didn’t really think about it, but now I keep thinking I ruined it and it’s bugging me.
Hannah Crum
November 18, 2019 at 9:23 amAs long as you are hitting the target temperature range of 75-85F with 80F as our sweet spot, it will be fine. The SCOBY may not float until the yeast create some CO2 to help it float back up to the top – the new layer will start forming right away assuming the appropriate temperature range is met.
Inger
October 5, 2019 at 11:11 amHi. Totally new to this. I live in Queensland and we are going in to summer – up to 110F and very humid. I have been looking around but my health is not great, so some of the suggestions sound like too much work.
Is there any way to make kombucha at that heat, or should I keep it dormant and only make it during winter ?
Given that it can go down to 40F would I then need a heating strip ?
Hannah Crum
November 4, 2019 at 8:59 amThat is really hot and humid and you may experience really fast fermentation, yeast overgrowth and/or mold. We’d advise finding a cooler location if possible and if not, then you may want to wait until it is cooler. If your temp is down to 40F, you will definitely want a heater as the cold will cause the cultures to go dormant and can lead to mold growth as well. Ideal temperature range is 75-85F w 80F as the sweet spot
Susan
January 20, 2019 at 5:37 pmI just started my 3rd batch of kombucha and it looks like mold might be forming on top after 4 days. I will continue to brew and watch. I did not store the scoby in the refrigerator so not sure why the mold. Will a heating element help prevent mold? My room temp is 70-72 degrees.
Hannah Crum
February 5, 2019 at 5:12 pmIt is cold this time of year and that is a common cause of mold. Basically if it is too cold, the organisms aren’t able to lower the pH quickly enough and that can allow mold to compete and ultimately take over. A heating element will definitely help protect from mold and keep the brew fermenting through the winter. Here are some other Winter Brewing Tips.
Kristi Parker
November 10, 2018 at 9:19 amHello, I took a very long break from making Kombucha and my hotel has been left alone for about 6 months. Still has liquid and now has many layers of Scobies. Do I just do a few rounds of sweet tea before attempting to make a batch?
Hannah Crum
May 24, 2019 at 9:07 amYes – start by first feeding the hotel to encourage a new layer to form. Once it does, you can activate your brew with that new SCOBY, then top off with more sweet tea on a regular basis to keep the organisms happy. Here is our post on maintaining your SCOBY Hotel
Donna
June 11, 2018 at 8:52 amI received a sealed SCOBY with started liquid from one of the big manufacturers, maybe you guys, i can’t remember right at this moment. Anyway, there was a delay in brewing my first batch, and since my place can get up to 88 degrees F, i put the sealed package in the fridge. I’m taking it out now. Plan to put it in the brewing vessel in a few hours with some tea. What are my prospects? It’s my first time brewing. Have I set myself up for failure?
Hannah Crum
June 27, 2018 at 8:29 amSounds like it wasn’t in the fridge for long, so it should still be okay to use. Leave at room temp for a few days, then make your first batch. The problem is if we leave the culture in the fridge for extended periods of time, the organisms slow down and can be difficult to revive – if they come back at all!
Natassia
June 4, 2018 at 11:00 amI got my SCOBY 3 days ago and put it in the fridge because I wasn’t ready to start brewing and I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. I just pulled it out after reading this. Will it be ok?
Hannah Crum
August 3, 2018 at 5:32 pmProvided they didn’t have a chance to go dormant, they ought to still be good. Rest them at room temperature for 24-48 hours and then start your batch according to the recipe.
Azzy Azeez
March 3, 2018 at 9:48 amI received a scoby from a friend and i stored it in the fridge overnight but took it out this morning when I learnt how bad that was lol will it still be safe to use.
Hannah Crum
August 22, 2019 at 3:27 pmTo clarify, we offer best practices and guidelines for caring for our cultures. A SCOBY can be refrigerated for a day or two but if left in much longer or forgotten, it can go dormant and subsequent batches my turn to mold. Also, it takes up precious room in the fridge!
Lynda
February 1, 2018 at 11:57 amI’m making my first batch of kombucha for my grandson. He is not allowed sugar. We use Organic Stevia. I used it for this batch. It is on day 9 and looks like mold has set up on top. Is it ok to use stevia? And is this batch not any good anymore?
Hannah Crum
June 14, 2019 at 7:42 pmUnfortunately stevia is not a fermentable sugar and it will go to mold as a result. However, if you want to try again, ferment the Kombucha so it is on the sour side (15-30 days depending on batch size and brewing conditions) and then you can always dilute with water or add a little stevia at that time. If he’s ALLERGIC to sugar, then you may need to try milk kefir instead.
Elinor
January 13, 2018 at 7:32 amHow can I say my Scoba in a vinegar solution
Hannah Crum
August 27, 2019 at 11:16 amSuper easy! Make a SCOBY Hotel.
Bronislaw ko Chodyniecki
August 25, 2017 at 8:23 pmMy first batch of KT is in second ferment. Put a little over 2 cups of KT in in a glass jar with the original scoby and it’s new baby. My basement is pretty much a constant temp of 69 to 70.5. will this temp range be harmful to my scoby?
Hannah Crum
June 8, 2018 at 11:53 pmYes, that temperature will work great for a SCOBY Hotel.
Becky Williams
May 26, 2017 at 6:44 amZso … if your scoby has been refrigerated should it be thrown out?
Hannah Crum
May 14, 2018 at 1:36 pmYou can also try to revive it if you feel like taking the time to make up some sweet tea. If it goes to mold, then it is lost and a new SCOBY is the answer. You can find fresh, healthy cultures here –> https://store.kombuchakamp.com/Kombucha-Mushroom-Cultures/
Doris Garza
May 13, 2017 at 5:52 amI forgot my scoby hotel for almost a year and there is no longer liquid in the jar. It has been stored correctly but because of the time without liquid do I need to throw out away or can I rehydrate it. I did not have any others.
Hannah Crum
May 3, 2018 at 5:39 pmUnfortunately once all of the liquid is gone, even if we add sweet tea or Kombucha to the hotel, it will more than likely just go to mold. Keeping the hotel moist is the key to maintaining the health of the SCOBYs. Start with a new one and then make sure you do SCOBY Maintenance every once in a while.
Jarrett Morgan
August 28, 2016 at 4:46 pmThank you for the info. I am attempting my first batch today and I would have never known not to store the SCOBY in the fridge. You saved me a hard learned lesson.
heidi gass
April 19, 2015 at 6:50 amI will be away for 26 days.
I was told to keep the SCOBY in the fridge.
keep in a bowl add fresh water.
Is that so. am reading different versions.
Absolutely trilled with the Kombucha
Hannah Crum
April 21, 2015 at 6:31 amWe don’t recommend storing SCOBYs in the fridge. The one you have may revive but as a general rule, we store them at room temp in a SCOBY Hotel.
Emily
March 24, 2015 at 8:23 pmI took a baby SCOBY out and placed it in a glass jar with mature kombucha to give to a friend. My well-intentioned husband saw it and assumed it was something that needed to be refrigerated.
It was in there for an hour before I noticed it and pulled it back out. It was definitely chilled. Do you think it will still be ok to give to my friend?
Hannah Crum
March 24, 2015 at 8:51 pmIf it was only in there for an hour, it should be okay. Give it a try and let us know how the Kombucha turns out!
Carol
April 21, 2014 at 9:10 amMy friend just gave me a kombucha that was frozen for 3 days. I want to try it out. What are the steps. Un freeze the kombucha in water or alone in glass?
I know the Article said the first 3 batches will be bad. But I want to try it out
Hannah Crum
April 21, 2014 at 2:31 pmWe don’t recommend long term cold storage of Kombucha as it may be difficult to revive. To give it a try, let the SCOBY come back to room temp, then give it another 12-24 hours at room temp. Then brew as normal. If you get mold in the first batch, just throw everything away. If you don’t get mold, but don’t get Kombucha, then throw the contents of the batch out (except for 1-2cups of starter liquid) and give it another try. If it doesn’t revive within 3 batches, then start with a fresh culture.
Venesa E
March 17, 2014 at 3:48 pmHi * I wish I would have read your article BEFORE storing my scoby in the refrigerator : | I had read somewhere that it would be ok to store in refrigerator as I was going through the process of moving…after getting settled into my new home i tried to revive. My first batch did not reproduce…I am trying again….about 5 days in and see no new growth…..
What would you suggest?
Did I kill my scoby? 🙁
Thanks much *
Hannah Crum
March 17, 2014 at 6:04 pmMaybe..only one way to find out – keep trying!
Nancy Mcintyre
February 16, 2014 at 5:01 pmWhen I made my last brew of kombucha I forgot to add the sugar. I used green tea. But of course after a whole week when I checked it, the mother was still on the bottom and there was no fermentation. Is my scobie still alive? I think I will make another batch with fresh tea and see what happens. Would appreciate some feedback on this? Will the “tea be safe?”
Hannah Crum
February 21, 2014 at 3:44 pmYou can go ahead and add sugar to this batch to see if it will ferment or simply reuse the SCOBY in a fresh batch of sweet tea. If you have no starter liquid, you may use 1 cup of DISTILLED vinegar (no raw vinegar) as starter for the first batch. It isn’t ideal but it will protect the brew from mold in the early, vulnerable stage.
Nancy Fay Tritt
May 23, 2017 at 9:13 pmHi I also used to be a Nancy McIntyre once, now I’ve become a Nancy Tritt! 🙂 My husband and I have just begun our journey with kombucha as a friend gave us a nice scoby. So the “yeast” is the brown stuff that floats to the bottom? Should I wash my kombucha jar often? Can I get away with NEVER washing my kombucha jar? Could one use a juice dispenser… but I guess you would need a stainless steel spout?
Hannah Crum
May 14, 2018 at 1:39 pmYes – the brown stuff is yeast. Some people choose not to wash their vessel in between batches – that is a personal choice. Due to the low pH and organic acid profile of Kombucha, it is very difficult to introduce contaminants into the process but everyone has a different comfort level. Of course, if you ever experience mold, then sanitize everything right away. We do recommend the stainless steel spigot as it is the best one out there –> https://store.kombuchakamp.com/Brew-Safe-Stainless-Steel-Spigot.html
Mandy Lancaster
January 15, 2014 at 8:21 pmThank you for the article! I made my own SCOBY a year ago, no bad batches and lots of babies. It’s been going great. Now, my family and I will be moving to Botswana, Africa in 6 weeks to stay for two years. I don’t want to leave my beloved babies behind. How do I travel with them safely on the airplane?
Hannah Crum
February 4, 2014 at 12:24 amBest to pack them into your checked luggage. To prevent leakage, use a heat sealer and several bags. Safe travels!
Cyndi
October 13, 2013 at 7:12 pmMs Hannah, Is there a time-limit for SCOBY hotels? How long can they stay in the hotel? I have a large amount of SCOBYs in a large hotel. The kt they’re sleeping in has become a strong vinegar. Is there a point that they will suffer without fresh caffeine/sugar? Thanks!
Hannah Crum
October 22, 2013 at 8:45 pmTerrific question Cyndi! I need to make a SCOBY Hotel Maintenance Video. Basically, every few months, as you notice the yeast build up on the bottom of the jar, that means its time to clean out the SCOBY Hotel. To do that, remove the cultures to a new jar/bowl and keep them covered. Then strain the liquid in the jar to remove the excess yeast. You may want to run that jar through the dishwasher or give it a thorough cleaning. Then re-set up the hotel with some fresh sweet tea to keep the SCOBYs happy!
Maggie Barraza
July 14, 2013 at 6:01 pmCan anyone tell me anything about Jun Kombucha?
Hannah Crum
July 16, 2013 at 1:18 amJun is a lacto cousin of Kombucha. Though the pellicle looks the same, it feeds on green tea and raw honey. We will have them up soon. If you want one, pls order a kefir grain and write “jun” in the notes.
Maggie Barraza
July 14, 2013 at 5:52 pmI would like to know how much of this can you drink everyday?
Hannah Crum
July 16, 2013 at 1:20 amWe suggest starting with small qtys – 2-4oz a day if you are new to Kombucha from 1-3x a day. Start slowly and listen to your body. Here’s a video –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIPeZFBzj1A
Fernanda Galvez
July 10, 2013 at 8:26 pmInteresting info, although I wanted to share that I have had excellent experience w SOCBYS that have been refrigerated (one I revived after almost 2 years of refrigeration) and it revived beautifully, no mold. The only time I go mold was when I got a little greedy and drew off more than my share of my continuous brew and since there was not enough KT left when I added in the tea it grew mold :/ rookie mistake after too much confidence brewing delicious KT for 3 years! Gotta stay humble 😉
I will store an additional SCOBY in your suggested “hotel” and see how it compares to my refrigerated ones 🙂
Hannah Crum
July 11, 2013 at 11:53 pmGlad to hear yours brewed up successfully. Some SCOBYs will revive after being stored in the fridge, but it can be hit or miss so we generally recommend against it as the culture prefers warmer temps.
Bob
January 21, 2014 at 8:09 amI have refrigerated skobies from the start. Of course they don’t “like” cold temps and will go dormant. They have less self protecting capability at these temps but also are inherently more protected at the low temp because competing organisms also don’t like the cold. Yeast also does not like low temp but yeast cultures for brewing have to be refrigerated. OK what I just indicated does not mean I’m right. I bring out the skobie from refrigeration well ahead of using it to reduce temperature shock the same as I would do will a yeast culture for beer. I have never had mold. I will (unless convinced otherwise) continue to refrigerate with some of the current batch starter which gives it a good nutrient rich environment. I do need to improve some aspects of my skobie maintenance and may need to allow some addition reduction in pH prior to refrigeration to make sure the starter is potent enough (depending on how long I let the batch ferment). Bob
Hannah Crum
February 3, 2014 at 3:29 pmThe information on this site is intended for use by everyone. Most folks are novice brewers and may not have the patience to endure moldy batches or the experience to know what to do if the culture doesn’t behave as intended. If your experience is different and successful, then Happy Brewing Bob!
Cynthia
April 20, 2013 at 6:30 pmI was told that it will pickle itself over time from the vinegar and that is why we should refrigerate so that the process is slowed. 2 chefs taught this probiotics class and used molasses with white sugar boiled with loose tea cut from bags. I refrigerated the sample for 5 days before making sweet tea. I let the sample get to room temp first for a few hours. Its been 3 days now and the sunk culture moved everyday and is partly on top now. Should I add distilled vinegar to be safe? I don’t have a pH meter or 80° temp. It’s about 60°. There’s growth but no bubbling. Unsure?
Hannah Crum
April 22, 2013 at 11:41 amIt’s too cold. The fermentation will be slow and may not be even resulting in poor SCOBY growth or not so tasty booch. We invented these heating elements to keep your booch happy!
Ana Bolena
April 6, 2013 at 9:35 pmI opened this page and read info 100% contrary to what I have learned. Hopefully my extra scobys that have been in the refrigerator a month + will survive. They look ok; do I feed them sweet tea, then try a batch? I live in Costa Rica with temps mostly 80 – 95 — still best to store scoby out of the fridg? Thanks
Hannah Crum
April 14, 2013 at 12:08 pmThey may revive, especially in that heat. Many inexperienced brewers simply don’t have the patience to see if they will come back. Sometimes it may take a few batch cycles before they do (sometimes only 1!) and other times, they simply do not revive or may molder. Best to store them at room temp and feed sweet tea from time to time so they don’t lose all of their liquid.
Kerry
January 13, 2013 at 6:09 pmRegarding the golden rules … then it’s not possible to ship to australia then??
Hannah Crum
January 20, 2013 at 7:26 pmWe ship Kombucha cultures all over the world with great success including Australia!
Greg Huebner
September 21, 2012 at 7:32 amThanks so much, new brewer here, appreciate the wonderful site!
Kombucha Kamp via Facebook
October 20, 2011 at 12:12 pmYou can substitute distilled vinegar or make a cup of sweet tea with 1 tea bag and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Lanna Kroger via Facebook
October 20, 2011 at 10:15 amNN You arethe -Kombucha Mama -you rock lady I can wait to try my stuff
Lanna Kroger via Facebook
October 20, 2011 at 10:13 ambut I dont have any komucha to put on the top of it.. so what should I do??
Felicity
May 15, 2014 at 3:22 pmI just read, on another website that you can use white or apple cider vinegar to replace the actual kombucha, if you don’t have enough from your previous batch, or this is your first batch. 1/2 cup per quart, I think she said.
Hannah Crum
May 23, 2014 at 3:40 pmWhile distilled or pasteurized vinegar may be used IN A PINCH, it does not contain any living bacteria to support the culture – it simply acidifies the liquid to help prevent mold. Many find when they use vinegar that it doesn’t taste as good as when they use Kombucha for the starter liquid.
RAW vinegar has its own colony of bacteria and yeast that could compete with the organisms in your SCOBY. For that reason, we do not advise using raw vinegar as starter. It may also lead vinegar eels.
Kombucha Kamp via Facebook
October 20, 2011 at 8:39 amLanna there’s a link to SCOBY Hotel in the post – here it is. https://www.kombuchakamp.com/scoby-hotel-video-quick-tip
If you just now got the SCOBY and put it in the fridge it might be okay. Then again, if you were told to put it in the fridge, then it’s possible the person who gave it to you did so as well. :/
Lanna Kroger via Facebook
October 20, 2011 at 8:32 amokay are you going to tell us what a scoby hotel is?? Is it just a jar?? I just got a scoby and put it in the fridge cuz I thought that was what you’re supposed to do and cuz I dont have a brew vessel at this moment.. Darn it I am getting frustrated already… I have even brewed any… I wanted to try home brew cuz the stuff from the store was way sour and my kids wouldnt touch it.
Carly Jane Volpe via Facebook
October 20, 2011 at 7:50 amso interesting!