Brewing Kombucha at home is a fun and easy process. However, to the newbie, the Kombucha brewing process can be fraught with uncertainty, mostly due to lack of information. Oftentimes the mere sight of a healthy SCOBY alone is enough to inspire shudders of revulsion to the uninitiated.
Like most hobbies, the more you brew, the greater your skill set. With experience comes familiarity but first you must learn to “speak Kombucha.” Heck – you might end up like us, singing to your cultures and calling them your Boochie Babies! Coochie coo Boochie boo!
Since a healthy SCOBY can come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, it can be easy to mistake a healthy brew for a science experiment gone awry. However, using the guidelines below, you too will be able to recognize the 5 signs of a healthy SCOBY and Kombucha brew.
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Kombucha Smell
Kombucha has its own special smell that longtime brewers will immediately recognize. The signature sweet-sour smell of Kombucha wafting from the brewer is a unique delight. It may take a couple of days for the smell to appear but it is unmistakable once you learn it.
Sometimes described as fermented or “beerlike,” it also has notes of vinegar and a slightly sour pungency that indicates a healthy SCOBY and KT. If you store your Kombucha in a smaller room, you may notice the smell is stronger than when stored in a more open space.
TRY THIS – Smell your batch everyday and taste it too. You will quickly learn how to detect how much sugar is present with just your nose.
Kombucha Mamma Sez: “Does your brew smell like rotten eggs? Check your water source. Some municipal and well water sources may contain sulpher producing bacteria that can create a ‘rotten egg’ smell.“********
Healthy SCOBY Growth
One of the most obvious signs of a health Kombucha brew is the formation of a new healthy SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast – often referred to as a “baby”). While SCOBY growth will vary with the seasons due to differences in temperature, air pressure and the like, the culture is hardy and is constantly reproducing as part of its survival strategy. SCOBYs do not miraculously appear fully formed, but grow in gradually until the entire surface area of the brewing vessel is covered. This survival strategy creates a seal which slows down evaporation and allows for the anaerobic fermentation to occur.
Since Kombucha is of nature (as we are) it follows the seasons. In the summer, the Kombucha ferments very quickly and SCOBY growth is more rapid. In the winter when the temperature is cooler, SCOBY growth will still be present but may be much thinner. It can also take longer for the brewing cycle at this time of year.
CLICK HERE for more about Brewing Times for All Ferments
CLICK HERE for Winter Brewing Tips
Kombucha Mamma Sez: “Remember! Taste is King. Let your tongue be the ultimate tester rather than your eyes because you may have a delicious Kombucha even if there is thin SCOBY growth.”********
Yeast Activity
Since the culture is a symbiosis of both bacteria (the SCOBY itself) and yeast (the brown strands), it is important that both are in balance. In the early stages, before the culture has fully formed, you may notice yeast congregating at the top of your brew. They look like brown strands or clumps (or a brain!) that eventually attach themselves to the underside of the culture or fall to the bottom of the vessel when they expire. Some confuse the yeast blooms for mold because beneath the newly forming culture they may look bluish or black.
Kombucha Mamma Sez: “If you still aren’t sure if you have mold or normal culture growth, take a look at these Kombucha mold photos or send a photo to Kombucha Kamp and we will help you identify what you are seeing.”Again, balance is key – so you want to have some yeast, but not too much. For that reason, it is important to always use starter liquid from the top of your brew where it is bacteria rich. Only using starter from the bottom of your vessel may result in “beery” Kombucha. Check out this article on achieving carbonation in Kombucha if you suspect yours is out of balance.
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Protective pH
One of the Kombucha culture’s most important defense mechanisms is its low pH. The average pH of properly fermented Kombucha tea is 3.2-2.5. The high acidity prevents other potentially harmful microorganisms from colonizing the culture. In fact, the bacteria and yeast work so well together, that they kill other harmful bacteria on contact. Although making Kombucha at home seems daunting, it is actually quite safe.
TIP! Use a pH meter to monitor your brew’s progress.
However, pH will not indicate that your brew is ready to drink as it will often reach the desired pH within the first 3 days of brewing. Therefore, you need to use your taste buds to tell you when your brew is ready. Remember, the longer it ferments, the more sugar is converted and the tarter the flavor. Bottle conditioning will mellow the flavor.
CLICK HERE for more on pH and Kombucha
Kombucha Mamma Sez: “Although Kombucha’s pH is low, once it hits the body’s digestive system, it has an alkalizing effect, like vinegar & lemon juice.”********
Lightens in Color
A freshly brewed batch of starter tea can be quite dark, depending on what type of tea you use. Tannins give tea its color and astringency.
As the culture goes about its business of converting sugar into healthy acids, the tannins are also converted. This causes the color of the tea liquor* to gradually lighten, shifting from dark brown to a lighter tan color.
CLICK HERE for more on Teas to Use with Kombucha
Kombucha Mamma Sez: “Remember! If you are using green or white tea, the brew will be lighter in color when started. This means that the color shift may not be as dramatic, but will still be noticeable.”*Tea liquor is the term used to refer to the liquid created when tea is added to water.
There is no alcohol in tea liquor.
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Learning to “speak Kombucha” is a fun and informative process. Use a notebook to jot down your observations. Remember – Kombucha is a living organism and as such will not behave exactly the same from batch to batch, month to month. Learning to recognize these signs will help you adjust your process throughout the year to harmonize with the seasons.
What other signs have you noticed?
Leave a comment below! 🙂
Ezer Escalona
May 1, 2024 at 10:54 amSoy fan de tu sitio, muchas gracias por toda la informacion que nos regalas.
Te escribo de Mexico y he completado mi primer lote exitosamente, habia comenzado un segundo lote esta vez con 3 litros de te dulce verde y 1 de kombucha elaborada del anterior.
cubria con un pañuelo de servitoalla para que no dejara entrar moscas de fruta, al dia 3 de revisarlo percibi inmediatamente un olor a ” huevo podrido” lo cual me desanimo bastante, habia burbujas abajo del scoby y en el fondo levadura …hasta ese momento segun lo que habia leido de tu sitio es algo normal.
Pero el olor no me gusto en lo absoluto, mi primer lote olia bastante bien a fermentado y con un picor particular.
Probé este lote y sabia dulce pero el olor a huevo podrido era inconfundible …. tire por completo los 4 litros de preparacion y el scoby lo tengo apartado en un “hotel scoby” solito.
Se nota normal sin moho, solo con bastante levadura incluso en la parte de arriba…
Quisiera entender y pedir de tu ayuda para comprender que pudo salir mal.
Datos a considerar, en Mexico andamos ahorita en 01/05/2024 en 30 grados o 31 grados Celsius, otro dato adicional mi esposo me dijo que cubrio con una toalla de microfibra el contenedor donde teniamos la preparacion de la kombucha, esto lo hizo para evitar las moscas… no se si se deba a un sobrecalentamiento o que no respiro efectivamente la preparacion…
Millones de gracias!!!! bendiciones para ti
Anthea Tayag
June 4, 2024 at 10:19 amKombucha y JUN son fermentos aeróbicos. Esto significa que necesitan exposición al oxígeno para que se produzca el proceso de fermentación y permita que el SCOBY consuma azúcares. Como tal, no es una buena idea secuestrar esas infusiones en un área herméticamente cerrada que pueda limitar la cantidad de aire disponible.
En cuanto al sabor, no estamos seguros de lo que está experimentando; sin embargo, si nota un olor a azufre, a menudo es un signo de desequilibrio de la levadura, que generalmente ocurre al principio del proceso y está relacionado con el drenaje excesivo de la infusión, las bajas temperaturas o las bacterias débiles y, a menudo, una combinación de estos factores. Generalmente, permitir que la infusión siga madurando durante más tiempo puede corregir el problema y aumentar el poder de la infusión, permitiendo que las bacterias “alcancen” la levadura. Si el olor no desaparece, es posible que las bacterias ya no estén activas.
A veces, el olor a azufre es un signo de desequilibrio que se produce debido a los aromas utilizados en el momento del embotellado. Los sabores pueden contener levadura natural que compite con la cerveza, u otras veces hay elementos presentes en los saborizantes que alimentan nuestra levadura Kombucha de una manera extraña que hace que produzcan el olor. La mayoría de las veces, cambiar el método o la fuente del saborizante reduce el problema.
En casos raros, el olor a azufre puede ser causado por bacterias productoras de azufre que pueden haberse originado en su fuente de agua. Tendrás que confiar en tu instinto en este caso. Si bien no podemos decirlo con certeza, siempre y cuando no tenga un sabor desagradable y puedas tolerar el olor, es probable que sea seguro beberlo.
La humedad podría ser un factor que cause moho si se deja más del 50% de forma regular. Mover los frascos a un área más fresca o hacer funcionar un ventilador a tiempo parcial para eliminar parte de la humedad puede ayudar.
Anna
November 29, 2023 at 12:45 pmHi,
I just grew a SCOBY from GT plain and black tea. Used a warmer on low bc we keep it cold in our house at night sometimes below 60. I let the pellicle grow from Nov 2-25 then started my first fermentation. The mother pellicle got very thick and had a huge amount of yeast on the underside and I didn’t think to remove some, it did sink to the bottom which I know isn’t really an issue but I think it may have too much yeast.
The new baby pellicle is growing and looks great and the brew smells tangy but I’m noticing huge clouds of what I believe is yeast all throughout the tea and it is very murky. The only info I’ve found is it may be that I’m keeping it too warm so there’s more yeast but I think it’s also that the mother was so yeasty when I added it. I keep the warmer on it and the temps are usually around 76 on the temp strip.
Should I lower the temps to balance out yeast and give bacteria a chance? I also read I could be making my black tea too strong? Should I do anything differently? Any advice is appreciated.
Anthea Tayag
December 1, 2023 at 9:22 amThe presence of yeast and murkiness in your brew can indeed be related to several factors, including temperature and the initial condition of the mother SCOBY and starter liquid. To address the yeast issue and restore a healthier balance, it’s a good idea use liquid from the top of this brew to use for the next batch. This can help prevent an overabundance of yeast that might lead to an imbalance in your future batches.
Regarding the strength of your tea, it’s worth noting that using strong tea can sometimes encourage yeast growth. You might experiment with slightly reducing the strength of your tea to see if it has an impact on yeast levels.
However, it’s essential to keep in mind that growing SCOBYs from commercial brands may result in SCOBYs that are initially strong but may weaken over time. Commercial brands may not provide the ideal conditions for long-term SCOBY health and vitality. As a general suggestion, if you continue to experience issues or if you notice that your brew isn’t improving, you might consider obtaining a healthy SCOBY from a reliable source to ensure the long-term success of your Kombucha brewing.
Hannah Crum
December 7, 2023 at 1:02 pmhere’s a blog post with more information about growing cultures from commercial Kombucha brands –> Growing A Kombucha Culture: Pitfalls and Problems Since the Reformulation
Jacek
September 15, 2023 at 5:18 amHello,
I have a question. Do i have to protect spigot from flies when i’m doing CB? Great site, greetings from Poland!
Anthea Tayag
September 15, 2023 at 4:58 pmThere’s no need to worry about needing to protect the spigot. Of course it is best to ensure that the brew cover is tightly woven and that surrounding area of the brew vessel is clean so as not to attract the pesky things.
Jacek
September 18, 2023 at 10:39 pmThank You for Your reply. I just don’t want flies laying eggs in my spigot and contaminate my second fermentation.
Hannah Crum
October 4, 2023 at 6:39 amThere isn’t anywhere for them to lay eggs in the spigot – they are simply attracted to the drop of Kombucha that is left hanging out in there. You can try wiping it with a cloth to remove any excess if you like.
Raquel
May 26, 2020 at 7:27 pmHi! I don’t believe my scoby formed a new baby scoby but it did create the disk on top and it was quite thick and looked like a second one but when I took it out to try and pull it apart there was only one. It still tasted good just don’t know if I did something wrong or if it’s okay to still drink? Any thoughts? Thanks!
Hannah Crum
May 16, 2021 at 2:59 pmThe daughter will lightly fuse together with the mother. Sometimes it will come off as its own layer, other times will will be fused more tightly to the mother. Simply use that same SCOBY in the next batch and another will form.
Willis
November 3, 2019 at 4:35 pmI have a quick question. I have been using 10-12 bags of tea to one gallon with 1 cup of sugar. Will the extra strong batch of tea hurt the scoby in any way? I’ve also been experimenting with coffee kombucha. Could use a bit of guidance on the amount of coffee I should be using for a gallon jar. Currently I use 3/4 cup of grounds to a French press and let it brew for 10 minutes. Is this a bit much? Thanks for your help. Thank you for the awesome resource you provide to us nubies.
Hannah Crum
November 18, 2019 at 9:26 amSounds like you enjoy a stronger flavored brew! Use the amount that makes it delicious. Too much tea can sometimes cause the yeast to oversour but if you are not finding that in your case, then they are probably used to the amount you are feeding them. For the coffee, like the tea, we can use less than what we would normally consume per cup and yield delicious flavors. Try starting with 1/3 cup of ground coffee per 1 quart of water (we use the short cut method as well for this brew, then dilute with cold water). P 230 of The Big Book of Kombucha has the recipe for Kombuffee.
Milt Michael
September 18, 2019 at 3:21 pmI’m putting some fruit (pineapple) in my primary batch in a two gallon vessel. I have a scoby from the last batch that sits on top and covers the whole surface. I like this because it prevents any fruit from coming in contact with air. However, there is air of some kind forming under the scoby and lifting the middle of the scoby up. I am continuously pressing the center down and releasing this air and foam. I’m wondering what this air is? co2? Is it caused by the fruit? Is it a good or bad thing?
Hannah Crum
October 1, 2019 at 4:29 pmThe extra sugar in the fruit is likely causing extra carbonation to form – as long as there is no mold it’s not really a problem: https://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-mold-information-and-pictures
But in general, we recommend keeping flavorings and especially fruit to the second ferment rather than the first ferment, to avoid brewing problems: https://www.kombuchakamp.com/how-to-flavor-kombucha-tea
That said, if it’s working for you, that’s great! Still, we recommend keeping those SCOBYs separate from your SCOBY Hotel so you always have clean backups in case anything goes wrong. 🙂
Happy brewing!
Atalanta
May 6, 2019 at 7:33 amHi! I’m brewing Jun from a Scoby I got from a co-worker. I’m having the brewing vessel sit on my stove (it has a pilot light) and wondering if maybe the bottom warmth is why it smells yeasty. I started with a half gallon brew (since the Scoby lost some juice in transport – my car had a vinegar smell when I got home LOL) for the first week. Over the weekend, I made a second half gallon of tea and put it into a gallon vessel. I added the scoby and topped it with the Jun from the first batch. Drank the extra. It tasted fine, maybe a hair sweet, but there was a lot of yeast in the bottom of my glass. When I decanted it I did try to keep most of the extra yeast out of the transfer to the new jar.
Hannah Crum
May 24, 2019 at 9:02 amYes – JUN yeast grow cities on the bottom of the jar – that is normal. Likely due to different organisms that are naturally present in the raw honey.
Atalanta
May 30, 2019 at 2:52 pmI’ve since moved it to its CB jar (2.5 gal) and it’s very happy! The SCOBY, which I was a tad worried about, it growing like a beast! Smell is less yeasty and taste is still a hair sweet, but it’s only been in its new jar a week.
Kasper
March 1, 2019 at 10:57 amHi Hannah.
Im doing my third brew but this time the baby is dry and wrinkled on top and is going a little bit up the sides of my container. It has fermented for 2 weeks now and it smells great. Do you think its good or bad?
Kasper
Hannah Crum
March 10, 2019 at 5:46 pmAs long as the Kombucha taste delicious, you are good to go! Kombucha is a food and like all foods will have off flavors, off smells or mold if it is not safe to consume.
Cristian
February 27, 2019 at 4:38 pmHi! I noticed that when I drink cooled kombucha it taste sweeter and less ácid than the same, but not cooled kombucha. You know why is that ?
Hannah Crum
March 10, 2019 at 5:48 pmThe ice cubes melt and shift the pH of the Kombucha – similar to adding an ice cube to a glass of scotch or other liquor, as the water integrates, it changes the flavor profile.
Rachel
February 25, 2019 at 10:46 amHello,
i just started making my kombucha 3 days ago. Everything is going great . The mother scoby is already almost entirely covering the top.
My question is …
I am wanting to start a continuous brew. How do I know when my scoby is strong enough to do that? My kombucha is already in a 3 gallon crock with a spigot but I only did 1 gallon of sugar/black tea per instructions of the company I bought the scoby from and read that u should never do a continuous brew with less than 2 gallons tea. Anyway, i dont know if i can start on this second round and just leave the scoby in the crock once i empty the first brew and just pour 2 gallons in. I really do not feel comfortable handling the scoby. I am afraid of contaminating it.
So basically, can I go straight from single brew to continous brew without handling scoby ?
Hannah Crum
March 10, 2019 at 5:53 pmWe’d recommend leaving the fermented Kombucha tea in the vessel and add another gallon of sweet tea to the entire vessel. Wait another 7-14 days (depending on taste preference and climate) and then start the CB process from there. You can learn more about Continuous Brewing here.
Joseph
February 25, 2019 at 7:05 amIn the middle of changing my kombucha from 1/4 coconut sugar to 1/2 coconut sugar (easing my scobies away from cane)- one of my gallons just looks like a watery blob of cider color!
The ones with 1/4 coconut sugar are perfect- but the second i went to 1/2 and 1/2- either the process broke down or its normal for this gallon to look totally out of wack.
Anyone have experience/advice?
Hannah Crum
March 10, 2019 at 5:54 pmCoconut sugar is mineral rich and it could be over stimulating the yeast. Probably best to stick to a lesser amt of coconut sugar if you don’t want it to over sour. Here are more facts about sugar.
Marta
January 11, 2019 at 11:34 amHi! I’m brewing my kombucha for the first time. My mother SCOBY is on the bottom, my baby SCOBY was growing on the surface and it looked very nice and quite thick. After 8 days my baby SCOBY sank and it is now in the middle of my jar and I’ve noticed that second baby SCOBY is forming (very, very thin, but it’s there). What happened? Is it ok? Should I throw it out or leave it? It is still to sweet to me, so I wanted to wait a few days longer. My kombucha smells and looks nice.
Hannah Crum
February 5, 2019 at 5:17 pmAll good! That does sometimes happen if the jar is jostled. Once it has the flavor you enjoy best, then it will be ready. In winter that can take a bit longer.
NET
February 23, 2019 at 9:43 pmHannah, am on my 9th day of brewing kombucha. How can I send you the picture so you may check how is it doing? Thanks
Hannah Crum
March 10, 2019 at 5:55 pmSend us photos anytime to customerservice[at]kombuchakamp.com
Diana
January 4, 2019 at 5:34 amHi! I’ve been brewing kombucha for over 3 months now. I sarted a new brew (in a place with a different Weatherford) with a scoby i got from the old one. It’s been 3 weeks now and the favor seems off, not fermented even though the weather Is warmer in the new location. Is there something wrong or should I give it more Time?
Hannah Crum
January 4, 2019 at 7:21 amWhenever changing locations, it can take a few batches for the brew to ferment at the same speed as the previous location. The reason is that in the old location, a “biome” of yeast and other organisms was created and that biome doesn’t currently exist in the new place – give it a few rounds and it will catch up!
Sun
November 30, 2018 at 12:33 amHi! I have a floating renegade tea leaf at the bottom of my brew a couple inches from the bottom with heavy yeast growth all over it like mold. But it’s under liquid very deep and the top is sealed and healthy as possibly can be. Is this normal for yeast to grow on the floaters inside? And I know I missed ONE on filtering 🙂
Hannah Crum
December 1, 2018 at 1:00 pmAll good – no need to panic. The yeast is clinging to it as the tea leaf is a valuable source of nutrients. They can be in the brew from time to time – mold is only ON TOP and FUZZY – so it is safe to consume – more about mold here
Lisa
November 26, 2018 at 3:48 amI’m new to brewing kombucha and after 4-5 brews, I see a cobweby glob that reaches from my scoby to the bottom of the jar. What is this, is it ok to drink?
Hannah Crum
May 24, 2019 at 9:12 amProbably a yeastie beastie – all good! You are welcome to send photos to customerservice@kombuchakamp.com
Kayla Flowers
August 3, 2018 at 6:24 amHello. I had 2 brewing vessels brewing kombucha at the same time, about 3 inches apart. Unfortunately one vessel is contaminated with vinegar eels, the other vessel seems to be free of them. Do you think its possible the other brew got contaminated? I mean being brewed so close to one another is it possible that the eels could have jumped to the other one and they just have yet to grow enough to be seen by the naked eye?
Thanks for any help.
Hannah Crum
August 3, 2018 at 4:36 pmAck! So frustrating! Vinegar eels do not “fly”. They can only get into the brew through direct transmission. It is possible that one vessel has them and the other doesn’t. Or it may be that they both have them but they haven’t proliferated enough to be visible to the naked eye at this time. Unfortunately, there is no way to salvage the brew at all – everything has to be disposed of. The vessel needs to be soaked/cleaned with bleach water, including the spigot. Then extra vigilance is required to monitor your brew to prevent them from coming back.
Bern
November 17, 2018 at 7:46 amWhat are vinegar eels??
Hannah Crum
December 1, 2018 at 1:04 pmWe write about them in our book – The Big Book of Kombucha – also try searching for them on YouTube to see what they look like – yikes!
Marie
July 23, 2018 at 6:36 amHi! I’ve been brewing for a few months and it’s going amazingly well. This last batch I bottled a few days ago and just put in the fridge this morning. When I bottled my brew, it was all nicely slightly cloudy as usually, but when I looked at my bottles this morning, they are all clear! I’ve never seen this before. Is anything wrong? There seem to be living cultures in the bottles. Could it be the heat (weather)?
Hannah Crum
August 3, 2018 at 5:24 pmYeast are temperature sensitive. Once you put the bottles in the fridge the yeast essentially “crash” to the bottom of the bottle. That’s why it now seems to be clear though you ought to see a layer of sediment at the bottom. If you take them out of the fridge, that will allow the yeast to “reactivate” which can help increase effervescence.
stacey
May 9, 2018 at 2:47 pmI have a batch about 3 days old (1 1/2 gallon) – part of the new scoby growth is lifting out of the brew though most is sitting right on top of the tea – is this okay?
Hannah Crum
June 27, 2018 at 8:30 amYou can poke it back into the liquid. It is probably climbing out due to the warmer temps right now. Here’s a fun video https://www.kombuchakamp.com/video-kombucha-scoby-climbing-out-of-jar
Ati
November 20, 2017 at 5:03 amHallo
I bought 2 Scoby’s , and I tried to make My Kombucha tee with 2 smalls Scoby ‘s in a jar , but the baby Scoby hat mold on it ( a very small blou and a very small dark one) now my question is ,I should only the baby Scoby throwing out ? Or the mothers too?
I mean I must buy a new Scoby ? Or I can keep the 2 mother ‘s that I bought at first?
Thx
Hannah Crum
March 10, 2019 at 6:06 pmWe must dispose of all moldy SCOBYs to prevent them from molding again. Here are some additional tips for how to manage mold.
Sheila
September 24, 2017 at 1:42 pmHi there,
I’m on day 7 of my first brew ever. First time jitters, I’m wondering if everything is okay. Tasted it today and it tasted slightly sour. Might want it a little more sour. It smells vinegary/yeasty. The top is slightly bluish/white along with some blobs floating, and I saw the mother scoby floating towards the top. Any help or suggestions at all would be great.
Hannah Crum
June 27, 2018 at 8:34 amSounds like everything is working great! Here are more images of “normal” SCOBY formation –> https://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-brewing-pictures/healthy-kombucha-scoby-growth-including-unusual-kombucha-scobys
You are also welcome to send a photo to customerservice (at) kombuchakamp (dot) com if you would like us to take a look!
Gay
August 18, 2017 at 3:12 pmHave made about 5 batches and all have had the 5 good signs. Just decanted #6, everything looked, smelled and tasted good but was a syrupy viscosity. Is this a problem?
Hannah Crum
June 8, 2018 at 11:55 pmThis can happen if it is on the colder side – the yeast get sluggish and a syrup like consistency can arise. Maintain proper brewing temps (75-85F) to avoid it from happening again. If you need a heating solution, we have those here –> https://store.kombuchakamp.com/Heating-Systems/
Kombucha lovers
September 16, 2022 at 11:00 amHi. I have this problem too, but it is not on colder temperature. My room temperature is around 28-31°c. It is like has a little viscosity. And the mother starter that I moved into new jar has cloudy SCOBY at the bottom of the jar (seems like transparent white cloud) . What should I do? Should I toss it all?
Thank you
Anthea Tayag
September 16, 2022 at 1:40 pmSCOBYs may sink or float but a new layer will always grow across the top. Without knowing more about the brewing process and seeing images, we cannot say for sure if there is an issue with the brew. Please feel free to contact us -> https://www.kombuchakamp.com/contact-us
Amanda
August 2, 2017 at 7:04 amI am on day 3 of brewing and it doesn’t look like anything is happening yet,is this how it should look?
Hannah Crum
June 15, 2018 at 10:32 amThe new SCOBY will grow in gradually – first some dots might appear and then finally it connects together like a thin skin before thickening up. We have some great photos of the progression in our book, The Big Book of Kombucha. You are also welcome to send photos to our customer service team.
Michele
June 6, 2017 at 12:52 pmThis is my second brew and i do not see any yeast (the brown strands). My first brew had a bunch of them. Is this a problem? If so how do I remedy it for my next brew?
Thanks!
Hannah Crum
May 23, 2018 at 6:47 pmYeast are floating all around us so they will come back to your brew naturally. If you need to increase the yeast, then take the starter for your next batch from the BOTTOM (only do this rarely!) where the yeastie beasties gather. That will help them to increase naturally. Use this technique with caution as its easy to over yeast the brew which will cause off flavors and poor SCOBY growth.
Ron Fast
June 6, 2017 at 9:55 amI’ve been brewing kombucha for several years now and have a question. I have a SCOBY hotel and it’s been growing lots of SCOBYs. there are several that are sitting on the bottom of the hotel, not floating. they’re thin and folded up. The others “float” and look good. Are the scobys that don’t float still healthy?
Hannah Crum
May 14, 2018 at 1:25 pmFloating doesn’t mean healthy or not healthy when it comes to SCOBYs. Floating occurs when the yeast have created CO2 that then “lifts” the mother to connect with the new layer forming on top. Our test for which SCOBY to keep vs let go is density. If you can pinch the culture between your forefinger and thumb and its dense and doesn’t tear easily, then that is SCOBY we want to keep. If it tears easily, then compost or trash.
Chellie D.
June 4, 2017 at 3:04 pmFirst, Hananah thank you for a wonderful informative website!! I have been a frequent reader since I found it.
I have been batch brewing about two months now. We live in a warm climate and keep the house at 78 with AC. I have been letting them brew 7 days. The first few weeks they came out really good but then last week all four batches turned out rather flat tasting ( no zing) and sourish but bitter. What could be going wrong? What happens if they are too warm. That room was getting very warm. Or, I was leaving the babies (scoby) with the mothers in the new batches. Too many in one jar?? And how long should you use the same scoby before you retire it ???
Thank you for all time and help !!!
Hannah Crum
May 14, 2018 at 1:29 pmFizz will happen in 2F – https://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-carbonation-for-beginners
We typically recommend that SCOBYs be retired after about 10 batches – its an arbitrary number and has more to do with how the culture looks (is it old, brown and ragged, then let it go) and if it retains its density (ie not easy to tear or rip).
Kaz Walker
May 27, 2016 at 10:17 pmMy brew scared the crap out me last night at about 1am, and has been gurgling since I got home from work tonight. I’m about 60 days into a continuous brew that’s had 3 harvests. I searched “gurgling kombucha” because I thought something might be wrong. Glad to hear my colony is thriving!
Jenna Switzer
July 8, 2015 at 2:57 pmThank you so much for this extremely lovely article!!
Also great to know I’m not the only one who sings to her ‘Boochie Babys!’ 😉
Pennie
June 28, 2015 at 8:47 amGood Day,
I am new to this. This is my fifteenth day after making a start from a bottle of Kombucha. Scoby is white with thinner areas showing through,not seeing any strings. Now I am going to feed it again with a cup of sugar and a couple tea spoons of green tea and black tea. Right?
Hannah Crum
July 15, 2015 at 3:21 pmIf the flavor is to your liking, then decant the brew, flavor it and repeat the steps to make a new batch.
Rachel
June 13, 2015 at 9:09 pmThe “oyster shooters” that grow in the 2F, can we put them in with the main batch of kombucha?
Hannah Crum
June 19, 2015 at 7:30 pmSure! We toss em back but they can also go in the hotel.
Francene
May 5, 2015 at 5:19 pmI wanted to say “thank you” for all your advice/post’s. I am brewing my first batch and ready for flavoring tomorrow.Every question I had you have answered and I’m sure I will have more. I am excited to try my first glass.
Karl
April 16, 2015 at 7:44 pmAs a long time brewer of mead, I was intrigued when presented by the opportunity to brew Kambucha and Jun by the local tea shop.
As I educate myself on the topic I am finding it a perfect pairing to my mead brewing hobby.
Thanks for all the great resources you have provided on your site.
John
March 20, 2015 at 9:00 pmI have had a ‘continuous’ brew going since mid-December. I must be lucky because every batch has turned out great! I’ve even begin to experiment with substituting honey for some of the sugar. I don’t sing to my SCOBY but he’s has gotten big! They grown up so fast!
Yaya
March 19, 2015 at 7:41 amafter bottling and leaving out at room temperature , I never seem to have any CO2 develop why is this
Hannah Crum
March 22, 2015 at 9:08 pmThere are many factors that affect fizz in the bottle – temperature (75-85F is the ideal range – use a heater if you live in a colder climate), yeast in the bottle (stir your CB before decanting) and tight fitting lids (swing tops hold in the carbonation best or try these lids for your GT or Kevita bottles). Here is another article the discusses carbonation.
Michell
May 14, 2014 at 1:44 pmi have a question concerning my kombucha. I noticed after after having set my kombucha aside for a while and leaving it in a hotel that when I continued brewing, it had a peculiar taste. The taste was more present after the second fermentation, almost slightly soapy. I rinse all the materials I use with filtered water and vinegar so I am not sure where this taste is coming from. It usually tasted that way more often if a fruit was used in the second fermentation. Also my flavored bottled buchas all have seemed to grow a scoby during 2nd fermentation as well? Why might this be?
Hannah Crum
May 23, 2014 at 3:43 pmBased on the information you’ve provided, we are not sure why it would have a soapy flavor. Sometimes off flavors are produced when unclean or well water is used as it can adversely affect the yeast.
As for the SCOBY in 2F, that is healthy and normal! It is a sign of an active brew. You can toss them back like oyster shooters for a bacterial boost or filter them out.
Janelle
May 13, 2014 at 12:39 pmSo glad I found your site. You are wonderful:) I received a few mamas from an acquaintance. The taste after 7 days was to my liking-quite tart which surprised me as I see many people brew for much longer. Judging by many comments I’ve read I think I’ll try to let it go for a few weeks this time. Thanks for all the great information.
Nancy Wakefield
May 1, 2014 at 7:12 amI’m brewing in one of the crocks I purchased from you. I love kombucha. I noticed last brew, that my scoby was getting dry on top in places, so I peeled this away. Under the dry, a new scoby had formed which I thought was very interesting. Is this normal. I keep checking to make sure my scoby is staying moist. Thanks for all of your help.
Hannah Crum
May 6, 2014 at 10:41 amThe new layer always forms at the top, though the top may also dry out if left long enough but it will protect the layers beneath. In CB we see many layers of culture fused together to create one giant mamma!
Steve
April 23, 2014 at 2:39 pmI have two separate SCOBY hotels. One SCOBY is white in color and floats at the top of the jar when I add it to a Kombucha batch. The other SCOBY has a pinker hue and sinks to the bottom of the jar. I just started two new separate batches last night, and the white SCOBY that floats is already fermenting. As usual, the pink SCOBY is hanging out at the bottom of the jar and I don’t see any bubbles yet like in the other batch. Is there something wrong with the pink bottom-dwelling SCOBY?
Hannah Crum
April 25, 2014 at 5:09 pmSink or float – it doesn’t matter where the mother culture lives, the new layer always forms across the top. The color of the culture will change over time due to the tannins in the tea.
Sharon SCHELL
April 15, 2014 at 5:21 amI am in the 3rd day of my first batch. I have reading everything I can get my hands on about Kombucha. However some articles say 3 days and the next 6. What do you recommend?
Hannah Crum
April 15, 2014 at 12:43 pmTaste is king. Taste frequently and decant when it has the flavor YOU prefer best. For some that’s early in the process and for others, that’s 30+ days. Trust YOUR Gut!
Josh
April 5, 2014 at 9:43 amHi there! I’m making my first Kombucha batch ever and the baby is pretty thin. I know that’s probably ok, and it looks pretty healthy, but it’s incredibly bubbly and is actually broken up by tons of little bubbles. Is that a sign that I used too much sugar? Where is the added carbonation coming from?
Hannah Crum
April 8, 2014 at 6:01 pmCarbonation is a normal by-product of the fermentation process. It is created by the yeast when it consumes the sugar. Thin SCOBY growth is often a sign of a cold brew. Here are some heating ideas to get that culture working.
Jonnie Kropp
April 2, 2014 at 8:04 amI just wanted to thank you for all the great info. I’ve been brewing for almost a year. Your advice has been indispensable.
Hannah Crum
April 8, 2014 at 6:03 pmThanks for the kind words! Happy Brewin Jonnie!
shelly Snider
April 2, 2014 at 7:59 amI have a not brewed my tea in 3 weeks is it okay to use the same mother again for my next batch? My first batch was great and love the results.
Hannah Crum
April 8, 2014 at 6:03 pmAs long as the culture hasn’t dried out, then it will remain viable for extended periods of time. Here is how we store them long term.
Nancy C
March 11, 2014 at 9:07 amMy finished product is cloudy and murky. The flavor is a bit bitter, and the scoby hasn’t risen to the top of the jar the last couple of brews. My scoby hotel is also very murky but the scobies seem healthy.
Hannah Crum
March 11, 2014 at 6:31 pmSounds like too much yeast. Are you taking your starter liquid from the top of the previous batch or just leaving some in the bottom of the jar? The bottom of the jar is where the yeastie bits congregate and can get the brew out of balance if the starter isn’t taken from the top. Filter to remove the particles and start a fresh batch.
bob
January 21, 2014 at 6:16 pmHaving made KT for years, I am still learning from your website. Take inoculant from top of finished brew. That’s new.
When starting the very first brew, does KT have to adjust to environment before it gets lively? My brews have begun to start with a cobweb type of filigree down in the liquid that rises to the surface and forms the scoby.
Hannah Crum
February 3, 2014 at 3:27 pmYes, it can take a few brewing cycles for the culture to micro adapt to its new environment and substrate. If within a few batches you don’t experience robust culture or Kombucha, then you may need to start fresh.
Shelly
October 23, 2013 at 11:06 amI just brewed a couple of batches…questioning whether the scoby is still good….in the second ferment (lemon and ginger was added) it bubbled really nicely…..would it still get fizzy if the scoby didn’t work?
Ali
October 20, 2013 at 9:29 pmThe yeast that is on the bottom side of my scoby is more of a greenish colour than brown! It looks just like the brown yeast but different coloured. Is this ok? My judgement is telling me that it probably is but I’m curious! It’s not mold if it’s growing on the bottom of the scoby, in the tea, right? My kombucha seems to be turning out great otherwise! Thank you so much more all of your wisdom!
Hannah Crum
October 22, 2013 at 8:24 pmIts on the bottom – its yeast. The yeast can range in color from green to black. Mold ONLY occurs on TOP of the culture – never underneath.
Jessica
October 15, 2013 at 3:21 pmHelp! I have a couple of scobys that I haven’t used in several months (probably since March). They’ve been sitting in covered containers of kombucha, in a dark cabinet, sealed. Are they still healthy, or should I start over?
Thanks!
Jessica
Hannah Crum
October 22, 2013 at 8:28 pmOne way to find out – brew with em and see how it turns out!
Dana
October 1, 2013 at 4:11 amHanna,
Iv’e been brewing for several months after purchasing a continuous brewing system from someone. The first few batches turned out great with new thick tan colored scobies forming. It took only 5 days to get a nice scoby. Lately though, the scobies are thin and translucent and it has been taking much longer to brew. Now after day 7 my pH is 3.3 to 3.5 (brewing 3- 1 gallon jars). I’m thinking its ready to bottle regardless of the look of my scoby. Am I correct?
Hannah Crum
October 22, 2013 at 9:08 pmYes – it is ready to bottle when the KT tastes good to you. The SCOBYs will ebb and flow which is why TASTE is king =)
Candace @ Candida Free Candee
September 20, 2013 at 6:47 pmGreat information, thank you! I am on my first batch and I was so lost as to how to judge it’s “doneness”. This is a big help!
Shelly
September 15, 2013 at 4:48 amI have just started my first batch 3 days ago and am so excited…it looks clean, the scoby in the bottom looks like it is getting slimy…and the PH is at 3.2. It smells a little sweet and vinegary today…..should I taste it, or is it too early. I am so excited to try this…I also have some vegetables fermenting also…..wish me luck!
Hannah Crum
September 17, 2013 at 6:28 amTaste is King. Frequent tasting will help you calibrate your palate so that you find the flavor of KT that you like best.
Amaris
September 12, 2013 at 7:55 pmThank you very much, this has been helpful to me.
pat salem
September 10, 2013 at 2:32 pmthis is my second brewing, my first went ok, but I was gone 4 wks. when I got home I made more tea, and poured it in the 2 gallon container that was about 1/2 full….I waited a wk.and it was so tart i couldn’t drink it, but I dilute it with water or use ice…my question is, a new scoby has started to form on top, and attached to one side of the jar, now when I use the bottom tap to get some juice, it is pulling the scoby on that side that it is stuck to and leaving some on the jar as it goes down….is that ok or should I try to move the scoby stuck to the jar back into the liquid to be joined with the new scoby…….hope this makes sense…thanks, Pat
Hannah Crum
September 17, 2013 at 6:35 amJust push the SCOBY down so that it is in contact with the liquid.
Mariah
September 4, 2013 at 11:36 amHi! I acquired my Scoby from a friend, and almost immediately it split off a small sliver and created a new Scoby! The origial one likes to hang low in my gallon jar, while the new one is always found at the durface. I check on them regularly to make sure nothing concerning is going on, but the new one sure is interesting: It thickened up a lot more than the original, and has grown a thin veil around the edges, while it’s uneven and not flat like a pancake.
My Kombucha tastes great, and we make a 1/2 gallon every 3-4 days (and drink it near-constantly), but as this 2nd scoby matures will it begin to look more uniform, or is it just becoming whatever it becomes? Honestly, it does what it does and it stays pretty happy. I feed it, and it makes yummy Kombucha and we’re all satisfied overall. Am I being too over-analysing?
Thanks!
Hannah Crum
September 4, 2013 at 1:25 pmIt is a fascinating process. Enjoy!
Rose Marie
August 25, 2013 at 12:58 amHelp please. I made several batches of awesome kombucha! Then I decided to switch over to a continual brewing system with a 2.5 gallon glass infusion jar. I noticed all of a sudden my brew seemed acidic and by the end of the day sipping a bottle throughout, it felt like bile in my throat! My scoby looked fine, no mold, and looked to be healthy and growing. The smell was stronger. I added one original GT kombucha because I read somewhere you could ‘ correct’ your brew that way. After two days, it doesn’t smell or taste as strong. However, I just bought ph strips and it is at 6! Any thoughts or advice?
Hannah Crum
August 28, 2013 at 8:40 amUsually when a brew is too tart, it means that it has been over fermented. In the future, taste daily from the spigot until it has the flavor your prefer. Adding a GT’s to the mix has likely thrown your brew out of balance as different SCOBYs can have different strains of bacteria/yeast that may compete with each other. I’d scrap this batch and start fresh with cultures from your SCOBY Hotel. For more details on how the CB process works, check out our Complete Handbook —> https://store.kombuchakamp.com/How-to-Make-Kombucha-Tea-The-Complete-Handbook-Including-Continuous-Brewing.html
Liting
August 7, 2013 at 10:49 amI’ve been brewing my kombucha for about a few months. Some success and some failed. What is the ratio to reserve kombucha to new batch? And how come I can’t get my scoby to be thicker then a thin transparent disc. The only time I ever got a thick scoby was when I bought a bottle of GT’s kombucha and pour that in a bottle to grow my first scoby, ever since that I can’t get a thick scoby? And my second question is, what is the best way to store my unused scoby and how long can I store it for and does the whole scoby need to be submerge in kombucha?
Hannah Crum
August 9, 2013 at 2:03 pmIt is no longer recommended to use commercial Kombucha to grow a SCOBY – this article explains why. Best to start with a quality culture for a lifetime of delicious Kombucha!
Deb
July 25, 2013 at 9:02 amI’m a newbie and I just started my kombucha Saturday and noticed today there was something black growing on the bottom of my scoby. I took it off & threw it away. It looked like a black clam. Do you think it’s mold and do you think I should throw everything away & start over?
Hannah Crum
July 29, 2013 at 4:10 pmThe “black clam” is yeast. Here is a post about mold.
Linda
July 17, 2013 at 1:35 pmHi Hannah: I am having a problem with my kombucha. It seems to have lost its “zing”. It takes weeks to even start a little of the fermentation. I use the heating unit as our house is colder in the summer than the winter. They (5 jars) have a little of the baby on top but not like when we first started. We are into our fifth or sixth cycle. Do I need to start all over again? I have 2 scobys in the scoby hotel.
Hannah Crum
July 29, 2013 at 6:05 pmMy first thought is that the starter liquid is coming from the bottom where all the yeast live which will suppress the SCOBY growth. Are you pulling it from the top or the bottom? The brewing cycle does ebb and flow with the seasons, even with a heater, so it could just need more time to ferment. More details about your brewing process will facilitate trouble shooting.
Theresa
July 13, 2013 at 1:26 pmHi Hannah, new on KommUnity, and reading all comments. All very informative. Something to learn every day. I just learned from one of your posts that a SCOBY typically lives 10 brewing cycles. I did not know that. In fact I’m on my 20th brewing cycle with my CB #2. I have split one scoby, but thought that was just to make room in jar. Should I be breaking apart the scobies as per your DIY guide after 10 cycles? Thanks for your time. I know how busy you are!!
Hannah Crum
July 16, 2013 at 1:21 amWhen you go in to clean your vessel, that is the perfect time to trim the SCOBY. This will give your brew more oxygen and balance the fermentation process.
Talia
July 12, 2013 at 3:42 pmMy Scoby seems to be fine: nice bege, even color. But, being overwhelmed with a lot of things going on, I didn’t bottle it and brew a new one for about 4 weeks and didn’t see that about a quarter of Kombucha evaparated and the Scoby wasn’t floating in a liquid. There no mold or bad smell. I wonder if it is safe to use?
Hannah Crum
July 29, 2013 at 6:14 pmIt may do just fine but you won’t know until you try to brew with it. Typically, as long as the culture is submerged in liquid, it will remain viable. If you get mold with your first or 2nd batch, then toss and start with a fresh culture.
Jim Hargis
July 9, 2013 at 9:06 pmI have a four gallon contentious brew
. my scoby has grown over time to around three inches. will it hurt not to separate it? thanks Jim
Hannah Crum
July 29, 2013 at 6:19 pmYou will want to trim it at some point as Kombucha needs oxygen to ferment. If the culture is too thick, it will prevent the yeast from getting the oxygen it needs to ferment properly.
Mallory
June 23, 2013 at 9:43 pmMy scoby is forming on the bottom! OOPS! Is this OK? What should I do?? I swear I placed the scoby in the tea once it was room temp.. Should I just leave the scoby on bottom? Any help is MUCH appreciated 🙂
Thank you!
Hannah Crum
June 26, 2013 at 10:10 pmThe mother may have sunk but the new SCOBY will always grow across the top. After some time, you may notice that the mother has risen to the top of the brew – this is due to the CO2 created by the fermentation process. Happy Brewing!
Nelle
June 14, 2013 at 9:54 pmHow do you tell the “mother” from the “baby” ?
kkadmin
November 26, 2013 at 5:38 pmBaby is on top of the Mother. The new layer always grows across the top.
Robin
June 10, 2013 at 9:59 amI just poured my first batch! It is perfect, with some fizz straight up! I mixed up three different flavors, lemon/ginger, tart cherry/ginger, blueberry/ginger. For now I’m just doing 1 gal. continuous brew. I may have to dig out my 2.5 gal. soon.
Thank you for your site and showing me how easy it is to do the continuous brewing. It feels good to be drinking again. My SCOBY looks so healthy and it grew nicely! Now off to buy some of your special tea to brew!
Kim
June 1, 2013 at 7:43 amMy CB is too vinegary…suggestions? dump it all out and start over?
Hannah Crum
June 4, 2013 at 1:47 pmSimply drain a portion of the sour stuff out, add fresh sweet tea and then taste daily until it has the flavor you like.
Jean Iverson
May 30, 2013 at 2:13 pmI love my Bucha but It does not love a nomadic life style! I traveled 600+miles to our mountain retreat with 1 gal & 2 2gal brews. all scobys fell to the bottom & stayed there for about 8 days one large one has reached the top, small one is half way up. Besides the moving the mountain cold has really affected it–night tempertures 30°. But it is Bucha now! Love it.
Brenda
May 30, 2013 at 1:38 pmI am still new to all this. I’ve made 5 batches so far. I only recently learned, via your website, to let it sit 2-3 days to ferment. Hopefully I’ll start tasting some fizz. None of my tea has been the same and I can’t figure out yet which one is the perfect batch. I’ve had too sweet, too tart, like vinegar, and everything in between. Are the health benefits pretty much the same whether tart or sort of sweet? I let it brew at least 7 days.
Also, could the yeast cause problems to people prone to candida? I’m not that I know of…just curious.
Hannah Crum
June 4, 2013 at 2:51 pmExperimentation is half the fun of brewing Kombucha. Keeping a log (there’s one in the back of the Complete Handbook) will help you track which flavor combos/types of tea/brewing times produce the flavors you prefer. The yeast that cause candida are different from those in Kombucha. In the natural world – like controls like – the healthy yeast of Kombucha has helped many candida sufferers reduce their sugar cravings. Every body will react differently so remember to Trust YOUR gut!
Jbermo
May 22, 2013 at 6:11 amNow on day 8 of my first batch of continuous brew. My brew is now approxomating that of GT Kombucha (my goal).
But I am curious as to what would happen if the tea used to refill the crock for my next batch was only half as sweet? Would longer brew time occur if next tea added was half sweet?
Hannah Crum
May 22, 2013 at 4:45 pmWe don’t recommend pulling more than 25% from the CB for the first month of brewing – that ensures you are able to build up enough strong starter liquid for the CB process to work properly. After about a month, you will be able to take up to 50% from your vessel.
Annie Wagner
May 2, 2013 at 8:49 pmI have been brewing for about a month now with the continuous method in a 2+ gallon glass jar. I have two questions. My Scoby is very thick but I cannot differentiate (sp?) a baby. Also the scoby has some holes in the body of it. Should I not have a baby by now? Also, #2. Booch seems to be too vinegary. I have reduced the brew time to no more that 2 days after adding the new tea. What can I do to reduce the vinegary taste? It is quite stron. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Hannah Crum
May 3, 2013 at 11:57 amHighly recommend grabbing our Complete Handbook as it covers CB in depth. Every time a layer is disturbed, it stops growing and a new layer starts. In CB, when you add your top off tea, that creates a SCOBY with many layers. The tart flavor is indicative that it is time to clean your brewer, remove the spent yeast (you can make a sourdough starter with it) and trim your culture. Full instructions are included in the handbook.
Red
May 5, 2019 at 8:22 amHonestly the best book on the planet. Almost every question you have is covered in Kombucha Mana’s book. I read it daily, it’s entertaining, witty, and takes the technical aspects of the science about a SCOBY and puts it in simple terms. You’ll become a Kombucha Barista in no time.
may
April 18, 2013 at 11:14 amhow often can you drink it and for how long
thanks
Hannah Crum
April 22, 2013 at 11:43 amTrust YOUR gut! We recommend 4-8oz 1-3x a day. Your body will tell you how much to drink by how much it craves the booch. Drink plenty of water to help flush any toxins released. Some folks experience a healing crisis. If you do, cut back the amt of KT, increase your water and listen to your body.
lyn
April 16, 2013 at 2:51 amwhy has my bottled kombucha turned cloudy was clear when bottled
Hannah Crum
April 16, 2013 at 9:24 amThe yeast like an anaerobic environment. As they reproduce, they may cause more sediment to be produced creating a cloudier look. Kombucha continues to ferment, even in the bottle.
Fred
April 10, 2013 at 12:47 pmI have been making three simultaneous brews of Kombucha every two weeks over the past year and haven’t had a bad brew. Occassionally a portion of my newly growing baby scoby gets lifted above the liquid by a carbonation bubble. The part of the scoby above the tea line appears to dry out and turns dark brown. Should I push the carbonation out from under the baby scoby or just not worry about it. Brew has been great every time whether this happens or not.
Hannah Crum
April 14, 2013 at 12:06 pmGently poke the SCOBY back into the liquid. Check out this cool video of a SCOBY trying to climb out of the jar –> https://www.kombuchakamp.com/video-kombucha-scoby-climbing-out-of-jar
In the video, you can see that the culture has a yeast “umbilical cord” connecting it back into the liquid. Cool huh!
Maggie
March 27, 2013 at 12:03 pmHi there! I’m on my 3rd batch of kombucha and this time I used coconut sugar. It is still very dark 3 weeks later and smells baaaaad. Like poo- I’m so bummed (no pun intended)- Should I dump it? Can I reuse the Scoby?
Hannah Crum
March 31, 2013 at 3:53 pmProvided there is no visible mold, then go ahead and give it a taste. If its as bad as it looks, let it go and start fresh. If you have no other cultures, then reuse this one, otherwise, just grab a fresh one from your SCOBY Hotel and try again.
Daryl
February 25, 2013 at 1:47 pmI just finished my first ever batch of KT. It tasted fine, but I did not get a baby scoby.
I also noticed my tea was not very dark when I brewed my 5 tsp of black tea. Maybe I need to add more tea leaves. I am on to my second batch of KT.
Hannah Crum
February 25, 2013 at 6:28 pmThere are so many factors that go into a healthy brew. First & foremost is the quality of your ingredients, including where you source your starter. Kombucha Kamp SCOBYs are healthy and guaranteed to brew. If you need a brewing recipe – get yours here.
Kimlee Bublitz
February 19, 2013 at 7:36 amHannah, should you remove the baby after it is formed or allow it to keep forming batch after batch. I am using the continuous brew method and I feel I am over growing these babies. Just wondering. I keep 2 continuous batches going. Thanks for this site, Kimlee
Hannah Crum
February 25, 2013 at 6:14 pmContinuous Brewing is a fun process, but the details are not easily explained in a brief answer. We recommend checking out the Complete Handbook or our support Videos for more details about the process.
marcia
February 4, 2013 at 12:20 pmI think you mentioned using liquid from the top on number 3. I thought the benefit of using your continuous brew was the convenience of using the tap, which would remove the tea from the bottom. Will you please explain this to me as I am trying to decide if I want your CB system or not. I hope I can figure out how to get back here. I have never commented or asked a question in this type of forum before.
Hannah Crum
February 12, 2013 at 12:00 amWe use the liquid from the top of the brew to start our next batch in the batch brew process. In CB, we only drain a portion of the liquid from the vessel and then add more sweet tea. Since we are leaving a majority of already fermented Kombucha as starter for the next batch, there will be more bacteria present to help maintain the balance. We ship cultures and kits all over the world!
ashley
January 1, 2013 at 11:45 amMy newest batch of kombucha grew what I thought was a thin layer of mold on top. It was extremely wrinkly looking like brains, and it was greyish whiteish, it didnt look like my regular kombucha. It looked just like mold I have seen on my other vegetable ferments. It covered the entire surface area of the tea.I had 2 large jars going, and as these were my last 2 scobys I decided I would try and save them. One was sweetened with regualar sugar and the other with coconut sugar.(I was experimenting) When I went to scrape the mold off I discovered that it didnt seem like mold at all either. It was tougher, and I could pick it up in 1 whole layer.Im thinking it was a weird scoby.I am wondering, have you seen really wrinkly scobys form and if so, since I just removed it, can I assume another 1 will grow in its place a.nd save the day The tea is still sweet and its been going for about an week and a half. Im saving the crud in a jar just in case. Thanks so much. Ashley
Hannah Crum
January 2, 2013 at 10:19 pmWe see SCOBYs form in all kinds of ways. You are welcome to send photos to customerservice@kombuchakamp.com for our professional opinion.
Rado
December 16, 2012 at 5:09 pmDear Hannah,
Wonderful information through your website, still in reading progress.
* Would like to find out what should I do with many bubbles in my jar brew whose partially uplift the floating scoby – just the thinner side of new scoby is lifted above the liquid by the generated air/gas which collects under in a form of large bubble. Should I gently push it back down? As I went to empty the finished brew, I noticed that about 20 – 30% of the scoby wasn’t floating in the teat.
* It started to happen only when I got new jar of larger diameter, the new/thinner scoby covering the extra surface is still too thin or light (in mass sense.) It is second brew in the new jar and still the same thing. The temperature in room is higher due to summer season here therefore perhaps more active fermentation is happening.
* Looking at it now, 2nd day of the new brew, it’s lifted again and heaps bubbles around. Thank you.
With compliments.
Rado
Hannah Crum
December 20, 2012 at 2:41 pmYes, gently pushing it back into the liquid is the best way to deal with the bubbles – just means your brew is happy!
Rado
January 3, 2013 at 2:43 pmJust to let you know that the problems disappeared. I did push/dip the thinner scoby side, 2 times per day, into the liquid to remove the bubbles. After about a week the lifting stopped. Now the scoby is nice and thick on the whole surface. Got a few brews already.
Valerie
December 5, 2012 at 9:29 pmMy Kombucha is so dark. It has been brewing a little over 3 weeks and hasn’t lightened up. Is that normal? Can I use Organic brown sugar?
Hannah Crum
December 15, 2012 at 9:08 amDepends on what kind of tea you used, and other factors. If it has reproduced, is at the appropriate pH (2.5-3.2) and tastes like Kombucha, then you are good to go! If you detect mold or the pH isn’t correct and it is still too sweet, then you might want to start over with a fresh culture.
Elizabeth
November 24, 2012 at 12:08 amHello. I’m currently brewing my first batch of kombucha. It appears bubbly, and there doesn’t seem to be any mold. However, it smells very “yeasty.” I’m just wondering if this is normal. Thanks!
Hannah Crum
November 25, 2012 at 8:33 pmYes! The SCOBY is a symbiotic culture of bacteria AND yeast!
TONY LAVICTOIRE
December 5, 2012 at 9:36 amBonjour. Thanks for the info about rotten smell being associated with the presence of sulphur in water – which is definitely present in our spring water – Does it affect the quality of the Kombucha and is it fine drinking it?
Thanks!
Hannah Crum
December 15, 2012 at 9:09 amIt should be fine to drink, but we cannot say for certain – Trust YOUR Gut!
sharon rosenberg
November 13, 2012 at 8:59 pmhow do you adjust the PH of KT–my first brew is between 3.0–3.5–taste great but concerned that my second ferment may not do well because of the high PH because I added fruit.
Hannah Crum
November 16, 2012 at 5:54 pmYou are in the right range, Sharon. Use more starter liquid for your next batch to help lower the pH more quickly.
Diana Serres
October 7, 2012 at 4:16 pmI let my kombucha brew for 4 weeks and now it tastes pretty much like vinegar. Is it still healthy to drink?
Hannah Crum
October 7, 2012 at 5:10 pmTaste is king. If it isn’t to your liking, you may dilute it with water, pour over ice or mix with juice. If it is still too strong here are some ideas for what to do with Kombucha Vinegar
Denise
September 27, 2012 at 5:52 amHi Hannah,
I love your website. It has been very informative. My question for you is. I am on day 5 of my Kombucha brewing and my scoby has not floated to the top. Is that okay that it hasn’t floated to the top? I’ve read usually by day 3 or so it should have already floated to the top. Otherwise everything looks like as you describe on your website & utube videos. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hannah Crum
September 27, 2012 at 10:12 pmSink or swim – the mother culture can be anywhere in the vessel. The new layer will always grow across the top.
annalee
September 3, 2012 at 3:27 pmHannah Genius,
i apologize and im sure you’ve answered this question already, i study your site i promise but you are sooo efficient at educating all the different aspects of brewing that sometimes there are too many answers to root through! i was just wondering, since i can’t afford a continuous brewer at the moment and make individual batches out of gallon glass jars…..to great success…. could i theoretically not separate the mommas and babies let a jar just grow a fairly giant scoby in one jar….would that speed up the process….as in…allow me to turn the sweet tea into kombucha at a quicker rate due to the larger size of the scoby, obviously taking the same precautions to ensure the proper starter liquid proportions..etc? just wondering….
thanks busy lady.
love and gratitude.
annalee
Hannah Crum
September 19, 2012 at 4:19 pmYes – a mammoth culture will speed the process – to a point. When it gets too thick, then it prevents enough oxygen from getting to the liquid beneath and will not ferment properly.
Carroll
December 16, 2012 at 12:09 amI was wondering if anyone can tell how you know if your scoby is dead….I am only on my 2nd batch of tea, but my scoby got really huge and was bulging up out of the top of the jar. I finally pushed it back down into the tea but I’m not sure if it got dried out or not. Now it’s kind of a dark color and my batch of tea doesn’t seem to be very fermented. Any ideas?
Thanks for your help
Carroll
Hannah Crum
December 20, 2012 at 2:43 pmThere are many factors that influence the taste of your brew. The dark color is due to the tannins in the tea – the longer the SCOBY is in the brew, the darker it gets. In terms of not being very fermented, this time of year, when the temps drop, it is difficult for the SCOBY to ferment properly unless a heat source is used. The ideal temp is 75-85 with 80 being a sweet spot. Here are the heaters we use for our SCOBYS!
Linda
August 4, 2012 at 1:24 pmI have a scooby that was sitting for a couple of weeks without being covered in liquid. It is now very firm is it still good? And how long does the tea last once it is in the fridg. Thanks Hannah have so enjoy your knowledge and energy.
Hannah Crum
August 7, 2012 at 8:00 amThank you for your kind words, Linda =) As long as your culture hasn’t gone to mold, then it MIGHT be okay. Give it a shot and see what results. If you end up with mold, you’ll have to start with a fresh culture. The tea can be stored in the fridge indefinitely. Kombucha never “goes bad” but the flavor may continue to change over time. Trust your gut and if it doesn’t taste right, then toss it.
Hannah Crum
July 30, 2012 at 6:53 pmThe lifespan of a SCOBY is typically 10 brewing cycles or until it doesn’t reproduce any longer. The tannins in the tea gradually turn the culture darker. Culture that tears easily is weak and ought to be disposed of – either in the compost or the trash.
Cat
July 25, 2012 at 5:20 pmI used your awesome directions to set up a Kombucha continuous brew system because we love it so much. I have 3 mothers in separate gallon jars in process and 2 in a ‘hotel’.
Today was ‘booch’ day and my oldest (about 5 weeks) has begun to make more vinegary/less sweet booch than the two newer SCOBYs. The color of the SCOBY is also darker. Do you think it time to replace it?
We’re having so much fun flavoring and the secondary fermentation adds just the right fizz. Thanks so much for your great instructions.
Cat >^.-.^<
Tovonia Coleman via Facebook
July 24, 2012 at 11:44 amHi Hanna, my booch and scoby are picture perfect. your instructions made it really easy to do and I am so glad you posted pics of what mold looks like so i could be on the lookout for it. not bad for a newbie. I love the contiuous brew method. i am going to try single batches next.
meaghan
July 24, 2012 at 10:31 amGreat list! I can always tell my ‘boochies are happy when I hear them bubbling and gurgling!
Hannah Crum
July 30, 2012 at 6:53 pmLOVE to hear my boochie babies gurgling!
cynthia speer
July 24, 2012 at 8:23 amI’m so excited to be brewing my own kombucha! When I started flavoring, I began to notice a little clear blob, kind of like jello in my bottles, sometimes adhering to the spices or whatever flavoring agents I am using. I feel it is safe, even healthful to ingest these (little scoby’s?) I hope so…it feels VERY healing! Also, I’ve already begun to give some of my kombucha away, for health purposes to the recipient. Thanks Hannah, for making this easier on so many people!
Hannah Crum
July 30, 2012 at 6:55 pmYes! Those are baby SCOBYs growing. I just open up and throw them down the hatch – yum! PS You are so welcome! I’m just excited to share all this great info with everyone – so THANK YOU Cynthia!!
Dawn Keeler
July 23, 2012 at 12:18 pmI am new to brewing and my first two batches taste great but I could not get the pH to drop to 3 – it just hung around 4 and I eventually poured off because the brew was getting too vinegary. I am using paper pH strips. Would a pH meter be better?
Hannah Crum
July 30, 2012 at 6:56 pmA pH meter will be more precise. This is the one that I use – pH meter.
Colleen Quigley via Facebook
July 6, 2012 at 3:44 pmHow funny. I just sat down with a nice wine glass full of Kombucha to look through FB.
Gay
May 31, 2012 at 11:32 pmJust drank some of my first batch. The flavor was good. It had a slightly yeasty aroma but not flavor. Is this normal? Thanks!
lacrecia turlington
May 26, 2012 at 8:07 pmim having agreat time with my scoobys working on #3 its sooooooyummy thanks momma!
LaMyra Morton via Facebook
May 26, 2012 at 7:10 pmThank you.
Kombucha Kamp via Facebook
May 26, 2012 at 6:35 pmWe had a feeling that’s how you stored them – the reason for no healthy SCOBY growth is your bacteria are dormant – You should not be storing SCOBYs in the fridge – that is a common piece of misinformation – here is our article on the subject. We recommend getting a new starter: https://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-brewing-problems-dehydrated-and-refrigerated-scobys
LaMyra Morton via Facebook
May 26, 2012 at 5:59 pm*bad, not back
LaMyra Morton via Facebook
May 26, 2012 at 5:58 pmIn the refrigerator in tea, but I’m back to forget to feed it with new sugar.
Alison VanHorn- Price via Facebook
May 25, 2012 at 1:01 pmAwesome article hannah!
Kombucha Kamp via Facebook
May 25, 2012 at 12:00 pmLaMyra Morton how did you store the scobys when you weren’t using them?
LaMyra Morton via Facebook
May 25, 2012 at 11:56 amI went without using mine for SCOBYs for several months and have been back to brewing for several weeks, but I am not getting the healthy SCOBY growth across the top. It is carbonating and seems to taste alright, but I let it get too strong waiting for the visible growth. Will it eventually start forming the SCOBYs again or should I be looking for a fresh start?
Andra
August 11, 2012 at 9:03 amTomorrow will be day 7 of my first batch. Everything seems to be going well except that the SCOBY that has formed on the top is diffuse, not solid looking like the initial. Will I be able to pick it up? Should I let it go longer?
Hannah Crum
August 13, 2012 at 3:24 pmIt will thicken up the longer you brew it. Taste to see if the KT is to your liking. You can always keep the baby & momma together for the next batch.
lacrecia turlington
May 16, 2012 at 8:01 amfirst time brewing not sure looks moldy but yeasty im i on right track or should i start over?
Karen Andrews via Facebook
April 27, 2012 at 3:18 pmYummy just keep that mother ship out of my mouth
Ron W
April 27, 2012 at 10:04 amBack from TX, gone for 15 days and was concerned the KT would not do well. Poured half off and restarted with some new tea and sugar. SCOBY looks great! It is really growing, I have given a baby away already. Can’t wait to start flavoring again.
Tawnya Howell via Facebook
April 26, 2012 at 12:55 pmThanks. Looks like my kombucha is doing well.
Barb Hughes via Facebook
April 26, 2012 at 11:12 amgetting ready to set up my CB ! so excited
Laura Dyer Sienkiewicz via Facebook
April 26, 2012 at 10:29 amAll 5 signs here 🙂