SCOBY FAQ
-Is a SCOBY a mushroom?
No, a kombucha SCOBY is not a mushroom or fungus. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. It has been falsely called a mushroom because the organism kind of looks like a mushroom cap. In scientific terms a SCOBY might be referred to as a zoogleal mat, biofilm or pellicle. Essentially its a mat of cells that grows on top of your kombucha!
-What are those brown, gloopy things in my kombucha?
They are just yeast strands and are an indicator that awesome fermentation is going on. With that said, too much yeast won’t make a tasty brew. Too much yeast could happen because:
-The brewing temperature is too high.
-You are using a different kind of sugar (cane sugar is recommended!)
-You are using very yeasty starter liquid from the bottom of the batch. I suggest saving some from the top or stirring your kombucha before you bottle.
Not a fan of yeast? Strain it out! Use a clean fine mesh strainer to filter out those gloopies in your bottling process.
-What would make mold grow on my SCOBY?
Mold is furry and is white, green, grey, blue, black in color. It grows ON TOP of your SCOBY. If you touch the mold, a powdery residue may come off on your finger.
Common reasons your SCOBY grew mold:
-Weak starter liquid (previously brewed kombucha). Starter liquid brings the pH of the sweetened tea liquid down to make it inhospitable for opportunistic bacteria and airborne mold.
-Not properly cooled sweetened tea. If you did not let your sweetened tea mixture cool to room temperature, it will heat up the starter liquid and kill off the beneficial bacteria that is there to protect your SCOBY.
-Weak kombucha. You did not brew your kombucha for long enough and it didn’t completely ferment. Then you used that weak liquid as starter liquid for your next batch.
- Too cold brewing environment. Brewing below 68 degrees can lead to mold as the yeast and bacteria grow so sleepy that they stop fermenting and airborne microbes come in and take over.
- Using teas that have flavors or oils in them.These flavors and oils can disrupt the fermentation process. I recommend using only plain black/green/oolong/white teas. I have had the best success with black tea because of its caffeine and tannin content which provide micronutrients for the SCOBY.
- Using sweeteners other than refined/granulated sugar. Other types of sugar may be too hard for your kombucha SCOBY to break down. They could throw off your fermentation and increase the risk of mold and other wild yeasts.
-Mold spores already exist in your house/ brewing space. It's possible that airborne molds drifted over from something else like produce or trash and got into your brewing vessel. It's also possible that you could have a mold problem in your house. If you find that your brew has grown mold multiple times try storing your jar in a different clean place in your house
-Bottom line: if your SCOBY grows mold, you need to throw it out.
-Can I put my SCOBY in the fridge?
I don’t recommend putting your kombucha SCOBY in the fridge because the cold temperature can make the yeast and bacteria go to sleep and have a hard time waking up. Sleepy kombucha yeast and bacteria will increase your brew’s likelihood of growing mold. Check out how to take a break from brewing kombucha FAQ to get info of how to pause your kombucha.
-My SCOBY sank to the bottom of my brewing vessel, is it dead?
Nope! Healthy SCOBYs both float and sink. A new SCOBY layer will start to form on top of your brew within a few days. When adding your SCOBY into a batch of fresh sweetened tea it can initially sink to the bottom, but as the CO2 builds, the bubbles can push it back up to the top. Your SCOBY could sink mid-brew due to an abrupt temperature drop.
-How do I take a break from brewing kombucha?
Keep your kombucha in the location where you brew it (counter top, cupboard, pantry, etc.) with at least half of the vessel filled with already brewed kombucha (aka starter liquid). Make sure your vessel is covered with a breathable cloth and secured with a rubber band or metal band that comes with the jar. You can store your brew like this for up to 4 weeks, but after that it will need to be fed. To feed your SCOBY, make one cup of hot black tea and dissolve 1/3 cup of sugar in the tea. Allow the sweetened tea mixture to cool to room temperature and add it to your brewing vessel with your SCOBY and starter liquid. Repeat every 4 weeks to make sure you have a healthy SCOBY. I also recommend checking on your SCOBY every week to make sure your starter liquid hasn’t evaporated.
No, a kombucha SCOBY is not a mushroom or fungus. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. It has been falsely called a mushroom because the organism kind of looks like a mushroom cap. In scientific terms a SCOBY might be referred to as a zoogleal mat, biofilm or pellicle. Essentially its a mat of cells that grows on top of your kombucha!
-What are those brown, gloopy things in my kombucha?
They are just yeast strands and are an indicator that awesome fermentation is going on. With that said, too much yeast won’t make a tasty brew. Too much yeast could happen because:
-The brewing temperature is too high.
-You are using a different kind of sugar (cane sugar is recommended!)
-You are using very yeasty starter liquid from the bottom of the batch. I suggest saving some from the top or stirring your kombucha before you bottle.
Not a fan of yeast? Strain it out! Use a clean fine mesh strainer to filter out those gloopies in your bottling process.
-What would make mold grow on my SCOBY?
Mold is furry and is white, green, grey, blue, black in color. It grows ON TOP of your SCOBY. If you touch the mold, a powdery residue may come off on your finger.
Common reasons your SCOBY grew mold:
-Weak starter liquid (previously brewed kombucha). Starter liquid brings the pH of the sweetened tea liquid down to make it inhospitable for opportunistic bacteria and airborne mold.
-Not properly cooled sweetened tea. If you did not let your sweetened tea mixture cool to room temperature, it will heat up the starter liquid and kill off the beneficial bacteria that is there to protect your SCOBY.
-Weak kombucha. You did not brew your kombucha for long enough and it didn’t completely ferment. Then you used that weak liquid as starter liquid for your next batch.
- Too cold brewing environment. Brewing below 68 degrees can lead to mold as the yeast and bacteria grow so sleepy that they stop fermenting and airborne microbes come in and take over.
- Using teas that have flavors or oils in them.These flavors and oils can disrupt the fermentation process. I recommend using only plain black/green/oolong/white teas. I have had the best success with black tea because of its caffeine and tannin content which provide micronutrients for the SCOBY.
- Using sweeteners other than refined/granulated sugar. Other types of sugar may be too hard for your kombucha SCOBY to break down. They could throw off your fermentation and increase the risk of mold and other wild yeasts.
-Mold spores already exist in your house/ brewing space. It's possible that airborne molds drifted over from something else like produce or trash and got into your brewing vessel. It's also possible that you could have a mold problem in your house. If you find that your brew has grown mold multiple times try storing your jar in a different clean place in your house
-Bottom line: if your SCOBY grows mold, you need to throw it out.
-Can I put my SCOBY in the fridge?
I don’t recommend putting your kombucha SCOBY in the fridge because the cold temperature can make the yeast and bacteria go to sleep and have a hard time waking up. Sleepy kombucha yeast and bacteria will increase your brew’s likelihood of growing mold. Check out how to take a break from brewing kombucha FAQ to get info of how to pause your kombucha.
-My SCOBY sank to the bottom of my brewing vessel, is it dead?
Nope! Healthy SCOBYs both float and sink. A new SCOBY layer will start to form on top of your brew within a few days. When adding your SCOBY into a batch of fresh sweetened tea it can initially sink to the bottom, but as the CO2 builds, the bubbles can push it back up to the top. Your SCOBY could sink mid-brew due to an abrupt temperature drop.
-How do I take a break from brewing kombucha?
Keep your kombucha in the location where you brew it (counter top, cupboard, pantry, etc.) with at least half of the vessel filled with already brewed kombucha (aka starter liquid). Make sure your vessel is covered with a breathable cloth and secured with a rubber band or metal band that comes with the jar. You can store your brew like this for up to 4 weeks, but after that it will need to be fed. To feed your SCOBY, make one cup of hot black tea and dissolve 1/3 cup of sugar in the tea. Allow the sweetened tea mixture to cool to room temperature and add it to your brewing vessel with your SCOBY and starter liquid. Repeat every 4 weeks to make sure you have a healthy SCOBY. I also recommend checking on your SCOBY every week to make sure your starter liquid hasn’t evaporated.
Check out some healthy, yet funky looking SCOBY's in KTTP's Healthy SCOBY Gallery