Why is a New SCOBY is Growing in My Bottle (2024)

FAQs

What if a new SCOBY doesn't form? ›

After 1 week, you should see a small (baby) SCOBY forming on the surface of the tea. Wait until the scoby is a ¼ inch thick before using it to brew your first batch of kombucha. This should take about 30 days. If you don't see a SCOBY forming after 3 weeks, throw the batch out and start over.

If you are in the ferment stage, you can't stop the SCOBY from growing, it's part of the ferment. If you are done fermenting and have bottled the kombucha, then put it in the refrigerator. This won't stop it completely, but it will very much slow it down.

-There is a little SCOBY growing in my secondary fermentation, is that okay? Yup! It's totally normal for new cultures to grow during the second fermentation. It just shows you that there is alive yeast and bacteria in your kombucha continuing to ferment.

You will see the layers underneath are the original mother and the layers above are the new baby scoby layers. Do not worry if your scoby sinks to the bottom of the jar and a new baby grows on the surface of the brew. This is also normal and there is no perfect or prefered way for a new scoby to grow.

By day 4-5 you'll likely see a new, thin layer of SCOBY grow across the top. It'll take the shape of whatever vessel you put your liquid in.

When forming, the baby SCOBY initially looks like a clear and kind of gelatinous film/layer. It will gradually fill in more and more, becoming more opaque and less “jelly” looking. If your SCOBY is looking more like a jelly than a creamy white disc, you likely just need to leave your brew for a bit longer.

Adding the scoby to the liquid too soon.

If the scoby is added to the tea mixture before it's had enough time to cool completely, the remaining heat can kill the scoby. Follow this tip: For the best results, be sure to give the tea sufficient time to cool to room temperature (68°F to 85°F) before adding the scoby.

Maintaining the SCOBY hotel

Keep the SCOBYs submerged in liquid. Push them down or add more plain kombucha. Every 4-6 weeks or so, clean out the hotel and "feed" the SCOBYs with kombucha or sweet tea. Use another clean mason jar and transfer the SCOBYs one by one.

You will want to transfer your room-temperature sweet tea to your brewing vessel. At this point, you can add your SCOBY and the starter tea to the vessel. While you can handle the SCOBY with clean hands, we recommend cutting a hole in the plastic bag large enough for the SCOBY.

The beauty of it is that it can be reused endlessly! Once you've finished fermenting your kombucha, simply recuperate the scoby and store it to start a new kombucha recipe. The easiest way to store a kombucha scoby is to start a new fermentation just after bottling.

Can I bottle kombucha in mason jars? ›

First Half: During the first half of the fermentation process, you can store your Kombucha in a glass mason jar. While our Pearl jars have excellent sealing closures, for this part, you will need to leave the lid open and instead cover the top of your glass mason jar with some cheesecloth or a breathable kitchen towel.

With proper care, SCOBYs can last many generations. But when you see excessive, dark yeast growth on a SCOBY layer, or if it starts producing Kombucha that tastes bad or overly acidic, it's time to get a new one.

This is fine if they're getting too large or if you'd like to split them up to move some to a SCOBY hotel/share with a friend. You can't hurt your SCOBY by ripping it or cutting it. Its shape doesn't matter since new ones will always take the shape of the surface of whatever container you place it in.

As you get started, you'll notice after a few weeks your scoby will fully cover your vessel's surface and begin to thicken. When it gets to be about a half-inch thick, it is time to exchange out most of the old sweet tea with a fresh batch. Remember to retain a couple of inches at the bottom, though.

It takes roughly 2 to 4 weeks to grow a new scoby from scratch. The time might be less if your kitchen is warm or longer if your kitchen is cool. In general, try to keep your kombucha at an average room temperature of about 70°F, and your scoby will form in a little over two weeks.

Once you've finished fermenting your kombucha, simply recuperate the scoby and store it to start a new kombucha recipe. The easiest way to store a kombucha scoby is to start a new fermentation just after bottling. However, you can space out two fermentations if you keep the scoby at room temperature or in the fridge.

A SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is a crucial component in brewing kombucha, a popular fermented tea that originated in China. One common concern among kombucha brewers is their SCOBY not floating. However, this is a natural process that occurs as the SCOBY ferments and produces gas.