Normal Mature Scoby – texture, bubbles, white film and white spots are all normal.
Normal Young Scoby – Notice the brown slimy bit at the top – also normal.
Normal Mature Scobies being lifted out of their brew for the next batch.
Moldy Scoby – Must be thrown away or composted.
Moldy Scoby – Must be thrown away or composted.
Healthy Mature Scoby – To save for later or sharing, add at least one cup of reserved kombucha and store in a sealed glass jar in the fridge.
Normal kombucha ‘beard’ – part of the yeast doing its thing – Drink or strain out of finished ‘bucha.
A side view of several mature scobies on the left awaiting the cooling sweet tea on the right.
This post is a follow-up to last week’s post - How to Make Kombucha – A Visual Guide. Reader question answered…
Roxanna wants to know:
What do I do with all the scoby babies?
While you can find lots of answers out there from stir-fried scoby to dog treats and leather substitutes, I think the best options are:
- Give away your extra scobies
- Save your extra scobies for later (in a lidded jar with some reserved kombucha in the fridge)
- Compost your older scobies – plants love kombucha fertilizer! For best results, give them a quick chop in a blender or food processor before adding them to your compost pile.
- Start a ‘bucha business! – You’d be surprised how many folks would be happy to pay rather than make their own.
Jackie likes to used distilled water…
Is it better to use distilled water when making kombucha?
Some kombucha brewers swear by distilled water to make a “stronger and purer” finished product or to prevent mold from developing. Personally, I have never had mold occur except for when I’ve used flavored tea or recently had some potatoes go moldy in the ‘bucha pantry. I prefer water that is more like it occurs in nature than a science lab, so I use filtered water (ours is reverse osmosis with the minerals added back in). Whether you choose distilled or filtered be sure to use water that is free of chlorine and fluoride which aren’t good for the health of your scoby or you!
Cassandra asks -
After you brew your first batch and plan to make another, what mushroom is best to used? The mother you first started with in the last batch or the new mushroom that grew? Does it matter?
Use either the new scoby or a nice uniform mature scoby for your next batch. It is fine to leave a few in your brew, but when it starts to get crowded, remove the older scobies that are looking ragged and tired and compost them.
…and can you start a continuous brew in a ceramic container with a spout or does it need to be glass?
You can use ceramic or glass for your brews, but make sure the ceramic is sealed. I have heard varying opinions on whether the spout should be plastic or metal. Try to choose a spout that is least likely to corrode and break down with the fermenting ‘bucha.
Sanja asks…
I love drinking kombucha but I heard recently that it can be damaging to the liver because it attracts all kinds of micro-organisms, good and bad. Is this true?
Great question! Well, for starters, the whole planet is covered in micro-organisms. We have become a bit of a germ-o-phobe culture, but the truth is, we NEED good bacteria and yeast for optimal health. When properly prepared, kombucha will naturally contain the proper balance of healthy bacteria and yeast. A bad batch will be evident by the appearance of mold – black, green, or blue.
As for kombucha and liver health, one of the active ingredients - glucaric acid – is thought to actually make the liver more efficient. Those who have never consumed kombucha before and certainly individuals with weakened immune systems should always take caution when trying something new.
Ultimately, you know best, so see how kombucha feels in your body. Some people experience a “die-off” of un-healthy flora as new healthy bacteria and yeast colonizes their digestive tracts. While this is a completely normal process, if you suspect that this is occurring, seek support from a qualified health practitioner.
Leah wants to know…
Would it be ok to give kombucha to an 11-month old? My baby recently had to take a dose of heavy-duty antibiotics for a bacterial infection and I’m trying to counteract the digestive results by giving her lots of fermented foods.
Here’s a great answer from Maredith another reader:
I gave my babes sips of Kombucha starting pretty young, probably less than 11 months. I always water it down a bit for the kids, and stick to just a few sips for babies. And just to be safe, I don’t give it to them close to a bed or nap time, usually its a morning shot with breakfast.
I agree with Maredith – Kombucha is great for kids, and most love it when you start them young. Just start with diluted, tiny amounts. Also, because kombucha may contain small amounts of caffeine, avoid giving it to children in the afternoon or near naps, and observe your child to see how they react to drinking it.
Kombucha and other cultured foods are wonderful any time, but post antibiotics, I would recommend taking a high-potency, high-quality probiotic supplement for at least one month to give the body an extra boost of healthy bacteria.
After months of reading your articles I think I’m ready to start making my own Kombucha
This is fabulous, thank you so much! Your blog is amazing!!!
Awesome. Great post!
I just finished ANOTHER bottle of Apple Kombucha. Emily.. you are the queen of Kombucha.
What is the safest tea to use? I’ve been reading a lot about high flouride content in green and black teas lately.
Thanks for the pictures! I’ve been making kombucha for a while, but these pics really explained a LOT that I was unsure about. Hooray!
You’re welcome! Glad they are helpful.
I am planning to make my own since I am tired of spending wads of money a week for us to drink kombucha. My question is I am pregnant, what type of tea should I use? Is it safe to drink while pregnant? I’ve heard mixed reviews.
The general advice I have heard is that if you drank kombucha before your pregnancy, it is likely that it will be perfectly fine to drink during as well. Just listen to your body and see how it feels. If you are concerned about the caffeine, you can remove much of the caffeine by shocking your tea bags before brewing. This is done by pouring a small amount of boiling water onto your tea bags, allowing it to steep for a 10 seconds or so, and then dumping out that initial tea before using the shocked bags for your actual brew. This will remove a good portion of the caffeine.
A huge Thank You for this wonderful article! :0)
I’ve been making this for a month now and all this time searching for the answer to a question you have here, so thanks!! My original mother and her “baby” are both huge, and I was wondering if it was necessary to remove one of them.
In regards to the 11 mo. old, imho, I would give her nothing but mama’s milk, but if the baby is formula fed then I agree that small, diluted sips might be helpful.
Sara – You’re welcome! You don’t need to remove the older scoby to have a successful brew, but eventually the new scobies will start to overtake your brewing vessel. I usually take out the extras ever 3-4 brews, leaving the younger, fresher scobies in the pot.
What is recommended amount to drink.. I love my kombucha and i tend to drink about 16- 24 oz. a day. Can it be harmful to drink too much?
Hi Leslie – If you feel good drinking 16-24 ounces per day, there shouldn’t be any reason why not to drink that much kombucha. I find that with kombucha, I’m either craving it (and LOTS of it) or don’t really want it at all. Perhaps your body is enjoying the therapeutic benefits of right now. Cheers!
Hi, I’ve made my first batch of kombucha successfully, and love it. I put my SCOBY in the fridge, and now read varying things about whether or not that is a good thing. How should I store the SCOBY? Can I use the refrigerated SCOBY, or will I need to do something different to use it? THANKS.
hi! thanks for the info! i made a first scoby and it took a long time to form – it was probably too cold in the house in the winter (we don’t use much heat in our house in Los Angeles:) and now it’s probably been in the glass container for about 6 MONTHS! It looks fine, although the SCOBY is rather thin – maybe 3/8 of an inch in a large glass container (about 10″ wide) – it has almost a gallon of tea in it that certainly smells like kombucha!
I have never refrigerated it…I’m wondering how to tell if it’s safe to use? Can I drink the tea and use the SCOBY? I don’t see any mold and it smells “right”….
Thanks in advance for any info/advice!
Hi Sarah – I usually refrigerate my scoby when it’s not in use, but as long as it smells ok and doesn’t have mold it should be fine. The ‘tea’ you have is probably more like vinegar at this point. You can use it as a starter for fermented soda like this one http://www.holistickid.com/easy-peasy-pomegranate-soda/.
@Emily — thanks soooooo much!!! That easy-peasy soda sounds awesome! I really appreciate your reply. As a newbie, I wasn’t sure…but the scoby does seem and look ok so I will proceed with my first kombucha batch and as a bonus I get to make your soda with the vinegary stuff thanks to your thoughtful reply. All the best to you, Sarah
I’m making a batch now and my scoby’s are not on the top. Is it ok if they are lingering toward the bottom of the glass jars? I started them on 9/3.
I have been making Kambucha for a month or so now and I have yet to have a baby scoby form on the top of my container. The tea tastes fine and is pretty well carbonated.
Any Ideas?
I see that a few others have commented on this but I have read on Cultures for Health that a SCOBY should never be put in the fridge. Do you still recommend this practice?
On a different note, THANK YOU for all that you post! I have been really encouraged in my real-food journey by what you share about yours, and your down-to-earth blog entries have been very relatable
.
nat
Kombucha Kamp website also says to never ever store your SCOBY in the fridge. I have put mine in the fridge in the past and have not killed it. Yet, still wondering if that’s the best thing. What is the reasoning behind storing it in the fridge vs. not storing it in the fridge?
Hi Natalie – I also store extra scobies in the fridge and they perform just find when I pass them along to others. Plus a scoby is such a prolific creature that I’m not too worries if a few die on my watch.
Just curious, how often do you get a baby? I don’t seem to get them as often as it seems I should. Now I never take my scoby out of the jar, when I bottle for a second ferment, I replenish the tea at the same time and go. I usually leave 16-20oz of tea in the jug and add 3 qts of tea made with 1 cup sugar and 4 tea bags (2 green and 2 black). I ferment for 1 week (I got a room in the basement and keep it between 75-78), then bottle and start over. But my SCOBY just gets very thick, does not separate, or grow another very often. I have just split the layers a few times and given them away. Just your thoughts please and thank you:)
Hi Jason – Sorry for the delayed response. It sounds like you have a very healthy, mature scoby. If you want to have your scoby take up less space and you can’t split it easily, you can make a baby by sitting a jar of ‘butcha out on the counter for a week or two until a baby forms.
I love love love Kombucha, but I just read this article from Living Maxwell saying that Kombucha isn’t that great for you. Can you read what he said in the link and tell me your thoughts? Thank you!! http://livingmaxwell.com/have-we-been-misled-5-organic-foods-that-should-make-you-think-twice
I know my thoughts, 1. most of the sugar is consumed by the SCOBY, so I would not pay attention to that. 2. while there are no studies that can prove it is healthy, there are also no studies proving the GMO’s are bad for you, but I think most agree they are not good. Another way to look at is as that we can study crash statistics, and draw conclusions that wearing seatbelts saves lives. However to do a scientific study, we would need to put X number of people in a vehicle with seatlbelts that do not work, and X number in a vehicle that do, and say “go crash” and see how it works. Not ever going to happen.
Hi Lauren – I agree with Jason. Also, if you love love love Kombucha and it feels good in your body, I would trust that. Kombucha is one of those ‘foods’ that you’re likely to develop an aversion to if your body doesn’t want/need it.
How do I start Kombucha from scratch, without a Scoby?
Hi Adolfo – You can start kombucha by getting a bottle of store bought ‘bucha and allowing it to sit out for several days until a scoby forms. At that point, you place the scoby in sweet tea and voila! You’re on your way.
How much is too much? My almost 2yr old is practically addicted. I water it down significantly for him since he pretty much only prefers his “bucha”
I would trust how it feels in your body. For a child, trust your instinct. Usually a craving for something like kombucha is driving a need, not an unhealthy addiction.
What if you are TTC or newly pregnant? Would starting kombucha for the first time be a bad idea? Could the “die off” potentially be harmful to a developing baby? Also, on another note, how much kombucha would one want to drink to replace the need for a daily probiotic? Thanks!
I probably wouldn’t start kombucha for the first time when newly pregnant, but it’s great when TTC. As for how much to replace a daily probiotic, it’s hard to say and depends on your gut health and overall health. For a healthy person, a combo of cultured food and drink should be sufficient to provide probiotics in the day-to-day.
Can you recommend a container to use for sending kombucha (or water kefir) to school with my son. He’s 5 and I’m a little leery of sending a glass bottle in his backpack, but I know metal isn’t good either. I’d love to know what other people use.
I like those lifefactory bottles. They are a little pricey but hopefully will last a long time. The silicone sleeve should keep it safe. Everyone is always afraid of glass breaking, but I have never had a glass bottle actually break. maybe it depends on if your kids school allows glass. but their baby bottles are actually a different kind of glass that breaks in a safe way, borosilicate I think it is called. You could just buy one of those and they sell white caps for the tops that you can buy also and use instead of the rubber nipple. the baby bottles also come in 4 oz size which might be perfect for a lunch box.
I just started 2 gallons of kombucha and had a sudden trip come up. I will be traveling at the time I’ll need to be bottling. Rather than leave my booch to sour while I’m away, I’d like to bring it with me. To prevent it from sloshing around can I put lids on the gallon jars for the 7 hour road trip, then uncover them when I arrive to let them finish brewing?
If you want to take it with you to drink on the trip, that should work. Otherwise, stick it in the fridge as this will slow down the fermentation rate while you are away and you can take it out and continue with it again when you get back.