The Kombucha SCOBY culture is a hardy organism and, when cared for correctly, can provide a lifetime of Kombucha through the generations of babies it will produce.
Kombucha’s natural abundance is a blessing that has driven Kombucha’s popularity over the centuries and especially the last few decades here in the West.
In order to survive along with us dirty, messy humans, Kombucha exists at a naturally antiseptic pH (3.0 and lower is ideal – pH post coming soon) to fight off foreign invaders and then replicates itself within a convenient, portable disc shaped culture that can easily be passed on to others or saved for making later batches (or for tossing around at the beach! jk), a brilliant piece of evolution that makes it possible for anyone to get a culture and start brewing delicious homemade Kombucha Tea.
Of course, here come the humans to mess it up again!
See, Kombucha is a living thing, and we know that all living things have 3 basic needs: food/water, clothing and hospitable shelter (home). Yet much of the time, the SCOBYs people receive from well-meaning friends (or sadly, many commercial sites) have been deprived of one or more of these necessities.
When the brewing experience goes badly, those who are trying to make Kombucha for the first time take the blame on themselves, assume Kombucha is just too difficult or dangerous and sometimes never try to brew again or even abandon drinking Kombucha altogether.
This is the opposite result from the intention of homebrewing Kombucha, which is to empower you and open the door to other fermented foods and other traditional foods with which we have lost dietary touch.
Kombucha SCOBYs:
The Golden Rules
Never
- …use a refrigerator stored SCOBY to make Kombucha.
- …use a dehydrated SCOBY to make Kombucha.
- …attempt to grow a SCOBY from a commercial bottle of Kombucha that:
- has been pasteurized
- has been flavored
- has been filtered or reformulated
- says anything less than “100% Kombucha” on the label
Always
- …use a fresh, full-size Kombucha SCOBY to begin brewing.
- …store your SCOBYs in a SCOBY Hotel in a dry and dark place.
- …pass along healthy, fresh SCOBYs with at least 1-2 cups of mature Kombucha Tea and complete, clear instructions to ensure success. If you cannot, recommend a reputable source instead.
We’re going to focus on Never Golden Rule #3 today, then talk about rules #1 & #2 tomorrow. Yeah it’s backwards, but I’m feeling inverted today, so let’s go with it.
When Did Growing Your Own
Kombucha SCOBY Go Wrong?
It used to be the only way you could get a SCOBY was from a friend who was already making their own Kombucha. It wasn’t until the mid 1990’s that store bought Kombucha even existed. For the last 15 years, Kombucha as a bottled beverage has slowly grown in popularity, though recently the explosion of brands has been dramatic.
More brands brings more drinkers, and more drinkers brings more people to brewing their own. One way people have heard to start brewing is by growing their own SCOBY from a commercial brand of Kombucha. This is appealing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is it sounds fun to some people. And it can be!
However, since the Kombucha Withdrawal of 2010, and the subsequent reformulation by most brands, it is NOT a recommended way to start your first batch for reasons I will detail below. Instead, get a Kombucha SCOBY from a trusted friend or reliable seller.
(In tomorrow’s post I will talk about a few things to watch out for regarding buying a SCOBY – it is amazing how many sellers violate one of the golden rules.)
What’s In A Store Bought Kombucha Exactly?
That explosion of Kombucha brands I mentioned before is very exciting, as I believe that, far from being competition, the expansion of the Kombucha beverage market means more homebrewers and more homebrewers means more drinkers and therefore more brands on the shelf, a self perpetuating cycle not unlike Kombucha itself.
Many of these brands were started by interesting entrepreneurs from around the country, and their Kombuchas reflect their personalities, taking all shapes and forms. These products, all of which are labeled as Kombucha, are as different as the products you might find labeled as “juice” on any store shelves. These Kombucha variations include pasteurization, juice added, sugar and/or flavorings added, short versus long fermentation times, wild variations in tea and sugar recipes, just to name a few.
Even without conducting vigorous lab testing, I hope I am not being controversial when I say there is no way these products all have the same beneficial bacteria content or concentration, no way that they can all have the same yeast content or concentration, no way they can have the same sugar content or whatever other ingredients each producer has chosen. It is fair to say that one should not expect each beverage to provide the same probiotic punch or, therefore, intended health benefits, as others.
Wonder Drink is “proudly pasteurized” as I learned from Joan Turner and Paul Sposato at the Natural Products Expo in March.
Here is where the argument gets messy.
Those who produce pasteurized beverages</strong> might say that the bacteria don’t survive your gut anyway, so pasteurization has no effect.
Those who produce a smoother tasting Kombucha may claim that the acetic bite of many traditional Kombuchas is not required for a healthy beverage and may even be less healthy due to too much acetic acid.
Those who may have changed their Kombucha since the reformulation in Summer 2010 (to remain compliant with alcohol labeling laws) may claim that they have managed their beverage through scientific means to produce a superior delivery system for their own cultivated probiotics.
As might be expected, everyone has a reason their beverage is superior.
Without millions of dollars in double blind testing, there is no good way to determine who might be right or wrong on these types of issues.
Do you have a few million to spend on this? Neither do I.
Why Growing Your Own
Kombucha SCOBY is No Longer Recommended
Let’s be clear: ANY KOMBUCHA is a good Kombucha, in my opinion, especially when compared to the beverage it replaces such as soda, 100% fruit juice (sugar bomb!), energy drinks or coffee.
Kombucha is a functional beverage and that alone makes it a better choice no matter the brand. However, it only takes common sense to realize that some of these brands would be a bad choice for attempting to grow a Kombucha SCOBY from scratch.
A recently submitted reader example of growing from store bought gone wrong. Notice the dry chalky texture. This “culture” broke up when touched.
Most people can discern that a pasteurized beverage is not going to grow a SCOBY. If everything has been killed by heat up to 180 degrees, not much is likely to happen besides a bad case of mold.
Similarly, if your store bought Kombucha is mixed with a lot of fruit juice, it stands to reason that the process of making a SCOBY from that Kombucha would be compromised by sugars, oils and who knows what else, not a good environment for our SCOBY.
These attempts often grow mold or just create a funky looking thing that is clearly not a SCOBY. These are easy to identify.
(Why do they mold? Not enough bacteria and yeast to protect the brew in the critical stage before the pH drops to 3.5 or so. More mold info here.)
SCOBY Illusion?
Where it gets tricky is when the process of growing a culture LOOKS like success but is instead missing the full power of a Kombucha SCOBY, and new brewers have a very tough time telling the difference.
Since the reformulation, experienced Kombucha brewers are reporting a very different kind of Kombucha beverage resulting from “SCOBYs” they’ve grown from bottled Kombucha. The flavor is weaker, there is a greater yeast flavor and not as much “power” to the brew. In short, the cultures grown from these commercial bottles of Kombucha are not true SCOBYs. They are compromised and weaker.
As just one example, the Kombucha Kamp Facebook group recently engaged in a lively discussion about this topic.
*Note “pre-change” SCOBY means before reformulation.
Connie D’Angelo:I started my kombucha and it’s making lots of foamy stuff is it normal?? started with a bottle of kombucha rather than a scoby
Louis Small: I had a ‘pre-changed’ SCOBY and one I formed from a ‘post change’ bottle of GT’s ‘enlightened’. They brewed side by side in 2.5 gal continuous brewers. There was a noticeable difference between the two. The ‘post change’ did not seem to ferment as fast, left a sweeter brew, and had a less strong taste. So I scrapped the ‘post change’ Scoby and updated all three of my brewers to the ‘pre change’ Scoby’s.
Louis’ experience is echoed by another member of the Facebook page:
Faithful To Jesus: I have a SCOBY from a friend that is pre-change. Scoby has been in a hotel for a few years til it was sent to me. The KT it makes is different from the KT my post-SCOBY makes. I have put all of the post-change in an Rx Hotel & only use the pre-change SCOBY NOW!
These stories are coming in by e-mail and more and more I am hearing from people who are are confused as to why they are getting mold or just have a less than delicious brew with “something missing” from their Kombucha that is made from cultures they grew from a bottle.
Let me be clear once again: I am NOT saying that store bought Kombucha is no longer good for you. I buy and drink various brands regularly. All you have to do is listen to those who enthusiastically buy it by the case to know that people are still getting the Kombucha effects they are looking for.
However, in terms of growing a SCOBY from scratch, a process which has always been more difficult than brewing with a culture, these reformulated brews are not appropriately powered to start and even when they appear to be working are generally producing an inferior quality of Kombucha.
The exception: if you can find a brand of Kombucha that has the government warning label on the side and therefore contains more than .5% alcohol, you may be able to successfully grow a culture. However, most people do not have access to these bottles of Kombucha at the store and moreover, the quality of the culture and the other ingredients present in that Kombucha are unknown and vary greatly from brand to brand and even flavor to flavor. It can be very hit and miss. Instead, ask around for a starter or get a fresh, full-size Kombucha culture here.
********
Special Note: I am quite aware that someone, perhaps many people, may leave a comment saying they have grown a SCOBY successfully since the reformulation. If you are positive, that is wonderful! I am not saying it is impossible. What I am saying is the current Kombuchas readily available to people dramatically increase the risk of failure, and that even worse those who are new to brewing won’t really know if they have a full powered culture at the end of the process. Of course success is possible, but my mission is to make success easy, and in my opinion the current methods of growing your own SCOBY are not reliable.
********
Tomorrow: Golden Rules #1 & #2 explained.
Tom Arbuckle
February 28, 2022 at 10:10 amMy scoby looks good, and appears to be doing what it’s suppose to be doing.
My brew has been sitting for 28 days now, but when I taste test the brew it doesn’t seem to be changing at all.
I’m on my first fermentation.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Hannah Crum
December 7, 2023 at 1:47 pmmight be that its not warm enough – try getting it to the ideal temperature range of 75-85F and see if that doesn’t help – How To Keep Kombucha Warm with Kombucha Heating Mats
Cecile
November 18, 2020 at 1:48 pmHi,
I was given a healthy scoby and brew 2 batch tbat went really well. For the third I mistakenly bought confectioner sugar (I live between n the Czech Republic and I don’t speak Czech) I thought it would and used it. After a few days when I realized the scoby wasn’t doing well I googled it and found out confectioner sugar contains corn starch. I threw this batch away and gave the scoby new tea and sugar. Will it be enough to save it? Is it just weak or is it dying? Is there anything else I could do?
Thanks
Hannah Crum
February 20, 2021 at 9:08 amHard to say if it will survive. I’ve heard of others making this mistake and having to start over with a fresh SCOBY from their hotel. Or you can buy a new one from us!
Erin Batstone
May 22, 2020 at 9:47 amFirst of all, THANK YOU so much for all the wonderful information found here! It has been invaluable. I have stumbled in to the world of “Booch” and now I am fascinated. Currently, I am just getting to the end of my first F1 and I am excited for the next stage!
However, I grew my scobies from scratch using the GT supposedly “Raw Organic” kombucha. It took 4 weeks to get large enough, and now I am seeing possibly why. Just having read this today, I am feeling a bit discouraged and wondering if the kombucha I make from this will always be doomed to be inferior. I tasted my F1 at 5 days and it is shaping nicely – but perhaps I am just used to the commercial flavor.
(I have gotten so much joy from this, I will still probably continue, but maybe someday invest in a higher quality scoby for comparison). What are your thoughts?
Hannah Crum
May 16, 2021 at 3:03 pmEvery body is different and every body has a different flavor preference. Its simply a fact of life that when we scale anything from small, homemade to larger commercial scale, certain aspects will have to change in the process. Here are our cultures if you want to compare it with the one you grew.
Sandy
January 28, 2020 at 12:06 pmHi Hannah,
I have received Jun Kombucha from one of my friends, I started my first batch. It’s been 3-4 days now but I don’t see any forming new scoby, cloudy appearance on top and my jun scobies are always falling into the bottom of the jar. Is that common thing.
Usually how long it takes to brew the Jun tea in cold weather.
Hannah Crum
February 13, 2020 at 2:33 pmJUN cultures will form more “cities” on the bottom though they will also create a pellicle. Since the honey contains both fructose & glucose in free form (in addition to sucrose) the organisms are able to start making acids right away – which is why it takes less time and requires less temp to ferment. Taste is king and it usually takes a few batches for the culture to acclimate to the new environment, Here are more tips about brewing JUN.
Val Smith
January 28, 2019 at 5:56 pmMy Jun SCOBY that grew is soft and braking apart easily. What could I be doing wrong?
Hannah Crum
February 5, 2019 at 5:06 pmDo you also have scum on the jar? If not, then it could just be weak due to the colder weather – what type of tea are you using? Sometimes white tea doesn’t have enough tannins for the cellulose to grow. Here are the best types of tea to use for Kombucha & JUN
Belinda
December 27, 2017 at 3:45 pmHi
I’m in Australia and started to try to grow my own scoby from store bought kombucha, before being gifted tour book for Christmas and reading that store bought is not ideal (the kombucha was raw, organic and says it contains traces of alcohol).
It started frowning really well and looked like it should but now it seems to have halted in growth and is not getting any thicker. I can see some yeast strains floating around in the bottom so it does look healthy. I have no bubbles either.
Does it seem like it just won’t get off the ground given that it is store bought? Or is there something I can do to reinvigorate growth again?
I’m so excited to get to making kombucha but just haven’t gotten past the scoby just yet. Have tried to be in touch with a couple of people to get a scoby but thought would be good to try and grow this one as a backup and see how it goes. I do always like to try and make things from scratch myself!!
Thanks
Hannah Crum
May 24, 2019 at 9:23 amhard to say – that’s what experiments do – sometimes they thrive and other times they fail. We ship all over the world if you need a viable, healthy culture.
Tracy
May 26, 2017 at 6:13 pmHi, I’m new to this process, although LOVE Kombucha.
I was gifted a SCOBY, which had been refrigerated. I left it at room temp for about a week to wake up and stared to brew. A beautiful baby formed which I’m now using for my second batch, but it has two dark spots on the underside with dangling bits, is this SCOBY still ok?
Hannah Crum
May 14, 2018 at 1:33 pmSounds like yeast! They are the Y in SCOBY – so perfectly safe. You are welcome to send us photos or check out our gallery of images here –> https://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-brewing-album/not-kombucha-mold-safe-brews
Natasha
June 8, 2015 at 12:32 amI need some help. I was gifted a scoby back in March which I placed in the frig. In April I finally got around to start making kombatcha. I follow instructions I found online. I started small using a quart mason jar. I brewed my tea added my raw sugar and gently added my scoby. I placed my jar on top of the frig and waited. Nothing happened. Now baby scoby formed and the flavor was pretty sweet. I decided to move my jars location (I was worried the frig jiggling every time it was opened might be the problem). Two weeks later and still nothing. I don’t know what to do at this point. Should I make a new batch of sweet tea and add the gifted scoby to it? Should I just keep waiting for a baby to form? I’m worried that my Kombucha is ruined and that I’ll need to toss it. How do I know if my batch has gone bad?
One thing I have never seen mentioned is… Can your Kombucha be drinkable if a baby scoby hasn’t formed? Is the kombatcha only ready after a new baby has formed? Everything I see talks about the new baby that forms so I have the impression that you can’t have one without the other.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Hannah Crum
June 8, 2015 at 11:07 amThanks for your inquiries Natasha. It is difficult for us to assist you with this matter without photos. Please send some to customerservice@kombuchakamp.com for further assistance.
Deborah Dale
May 26, 2015 at 10:35 amMy question is about metal tops for the canning jars.
Are they safe to store the SCOBY? Or do I need a plastic top for the hotel jar?….also are they okay to use for the 2F?
Thanks:-)
Hannah Crum
June 8, 2015 at 10:18 amWe do not recommend using metal lids as the condensation of the Kombucha will create rust which can then drip back into the hotel leading to off flavors and undesired contaminants. If you do not have a plastic lid, simply use a cloth cover with a rubber band.
FJB
April 21, 2015 at 6:22 pmMy friend and I both started brewing kombucha at the same time. We both got mothers and starter tea from the same source (another friend of hers who had a SCOBY hotel to share her bounty with us). We brew for the same length of time, hers are actually in a warmer spot (top of fridge versus the counter for me).
The thing is when tasting, my KT tastes stronger than hers. I’m not talking about tartness, but the actual flavor itself. She uses Lipton gallon tea bags to brew hers while I use republic of tea British breakfast tea.
Is it just the brand of tea? The blend? I don’t know what to recommend to her. Feedback would be welcome.
Hannah Crum
April 22, 2015 at 11:33 amYes – the type, quantity and steeping time of the teas you use will lead to different flavors. It sounds like the tea you are using is more flavorful and robust. To confirm, brew a cup of tea using one of each tea bag and do a taste comparison. Here is an article about which teas work best for Kombucha or give our Hannah’s Special Tea blend a try!
Juliette
April 1, 2015 at 9:02 pmHi! Thank you for all the glorious information on your site 🙂
So I’ve been growing my scoby for about 2 months. My house runs cold, but I have the vessel near the heater in my room…
It’s finally growing the white film on top, but it’s not very thick..
Is it unsafe to continue with such a long growing time?
I’m curious if I can use what I have to start making flavored tea. Or if I should keep it growing longer?
Blessings,
Juliette
Hannah Crum
April 21, 2015 at 6:39 amThe only way to find out if it will work is to use it. Most people discover that the flavor of a homegrown SCOBY simply doesn’t taste as delicious as Kombucha brewed with an authentic culture. Much like trying to make yogurt from store-bought, it often doesn’t have the full range of bacteria and yeast present. So brew up a batch and see what you think. If you enjoy the flavor, then continue to brew with it, if not, then source a quality culture.
Margaret
January 31, 2014 at 7:01 amHi!
I contacted GT and they said it was fine to use to SCOBYs I found on the Classic Komucha.
What are your thoughts?
Also, I started my first batch with the SCOBY I received from you 4 days ago. I checked it today and there is a thin film across the top of the vessel. Is this normal? I followed your directed you provided from brewing and cooling my sweet tea. The vessel is covered with a cotton t-shirt and secured with a rubber band. The average temp in my house is about 73.
Thank you!
Hannah Crum
February 3, 2014 at 3:07 pmOur thoughts are that lactobacillus is not native to the Kombucha culture. If you want an authentic Kombucha brew, then find a culture that is acetobacter dominant.
As for the film that grew, that is likely new culture growth. Many folks who have brewed Kombucha from GTs have found that they prefer the flavor of an authentically brewed booch more than what they can brew up from a commercial bottle, especially when it comes to successive batches. The Classic GTs hasn’t been reformulated like the Enlightened so it works a bit better than the SCOBYs from those bottles but if you read the label, you will see that other probiotics have been added which are not necessary and change the culture.
Margaret
January 28, 2014 at 4:44 pmHi Hannah!
I am so excited to start brewing my own kombucha and received my SCOBY from you today. I also wanted to try to grow my own mainly out of curiosity and as a “science” project for the kids.
Today I bought 2 bottles of GT’s Classic Original Kombucha to use. The first bottle popped when I opened it, the second however did not and as I started to pour it into the jar 4 baby scobys came out! There was no mold and they look like all the pictures I’ve seen on the internet. Do you think they are safe to use?
Thanks!
Hannah Crum
February 3, 2014 at 3:21 pmIt not a question of “safe to use” rather a question of what type of Kombucha do you wish to brew? Yes, you may use those SCOBYs and yes they will brew up a batch of Kombucha. However, many folks have found that for long term brewing success, Kombucha brewed from an authentic mother taste better and reproduce better over time. Of course, feel free to experiment as that is one of the fun parts of brewing Kombucha.
Laurel
June 4, 2015 at 6:49 pmI’m curious about what you mean by an ‘authentic’ mother. What is the origin of the cultures that you sell – in other words, where did the original one come from?
Hannah Crum
June 8, 2015 at 10:36 amAn authentic mother is one that has been cultivated through many generations. It is hardy, easily reproduces and creates a delicious Kombucha tea. Some folks would have you believe that you can simply pour out some Kombucha into a dish and make a SCOBY – while a culture will certainly form, it will lack the diversity of bacteria and yeast than authentic cultures and often leads to off flavors over time. Plus the same healthy acids may not be present in the same quantities due to the lack of diversity. This is also the problem with most commercial brews. In order to produce Kombucha on such a large scale, some sacrifices to the process must be made – this is true of all cultured foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, etc. – all of them are intended to be made in small batches on the counter in your home. Its not to say that those products are not good to consume for they certainly are far healthier than the pasteurized juice, chemical laden sodas or other non-nutritious options available.
As for the original SCOBY, just like the original kefir grain or original vili strain, we may never know from whence it came. But if we continue to propagate, nurture and share our cultures, then the tradition continues. Our culture is a hybrid of the most vigorous strains and has been cultivated for many years. Just like other farmers, we select our specimens based on several criteria to ensure the highest quality culture and brewing experience.
Judy F
January 28, 2014 at 10:00 amI started my continuous brew with one of your cultures, but added a bottle of the GT original (post-change) so I would have enough starter to brew 2 gallons in my container. Did I unknowingly sentence myself and husband to a lifetime of inferior kombucha?
I’ve never had a batch go to mold, and I draw off all but a half gallon once a week, and my tea is nicely carbonated and sour within about a week at ~70F.
How might I tell if there’s room for improvement? How should it taste in comparison to something like the GT original?
Hannah Crum
February 3, 2014 at 3:21 pmSounds like everything is all good! Provided you have healthy culture growth and tasty booch, that is the most important thing!
leslie
January 15, 2014 at 3:10 pmI have a scoby that was set up in a plastic container 6 months ago. It was never transferred to glass or dealt with in any way. There is a 3/8″ disk on top of the liquid. How can I know if this is still viable/salvageable or because of the conditions/neglect should be tossed?
leslie
January 15, 2014 at 3:12 pmIt is brown not white like the scobies you advertise.
thanks in advance
Hannah Crum
January 15, 2014 at 8:10 pmBrown means that it has been in the tea for a long time. The SCOBYs will darken due to the tannins in the tea.
Hannah Crum
January 15, 2014 at 8:02 pmOnly one way to find out if it will work – brew it up! If it goes to mold or doesn’t reproduce, then you have your answer. If you want to guarantee you will have Kombucha, then consider purchasing a fresh, live culture –> https://store.kombuchakamp.com/
Lisa
June 2, 2013 at 10:05 pmThis is just a general question…I started making kombucha recently. I am making my second batch and for some reason the new scoby (about 1/4 inch thick) is about 3/4 inch above the tea line on one side. It has been about 1 week since it started brewing and I had hoped to leave it for longer (to not have it so sweet). I notice dark brown stringy stuff underneath of it. I don’t particularly remember bumping it, but can’t think of why else the mother would not be resting on the tea. Would it be dangerous for me to use this tea? I appreciate someone’s experience to help me know what to do. Thanks.
Hannah Crum
June 4, 2013 at 2:48 pmBrown stringy stuff is yeast. The yeast create CO2 which can push the cultures up out of the liquid – check out this fun video of a SCOBY trying to climb out of the jar!
Celia
April 21, 2013 at 11:08 pmI am moving and need to save my scoby how can I do that? Will it be safe to dehydrate them then rehydrate once settled? Please I need to know quickly. Thank you
Hannah Crum
April 22, 2013 at 11:30 amNo. Dehydrated SCOBYS lose too much of their defense mechanism and often go to mold. Best to store it in a SCOBY Hotel with a tight fitting lid. It may still slosh, so package it carefully so it will stay upright to minimize the mess.
Liz
February 12, 2013 at 10:31 amNo wonder my kombucha was taking 3 weeks in the AZ summer to ferment!
I will be ordering!
angie h
October 9, 2012 at 5:31 amHi, I recently obtained a scoby from a trading group. I am new and didn’t know better and stored my scoby in its juice in the refridgerator for a few days. It seems okay and I have some brewing…. Does this mean it won’t work at all? It is actually Jun not Kombucha but I know the methods are similar….Thanks!
lisa
August 3, 2012 at 11:43 pmHi Hannah,
I live in a very hot humid climate. My house definitely can go above 30c 85 f in the very hot months. can I still brew during this time?
I read that adding vinegar can help slow down the formation of yeast to give a chance for the bacteria to grow.
Do you agree?
Thanks for all the rich information on this website!
Lisa (israel)
Hannah Crum
August 7, 2012 at 8:06 amThe KT will ferment very quickly at these temps. Monitor it closely and pull it when it starts to get sour. It may take only a couple of days! Air flow and pulling your starter from the top are the best ways to encourage the bacteria. Vinegar can help set the pH of your brewing vessel and can be used as substitute starter in a pinch. Use a distilled or pasteurized vinegar to prevent the naturally occurring bacteria from competing with your Kombucha bacteria. I’ve not observed that adding vinegar aids the bacteria in a particular way (and yes, we’ve done a lot of experiments!)
georgia
April 23, 2012 at 5:23 pmI loved kombucha, and loved the “mama” mushroom, and the little babies, many years ago soon after the hippy generation started breaking up. I received mine from a student in my Bachelors level class in Hispanic American Culture, when a classmate gave her report on them, and shared mushrooms with anyone who was interested. After years of growing a family of kombachu, I got to busy to tend them regularly; and lost them. Picked them back up later when I saw a local ad for them; and now, after finding raw organic bottled Kombucha, and beginning cultures growing on the top; got excited and started a brew with one of them which I had babied until it was about 1/4th inch thick. I knew I couldnt get it out of the bottle if it got thicker, and put it in a cold brew of sweet tea. It makes great tasting Kombucha, yet, it is not covering the top of the jar like it should; the brew is opaque and not clear like mine was before; so I contacted a friend who grows them in a sterile atmosphere, and has them tested, and I am waiting for one to arrive now. My own culture has lost in width, and is now the thickness of one or two cultures, when it was about 5 or 6 thick. I will keep it a while, and begin again with a great scoby.
I like to make Kombucha with black tea, and with green tea, and another with black and Rooibos for lowering blood sugars. I used to do all this in a 24′ travel trailer, and now it seems a regular house is too small for 3 independant jars; but I’m going to try. I love the taste of the “old” Kombucha that I am familiar with. The tea from the bottled organic and raw Kombucha makes a weaker taste, lots of bubbles, but not the vinegary “bite” I admire and miss so much.
I used to put washed fresh mint in my bottles after they were finished brewing, but I still like the plain old Kombucha better.
I had no idea there was a reformulation, and I have gotten a nice “buzz” from some of the bottles I have had recently. I do not believe I ever got a buzz in the 90’s from my own teas, even when using the third culture bought from another well known Kombucha enthusiast, which I grew and brewed with for many years. Thanks Hannah, for all the interesting information. I like my Kombucha so much, I might as well give them names when I set up each system:) I have enjoyed your information and your followers comments immensely(sp). I am still awed with your emails. I love it! georgia
Jessie Wicker
January 5, 2012 at 8:40 pmHannah, does this mean that even if a scoby made from post-change,store-bought GT’s seems to develop normally, that the resultant KT will (possibly)NEVER have the optimal level of nutrients?
hannah
January 17, 2012 at 10:09 pmNever say never Jessie. It just seems from the feedback I’ve heard from other homebrewers that it doesn’t quite have the same flavor or “Kombucha feeling.” But you have to trust YOUR gut. Let it tell you if your KT is working for you.
Louis Small
October 19, 2011 at 11:18 amThe SCOBY I formed from the GT’s ‘enlightened’ I noticed did taste very much like their product, but it lacked the full flavor of the ‘pre-change’ SCOBY. The SCOBY formed just fine from the GT’s and appeared healthy, but the formulation intended to minimize alcohol production is much different from the true, classic SCOBY.
Jeannie Lin via Facebook
October 19, 2011 at 11:11 amuh oh….i started a batch on refrigerated SCOBY….although I let it sit out for a while and combined it with a room temp scoby (a small one from another batch) to give it a boost and finally put it in very warm sweet tea. Will see if it goes as well as the other brew!