When to Replace Your SCOBY: Essential Guidelines (2024)

FAQs

When to Replace Your SCOBY: Essential Guidelines? ›

You will only need to replace your SCOBY if it has developed mold or if it is continuously struggling to ferment. Often with struggling SCOBYs, things can be done to help bring balance to your culture depending on the situation, and you won't need to start over completely.

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. New kombucha recipes can be made.

A moldy or dead scoby is quite distinctive, and there is no mistaking it when you see it. The mold will be white or colorful, fuzzy and dry. It can appear as spots on the scoby, or cover the scoby altogether. A dead scoby will be black.

The scoby will then go dormant and can be kept for up to 6 months. However, we've already seen scobys that had been forgotten for over a year in a corner of the fridge come back to life without any problem.

Put simply, kombucha SCOBYs can be reused for many years. Realistically, however, you simply won't need it to last that long. Your SCOBY grows and divides with each batch of kombucha, so you will constantly be growing new SCOBYs. Simply remove the older layers and transfer the new layers to your next batch.

You will only need to replace your SCOBY if it has developed mold or if it is continuously struggling to ferment.

You might even be able to make 3 or 4 batches, but at some point down the line, your SCOBY may finally show signs of it being weakened over time and you might start to have problems like lack of fizz, too much yeast or worse: mold.

If there are any growths that look fuzzy – either white, green, brown or black, then you have mould contamination. Mould problems are usually the result of not following instructions, and allowing the pH to become too neutral. Use these pH strips to test your brew and avoid losing your kombucha and your SCOBY.

As a result, the SCOBY can produce harmful bacteria and aspergillus (a toxin-producing fungus), which can cause illness.

The mother scoby is VERY dark brown, this happens over time and is normal, and the baby is creamy white. If tugged gently the old mother will fall free of the baby scoby. Once a scoby has turned this very dark brown it is old and can no longer brew (this can take 6 months to 1 year).

How long can a SCOBY go without being fed? ›

A scoby can usually survive without being fed or oxygenated for: 6 months in the fridge. 3 weeks at room temperature.

If your scoby gets more than one inch thick in a typical one-gallon brew, it's time to consider separation.

If you leave kombucha on the counter with the scoby too long, you get something that taste like vinegar and can be used to replace vinegar in recipes.

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.

This is the simplest option – you can brew a normal batch of kombucha with multiple SCOBYs in the one jar. Normally they will fuse together into a mega SCOBY over time. Depending on what sort of jar you are using, this can make them difficult to get in and out when harvesting your fresh kombucha brew.

You'll need to make sure your SCOBY is stored properly until you have a chance to start your next batch. Fortunately, this is super easy – just leave it. Leave your SCOBY and some first fermentation kombucha (i.e. your starter for the next batch) in the jar at room temperature for up to a week.

You can use your spare scobies to experiment with new tea's (or even coffee) or different sugars and then throw the scoby away when you have finished. Add a small piece of scoby to smoothies or juices to add a bit of extra zing and nutition and probiotics (not too much though!) Make Kombucha Jerky....