When to Throw Away SCOBY (2024)

FAQs

When to Throw Away SCOBY? ›

When is it time to replace your SCOBY? Here I'm referring to the SCOBY in its entirety, as in, when do you need to start over completely? You will only need to replace your SCOBY if it has developed mold or if it is continuously struggling to ferment.

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.

It's unlikely that your SCOBY hotel will get moldy because the SCOBYs make it very acidic and inhospitable to mold. But if something goes wrong and it gets moldy, you'll have to throw it all out. There's no salvaging something moldy. But no biggie, just start over!

Storing Your Kombucha Scoby in the Fridge

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.

You can (and should) reuse the SCOBY/pellicle from one batch to the next. The built up cellulose helps to create a slightly anaerobic environment for the bacteria to thrive in, and it also contains bacteria and yeast needed to jumpstart fermentation (plus, you spent all that time making the SCOBY, why throw it away?!)

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.

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).

In time, a new SCOBY will start slowly forming on the surface and thicken over time. So rest assured, a sinking SCOBY is nothing to worry about!

Normally a SCOBY will be somewhere between a tan brown and a creamy white colour. The surface may be smooth, uneven, have holes or even bubbles – these are all pretty standard variations.

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. But the addition of the juice in this case fed the active yeast and bacteria in the kombucha.

What do you do with old SCOBY? ›

If you still want to make a gallon, then yes, SCOBYs can be cut in half. Make sure to clean a clean/sterile cutting instrument to avoid contamination.

This secondary fermentation also creates that little floating bit of SCOBY. But, if you see greenish or pinkish “stuff” floating, it can be a sign of mold and that your kombucha has gone bad. It's best to just toss it and buy a new bottle.

The only way to know if your kombucha scoby is dead is to test it in a new kombucha batch and wait a few weeks. If your sweet tea has not become acidic after 15 days, then you can definitely conclude that your kombucha scoby has died.

Leave your 'baby' SCOBY in the jar with the 'mother' SCOBY: 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.

Your finished scoby is normal and healthy if: It's about a quarter-inch thick and opaque. It's fine if the scoby is bubbled or nubbly or has a rough edge.

Those blue circles of mold are the problem, while the white circles of SCOBY growth are normal. Powdery tan mold covers much of a new SCOBY – mold is always DRY! White fuzzy dry mold is easy to spot.

In time, a new SCOBY will start slowly forming on the surface and thicken over time. So rest assured, a sinking SCOBY is nothing to worry about! Now that we've debunked the SCOBY position myth, you can celebrate knowing your batch is healthy!

The signature sweet-sour smell of Kombucha wafting from the brewer is a unique delight. It may take a couple of days for the smell to appear but it is unmistakable once you learn it.