Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

What causes moldy Kombucha. I was so excited got my new bottles today and when I pulled my kombucha down off the shelf the entire top scoby and tea is covered in mold. I could cry.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

---------- Post added at 03:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:55 PM ----------

Oh, to answer your question...how do you have your kombucha covered? I read it was recommended to keep your brewing kombucha away from any fresh fruit....mold spores are tiny and can get into it. I try to not even mix up fresh batches near any fruit on my counters. Sorry you had that happen. :hug

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

It's covered with two sheets of muslin. I store it on a top shelf all by itself. That's interesting about the fruit.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

You must brew kombucha with black tea. An occasional ferment in white or green is okay, (but better if you mix green/white WITH black). Green and white tea do not have enough tannins to feed the scoby. this will cause it to be "sick" which will mean it will eventually develop mold or become too yeasty.


also if you do fruit in yours and just put the whole strawberries in, PLEASE try it with pureed berries. I ran out of my strawberry puree cubes and since many people here do it with just the whole berries i did this, and it wasn't nearly as good. the puree give it a much stronger strawberry flavor:yes blueberry doesn't need puree since the berries are so small (although i do keep meaning to make a batch of puree just to see!) i do 2 strawberry cubes in 1 quart

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I will try puree next. I thought the strawberries were getting mushy just sitting in there until I opened the jar and found ANOTHER scoby :rockon

---------- Post added at 05:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------

and this thread has gotten reeeeallly long so I can't find it, if it's there :shifty, but were there posts about eating the scoby?

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Crystal, I think Lisa M said they eat the scobys. I don't know if that meant the big mama scoby or more like the baby scobys.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I use green tea I guess that might have been the problem.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

:yes Try some straight black tea. Remember, that Earl Grey will kill your scoby too.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I like to mix my green with black.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...4-11111520.jpg

My scoby is bumpy and sticking out of the tea.. any pointers on keeping it mold free?

Should I start a new one?

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

it is fine.... They all look a little different..

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

Some parts of my scoby stick out sometimes, like if there is an air bubble underneath or something. Maybe don't fill your jar so full next time, so there is room for it to bubble up and not touch your cloth on the top. I always leave a couple of inches of headspace.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

I had more liquid in the mother than I planned, I think I'm going to baste some out after its had a chance to inoculate.

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

A IRL friend of mine that brews bucha uses green tea exclusively. I was just telling her about the tannins. She told me green tea has more tannins then any other tea. Do you have any info on the tannins? I have found articles that say black has the most and I have found ones that say green as the most. :shrug3

Re: kombucha 101 thread! *another new question #63 and 64*
 

i will try and get the black tea tannin info in the next day or two:)

also for the other poster, your scoby can get bumpy if the jar gets jostled at all