Mothering Forum banner

Growing My Own Kombucha Scoby

103K views 490 replies 120 participants last post by  Ragana 
#1 ·
IT'S WORKING!

About a week ago I posted that I was attempting to grow my own SCOBY from a bottle of GT Dave's Synergy Kombucha (raspberry flavor). Here's my detailed report on the experiment:

Day 1 -- I poured about 8 ounces of the bottled Kombucha into a clean, quart-size glass measuring cup. It had a nice blob of "stuff" floating in there, about 1" diameter, hanging out close to one side of the cup. I covered the measuring cup with a thin towel, secured with rubber band, and set it in a cupboard.

Day 5 -- I peeked and saw a very thin translucent "film" floating above the darker blob of stuff, and expanding outward by an inch or so. There was also some thin filmy stuff floating along the opposite wall of the measuring cup. The level of liquid in the cup had decreased to about 6 ounces.

Day 8 (Today!) -- I checked tonight and, to my surprise, the entire surface of the measuring cup is already covered with a translucent film in a layer approx. 1/2 inch thick. The level of liquid in the cup has now decreased to about 4 ounces.

It's definitely a SCOBY in there! I'll have to give it a girl name, as it's a lovely pale pink color.

Now what should I do?

I wasn't expecting it to be "born" quite so soon! I feel unprepared!

I raided my cupboards looking for tea, and the only non-herbal tea I could find was five individually wrapped teabags that just say "Lipton 100% Brisk Tea." Is this black tea? I have no idea how old it is... years, probably. Will it still work if it's old tea?

Should I go ahead and make a whole batch of tea as per NT instructions, and put my baby SCOBY in there? Or start with a smaller batch of tea since it's just a delicate baby?

The birth of a SCOBY...so exciting.


Iris
 
See less See more
1
#52 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Feb2003 View Post
Does that swing top/cork help to keep the bottle from exploding while saving as much carbonation in the bottle as possible?
Whitney,

Yes, AFAIK, that's the idea. There's a rubber gasket(?) that allows some pressure to escape so it doesn't explode.

How did your mango-flavored brew turn out? Have you tasted it yet?

Iris
 
#53 ·
yes, we've almost finished the qt. ds likes it, but it's too sweet for me (I'm not used to sugar, even fruit sugar, I guess)...it's a tiny bit syrupy and the mango chunks are great (they taste like mango hooch
)

it didn't get fizzy at all and it was in the cabinet for two days and the fridge about 2 days, too, in just a glass qt jar with a screw on metal lid with the little rubberized area.

I have three gallons brewing right now
and I may have found someone IRL who wants a SCOBY!!

flavoring it was fun, but the mango expanded to about 1/3 of the jar so maybe I just got excited and put too much?

I don't know how to tell if it's "contaminated" for sure...I think it'll either smell so bad you won't drink it (b/c it's probably dangerous) or it'll taste "off" and you'll know that your balance of bacteria and yeast is out of whack

As far as the towel getting soaked, I use very clean prefolds (we used them as burp cloths ages ago) and I've had one get soaked. it didn't cause any problems
 
#54 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by stilllearning85 View Post
My husband left out about 1/6 a bottle of Kombucha that he had brought to work and never finished... now it has the scum stuff growing on the top! Like it is growing a baby! Should I continue to see if it will grow... or is this just scum and not a scoby?
That's fine! That's what I did and me and my scoby had a long and fruitful life together!
 
#56 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by emma_goldman View Post
I think it has to be white processed sugar. Has someone addressed this?
I've tried rapadura and it didn't die (but did taste a little different and the scoby got darker), but I switched to white after a batch or two just in case I was killing it


I use organic, fair trade, non-bleached, minimally processed white...the longer you let the brew go, the less likely it is to have any of that sugar left. get organic if you can b/c, just like regular tea, the kombucha will pull any pesticide residues out of the sugar
 
#57 ·
Update: I bottled two bottles (I used GT Kombucha bottles) of tea tonight. I now have room in my pitcher for my scoby to grow bigger.

I added a little ginger root about 5 days ago. I hope it gives it some flavor. I did not shred it, I just peeled it and sliced it off the root.

The tea is already fizzing and bubbling so I am not sure if I let it brew too long.

I will post more later when I taste it...in about a week!
 
#59 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by WildIris View Post
Hi Dawny,

Did you add the ginger to the kombucha in the bottles, or into the brewing container? It sounds good...I am eager to hear how it tastes!

Iris
I just added it tot he brewing container. I didn't think about adding it to the bottles...I will do that next time. I think I will grate it next time so more of the flavor gets infused.

Just curious, but how many batches do you have "brewing" at one time? I think I might start staggering batches so I can always have some ready to drink.
 
#60 ·
I've used a microplane (*really* fine grated) and added ginger (didn't even peel, just straight from the freezer) to the bottles...it was delicious and didn't take long to infuse a lot of flavor...probably due to how much surface area I had on the ginger. I'm so protective of my SCOBY (ie contamination and killing it...I've had to go without and it wasn't pretty and it *was* an expensive habit to support while I waited for another SCOBY
). Anyway, I wouldn't add any flavor to the brewing jar if the SCOBY was still in there, but that's just me.

I have three batches going. I originally wanted to stagger them, but I'm lazy and I like making the tea and waiting for it to cool all at the same time.
But I always have enough to drink now! I just need a little more room in the fridge OR I "harvest" them at different times (I love it strong, but the kids like it sweeter).

HTH

BTW, I'd suggest labeling them, esp. if you stagger!
:
 
#61 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by dawny View Post
Just curious, but how many batches do you have "brewing" at one time? I think I might start staggering batches so I can always have some ready to drink.

I only have one batch brewing since I am new to all of this. This is really my first "real" batch so far, since I used the other one mainly for growing the Scoby. This is the first one I will bottle and drink.

ETA: I just bottled my first batch of kombucha! I filled up three 25-oz swing-top cork bottles--one flavored with dried tart cherries, one with fresh ginger and lemon, and one with raspberry juice concentrate--plus one 16-oz GT's bottle, also flavored with raspberry. I set aside another cup or so of the brew for drinking right away (tasted GREAT!), and the rest is in a glass bowl with the Scoby floating in it...waiting for the new batch of tea to cool off enough to add them back in.

While I was handling the Scoby (the kids and DH all wanted to see it...and touch it... except youngest DD who said it looked too "wierd" and she was scared to touch it) the original "mother" Scoby, about 4" diameter, completely separated from the larger "baby" Scoby, which is about 6-1/2" diameter. I don't have another container for brewing separate batches, however, so I guess I will put them both back into the new batch of tea. I think this will be okay, yes?

Iris
 
#62 ·
12/25 - Well, I drank my first batch of my tea. It was a little sweet, but still good. It had a fair amount of carbonation and slight ginger flavor (I added ginger to my tea when it was brewing).

I like the taste a little more sour so I will let it brew longer next time.
 
#63 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by WildIris View Post
I only have one batch brewing since I am new to all of this. This is really my first "real" batch so far, since I used the other one mainly for growing the Scoby. This is the first one I will bottle and drink.

ETA: I just bottled my first batch of kombucha! I filled up three 25-oz swing-top cork bottles--one flavored with dried tart cherries, one with fresh ginger and lemon, and one with raspberry juice concentrate--plus one 16-oz GT's bottle, also flavored with raspberry.

12-28 Update

I let all the kombucha I bottled on 12-22 (described above) sit out on the counter for about 5 days for a "second fermentation," then put the small raspberry-flavored one (in the GT's bottle), and the dried-tart-cherry-flavored one in the swing-top-cork bottle in the fridge to chill for a day.

I drank the raspberry-flavored one first, and it was good... but didn't have much carbonation. Today I opened the cherry flavored one, and WOW, was that ever good. I guess the swing-top-cork bottle makes a big difference. It was much more carbonated and had a very pleasant flavor. All the kids tried it, too, even though they said it smelled bad (that vinegary smell). To our surprised, they all liked it more than they expected.

I had to laugh at DS-9, especially... he tasted it, said "it's better than I thought it would be but I don't like it all that much." Then about 5 minutes later, he sought me out and asked for more, saying, "I didn't think I liked it very much, but for some reason now I keep wanting more of it anyway."

I said that was exactly my reaction the first time I tried kombucha. Didn't think I liked it much, but a short time later, wanted more.

Tonight I put the ginger-and-lemon flavored bottle in the fridge, and will try that one tomorrow.

I'm such a geek, but this is so much fun. I love making my own kombucha!

Iris
 
#65 ·
hmm i never thought of flavoring mine and doing a second fermentation. my mother is growing nicely, i'm thinking of starting a drinking batch soon.
 
#66 ·
I dunno how other people do it, but I just empty my Kombucha when it is done into the bottles to which I have added a small amount of either fresh or frozen fruit and then I just let it sit on the counter for another couple days! SO easy and SO fun! Anyone have other ways or interesting flavors I should try?
BTW I am impressed that you all made your own scoby! So cool!
 
#67 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by stilllearning85 View Post
I dunno how other people do it, but I just empty my Kombucha when it is done into the bottles to which I have added a small amount of either fresh or frozen fruit and then I just let it sit on the counter for another couple days! SO easy and SO fun! Anyone have other ways or interesting flavors I should try?
BTW I am impressed that you all made your own scoby! So cool!

Stilllearning,

I've been adding the "flavorings" to the bottom of the bottle before I pour in the finished kombucha. For my raspberry flavored ones, I used a few teaspoons of frozen raspberry-white grape juice concentrate. For lemon-ginger, I used fresh grated lemon rind and fresh ginger root, peeled and diced. For the cherry one, I used dried tart cherries diced up.

For your mango one, did you use fresh mango? I"m curious how much you used per what size bottle? I have some fresh mango here...might try that next.

Iris
 
#69 ·
I'll definitely try the mango when I bottle my next batch. It sounds so good!

Today we tried the lemon-and-ginger flavored kombucha, and OH MY... is this ever DELICIOUS! I was surprised; I thought I would like the fruit-flavored ones the best, but actually this is my favorite so far. DH and kids liked it too. DH thought it could even stand to have more ginger flavor, and we have an organic ginger root stashed in the freezer, so I will definitely use more ginger next time.

I wonder how mango + ginger would taste? Hmm...

Iris
 
#71 ·
I'm estimating here, but in a 25-oz bottle I used the rind from about 1/3 of an organic lemon... and as for the ginger, hmm, trying to remember... I used maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inches of the root? I was being conservative because I didn't know if we would like the ginger flavor or not, and didn't want to overdo it.

Sorry I can't be more specific...hope this helps.

Iris
 
#73 ·
: Ensigns log, Stardate 12/29/07:

Well both of my attempts failed. Too many bugs and then no growth. And the chunks from the bottle seemed to have disappeared???

The first batch I dumped two days later because it had a ton of bugs. The second batch I let go for 17 days and NADA.

I am wondering if it is because of the citrus kombucha? It was the only flavor that had chunks.

I am going to try several different batches this time and will update again in a week or so!
 
#74 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by mykdsmomy View Post
Every time I read your updates, I keep hearing in my head, "Captain's log....."

:

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawny View Post
WildIris,

I hope you don't mind, but I am going to be a copy cat and follow your process. I swear I am addicted to this stuff and it is too $$ and inconvenient to buy at the store.

Thanks for posting your scoby growing journey.
I have to second this!

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildIris View Post
Quoting myself above just to add an update about that little bit of kombucha I did bottle, with the dried cherries in the bottom. I let the bottle sit out on the counter for a few days, then put it in the fridge for a few more days before drinking it.

The verdict: It was DELICIOUS! Not as carbonated as the storebought kombucha, but the flavor was just as good.

I can definitely recommend the dried cherries as a flavoring.

Iris
:

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildIris View Post
Yes, that's exactly what I did. I just used the same bottle some store-bought GT's Kombucha came in, with a screw on lid. Next time, because I'll (hopefully) have a larger amount of drinkable kombucha to work with, I'm going to put it in bottles that have a pressure cap... I know that's not the right name, but can't think what they're called. But like the old Grolsch beer bottles people use for home-brewed beer...
Ooo, I have one of these from Ikea! Now I know what to do with it.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Thystle View Post
Stardate 12/13/07, Ensigns log:


Well I decided this would be fn for the kids to "watch".

I bought a bottle of plain (had hardly any floaties in it...none of the plain ones did) and a bottle of citrus that had CHUNKS in the bottom.

I poured all of the plain and half the bottle of citrus (and all the chunks) into a glass mixing bowl and stuck it in my cupboard.

I am considering it a homeschooling experiment.

Excellent idea!


So today was my first day trying kombucha. I bought GT's green tea version from Henry's/ Wild Oats. I like it. I even looked to see what other brands there were and I only found that they carried one from Yogi Teas. It was a tea bag variety, and I wondered how good that would be.

Can you imagine how surprised I was to find a kombucha growing thread? This is great!

I still have 8oz. of my green tea, GT kombucha. I'm thinking I can make more from this. I love the flavoring ideas, and may try that. But I'd love some more green tea kombucha...

Thank you, so much, for starting this thread!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top