SCOBY ( symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast)
Started growing my Scoby on Feb 2 around 7pm. I left it in my apartment while I'm out of town, coming back Feb 15 and hope to find it: a) Alive b) Moldless.
- 950ml water
- 120 g sugar
- 5 tea bags
- 1 scoby pack
1. Make juice, tea or infusion. Let it cool
2. Backslop with a previous Kombucha to lower the PH. (Using the the liquid that came in the scoby pack)
3. Add the scoby. At least 25% of the surface of the liquid should suffice
4. Cover the container and leave the mixture to ferment
***How much caffeine does kombucha have? The amount of caffeine in kombucha is determined by the concentration of caffeine in the tea used to brew before it undergoes fermentation. The most common commercially available brands have anything from 4-40mg per 8oz (227ml) serving. Generally, about a third of the caffeine in the tea will remain in the kombucha after the fermentation process.
***It takes roughly 2 to 4 weeks to grow a new scoby from scratch. The time might be less if the space were you keep it is warm or longer if it's cool. In general, try to keep your mix at an average room temperature of about 70°F, and your scoby will form in a little over two weeks
Important Notes:
- No metal or plastic containers. Metal can react with the acidic kombucha and hurt your SCOBY, while plastic can house nasty bacteria that you don’t want sneaking in.
- Clean is key. A recurring theme in kombucha brewing is that EVERYTHING must be CLEAN! We’re creating the perfect environment for good bacterial growth, but if a bad bacteria slips in, it could ruin your batch (and make you pretty sick).
- Temperature plays a role. Fermentation goes a bit quicker in warmer temperatures, and a bit slower in colder.
- No mold zone. If you see any mold growing on your SCOBY or in the tea (which I understand can be difficult to discern from the hideous SCOBY, but will generally be green, white, or black), then toss your whole batch.
