Fermenting 101 - If you have started on this journey of brewing at home, somewhere in your kitchen, a funny-looking jelly-pancake is now floating and fizzing away. That, dear friend, is your SCOBY — short for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast.
This little guy holds the potential to convert simple sweet tea into a probiotic menace! The kinds that heals us from within, but also forms the basis for many experiments and flavour bombs that you shall create.
How you care for it is just like you’d care for a baby plant.
It is important to clear out the fog and make it super easy for you. And so we decided it was time to give you a guide, the regime for a healthy long-term bond that you shall create with this living.
Fermentation is not complicated - it is all about following the rhythm, trusting the basic recipe and staying patient with the process. Stick to this guide to see repeated success in your brewing journey!
Your SCOBY Care Guide:
- Store it right
Pop your SCOBY into a clean glass jar with enough starter liquid (that’s the tangy kombucha from your last batch). This keeps it hydrated and happy. -
Keep it cozy Feed it regularly
SCOBYs love room temperature — somewhere between 24–29°C (75–85°F). Avoid direct sunlight. And remember: SCOBYs don’t like the fridge unless you’re truly pressing pause on brewing. - Feed it regularly
If you are not regularly brewing - you will need to feed the bacteria. Just likeyou would feed a plant. Every 3–4 weeks, brew a fresh batch of sweet tea to keep your SCOBY nourished. The microbes need food to keep bubbling.
- Handle with care
Use clean hands and utensils.
- Know what's right and wrong
While it can be challenging to decode the fermentation steps, there are many things that are normal and should not be worried about. Stringy bits, new layers forming on top, vinegar like smell - all these are part of the process and are signs of good brewing.
Any mould that is black or green, fuzzy is a bad sign and something unwanted has entered the mix. Best to discard and start again.
- Share the love
Every batch grows a new SCOBY. With time, these add up and form a thicker, stronger culture. When you have too many SCOBYs, it is best to share the gift with friends, experiment with new teas or start your own scoby hotel. Yup, that's a thing too!
Why It Matters
Your SCOBY is the engine of kombucha. Treat it well, and it will reward you with endless batches of gut-loving fizz. Neglect it, and, well… you’ll just end up with a sad jar of tea.
At Odd Fellows, we love handing out baby SCOBYs at our workshops because we believe in spreading the culture — literally. Each one is a chance to start your own bubbling adventure and discover the magic of microbes.