Strands of yeast can embed in the new Kombucha culture as it forms a layer on the brew. Yeast strands are brown and sometimes clumpy, but when underneath the surface can never be mold.
The small brown or black stringy clumps are colonies of yeast and tea residue. They are completely normal and safe! These colonies often form long filaments that hang under the kombucha scoby.
Absolutely. The yeast and bacteria in kombucha are not only safe to drink; they're good for you! You've likely read or heard about the health benefits of drinking kombucha. The benefits are attributed to the fermentation – the yeast, bacteria, and their by-products.
These tiny SCOBY pieces are perfectly healthy to consume but if the texture ain't your thing feel free to filter them out. If you had a kombucha (other than Remedy!) and didn't see these little SCOBYs hanging around, it could be a sign that the brew was not raw and pure.
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.
Your main concern with an active brew would be mold. Unlike yeast, mold is fuzzy in appearance. When it forms on kombucha, it will usually be either blue/green or white. Regardless of color, it will always look fuzzy and dry whereas you SCOBY and yeast will look wet and slimy.
At Scobi Kombucha, we are very fond of our Mothers because they are what cause the tea blend to ferment and develop nutritious and healthy properties. Maybe you've also been wondering if this jelly-like substance is safe to consume. The answer is YES!
Have you ever noticed small, white worms in your kombucha? These creatures are called vinegar eels, and while they may look unappetizing, they are harmless. Download our Kombucha Guide book today to learn more about kombucha's fermentation process!
My Kombucha Smells Bad
Sometimes the tea will be heavy on the vinegar side. Not to worry, that is not uncommon through the fermentation stages. But if your scoby begins to put off a bad odor, it's a sure sign that the scoby is not healthy. A bad, putrid odor indicates bad bacteria and should be thrown out.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, and individuals with liver or kidney disease, HIV, impaired immune systems, and alcohol dependency should avoid kombucha. For others, kombucha is a wonderfully refreshing beverage that has many benefits, when made safely and consumed moderately.
Boosting your gut health
“Good” bacteria are essential for your gut microbiome to thrive — and fermented foods such as kombucha contain probiotics to help keep those levels high. “Kombucha can really help feed and increase that good, healthy gut bacteria, which can help decrease any bad bacteria,” says Zumpano.
May Promote Liver Health. The main function of the liver is to help detoxify the body from harmful substances. Because of the powerful antioxidants in kombucha, regular ingestion helps fight free radicals from damaging cells. Kombucha helps the liver by assisting this mighty organ in the detoxification of the body.
Kombucha Mold Identification
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.
Kombucha Mold Identification
Kombucha mold colors can vary, so it's important to look for other signs of mold as well. If you see any discoloration or spores, or notice an odd smell (not normal kombucha vinegar-like smell), these are all signs that your kombucha has gone bad and is no longer safe to drink.
First up, don't be alarmed, the floaties you've found are completely safe to consume.
Fruit flies are attracted to acetic acid. Acetic acid is in vinegar and is created during the vinegar fermentation process. Since kombucha is a vinegar ferment, acetic acid is produced during the fermentation process as well.
When looking at the slimy, alien-looking kombucha starter, you might wonder, “Can you actually eat a kombucha Scoby?” It might look strange, but yes, the kombucha starter is absolutely edible.
Although the SCOBY is commonly called "tea fungus" or "mushroom", it is actually "a symbiotic growth of acetic acid bacteria and osmophilic yeast species in a zoogleal mat [biofilm]". The living bacteria are said to be probiotic, one of the reasons for the popularity of the drink.
However, drinking around 4–12 ounces of kombucha per day is a safe amount for most people. Like many fermented foods, it really depends on your body and what you personally need. It's best to start with a small serving (½ cup per day) and work up from there.
Yes! During each ferment, the mother scoby (the one you added) will produce a baby scoby. Every scoby can be used four times before it gets too old and needs to be discarded. With each batch of kombucha a baby scoby is produced and the process starts again, you will have a fridge full of scobys before you know it.
People with alcohol use disorder should avoid kombucha. Diarrhea: Kombucha contains caffeine. The caffeine in kombucha, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Kombucha contains caffeine.
*NOTE: KKamp does not recommend rinsing the cultures as that removes too much of the yeast. Instead, pinch off large yeast globs (they look brown, black or sometimes green) after removing the SCOBY to keep it in balance.”
The easiest way to store your kombucha scoby is in a sealed container in the fridge. Always label the jar so that no one in the household gets rid of it by mistake! The scoby then goes dormant and can be stored for up to 6 months.
The kombucha SCOBY is an incredibly hardy microorganism, where mold growth is actually rare. But if you do experience mold, it will develop on the top of your brew, where it's exposed to oxygen.