Kombucha SCOBY cultures (sometimes termed kombucha mushrooms) can range in colour from almost white, yellow, a light brown, and a dark brown. None of these different colors necessarly indicate an ‘off’ culture or any sort of serious problem, but which one is the healthiest? What Different SCOBY Colors Mean Different colored SCOBYs can mean different…

Why Do SCOBYs Colors Vary So Much!? The colors of kombucha SCOBY cultures can vary immensely from pearly white, to dark brown. Often first time brewers become concerned that their brewing culture has gone off due to darkening or other SCOBY morphing moves. Although there are some events to watch out for which the appearance…

With the ever-growing popularity of home-brewed kombucha, it’s getting easier and easier to find trusted sources for SCOBYs, whether those are online sellers, local brewery and homesteading shops, or even a friend of a friend. Most of the time you’ll be getting an active SCOBY that’s stored and/or shipped in a few ounces of “starter,” which…

Part of the magic of kombucha is that it’s a process of continual renewal. When you put a healthy SCOBY (the Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast that actually performs the magic) into a jar of sweetened tea, the microorganisms transform the sugars into probiotics like lactic acid and gluconic acid. At the same time,…

How much ‘booch’ to brew?  When you first start brewing Kombucha, you likely start off with a small vessel — half a gallon (2 liters) or maybe even a quarter of a gallon. You’ll find though, however, after a couple brews, that 1 or 2 or even 3 litres of this stuff won’t equal a…

Most fresh kombucha tea has a very slight “fizz” to it from the carbon dioxide dissolved in the tea liquid, even if you only do a first ferment. This CO2 comes from the action of the yeasts in the SCOBY, the Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast that does the work of fermenting the kombucha…

Kombucha is usually recommended to be brewed from either black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, or yellow tea. The common factor between these teas is that they all derive from the Eastern tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. Leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant are harvested and dried, either straight away, or undergo processes such…

Where’s My Kombucha Fizz! Besides sweetness and flavour, one of the most pleasant taste sensations of Kombucha is its’ slightly effervescent quality. Kombucha makers claim that an absence of carbonation is not a bad sign, and it does not necessarily mean that the fermentation process has not taken place effectively. As long as your SCOBY…

My Kombucha Is Erupting And It Tastes Bad!  While a good dose of fizz can make a batch of Kombucha very pleasant and delicious, extreme amounts of carbonation, combined with an overly sour flavor, is an indication that something is wrong with your SCOBY / Kombucha brew. Usually this scenario is also accompanied by a…

How Do I Know For Sure That My Kombucha Brew Is Healthy Good question. New kombucha brewers who are starting out often wonder if their brew and culture is healthy. The microbial makeup of the SCOBY culture can raise concern in first time brewers, who wonder if outside bacteria have invaded, or if the existing…