I'm just here for the kombucha!

[Geebob]

I never heard of kombucha until recently my 20-some yr old granddaughter chatted with me from
Estonia where she's living and asked me to make a scoby with her. So she started one and I started one on 4/27 after doing some research . It looks like it's doing ok. My question is can/should I use some of the tea from making the scoby as starter for my 1st fer. or would it be better to buy some new raw?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Hi, welcome!

I'm going to get a little technical...

A kombucha SCOBY isn't "made". A SCOBY is "propagated"... So either you purchased a SCOBY online, got the culture from a friend, or you're growing the culture from a commercial kombucha.

By making a starter, you're increasing the number of microbes. You should use all of these microbes (the entire starter) when making your first batch, assuming the starter looks and tastes good.

 

[Geebob]

Thanks, RPh_Guy
So, when my SCOBY has formed I should use the entire half gallon starter with SCOBY plus a half gallon sweet tea for my first batch. Is that what you're saying?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Yes, at least half of it. Adding some tea helps lower the pH, which is beneficial to prevent growth of unwanted microbes.

The solid film that forms is actually called a pellicle.

"SCOBY" refers to the microbes present throughout the pellicle and the tea. The sediment at the bottom is also the SCOBY.

Cheers

 

[Geebob]

Thanks, That's the info I needed. Wish me luck!
Actually, pellicle is a familiar term to me from hot smoking salmon. a tacky film that formed after the brine was washed off and dried for a couple hours that the smoke adhered to.