Weak thin scoby but only in 2 gallon jar

[chelz910]

I have had great success with my kombucha in the past but had a fruit fly attack last month and had to start completely over

I have a 1 gallon jar I started my black tea kombucha in and it reproduces strong healthy scobys and ferments the tea every time. But when I try to make a 2 gallon brew with the same strong healthy scoby I always get a very thin clear scoby on top. Like it's see through and I could easily squish it and pick it up with my fingers it isn't solid. Kinda like a thin layer of gelatin. I've been letting it ferment for 10 days... should I just leave it in there longer am I not giving it enough time? When I taste it the tea is still quite sweet. I never had this problem before. A giant 2 gallon strong scoby would form on top of the previous 1 gallon. I'm not sure what is different here.

 

[skadalajara]

There may be a different balance of microbes in your brew. Natural selection and all. Slight changes in temp and pH can allow for one organism or another to gain an advantage.
That said, pellicle thickness and consistency are not indications of the health of your colony so much as taste and pH readings. If it tastes good and isn't too acidic, it's probably fine.
The only time you need to worry about your pellicle's appearance is if it has signs of mold, insects or if it never forms at all.

 

[chelz910]

Gotcha, thank you.