A short fermentation break for your tea fungus
Do you want to take a short break from brewing your own kombucha or store your tea fungi as a reserve? We have put together the most important facts about SCOBY storage and care for you!
What is a SCOBY Hotel?
A SCOBY hotel is, simply put, a large glass filled with starter liquid. Finished kombucha serves as your starter liquid. At a correspondingly low pH value between 2.3 and 3.5, your SCOBY can be stored in this liquid for weeks or even years with a clear conscience. The low pH value can hinder the growth of many unwanted microorganisms, but it does not offer absolute protection against contamination or mold. It is very important that your kombucha fungus is completely covered with starter liquid. The SCOBY hotel can either be covered with a breathable cloth or sealed airtight with a lid. The sealed version should be stored in a cool place. You should be aware that these SCOBYs are more susceptible to mold. In addition, it sometimes takes them a little longer to be reactivated for kombucha production.
What do I need to store a kombucha fungus?
- Finished kombucha as starter liquid
- For uncooled storage: a rubber band and a breathable cloth for covering
- For storage in the refrigerator or a cool place: glass with lid
What should you consider when storing the tea fungus?
Remove yeast and observe hygiene
Before your tea fungus goes on its well-deserved vacation, you should pay attention to a few things. The SCOBY hotel should be well cleaned. No detergent residues should remain in the glass. It is best to use vinegar to clean all objects and utensils. You can also free the kombucha fungus from some yeasts before placing it in the glass. Yeasts are the brownish-black deposits on your SCOBY.
Different storage options
With open storage using a cloth, the tea fungus will not take long to be fully capable of producing kombucha again. If you store your SCOBY in a closed glass in the refrigerator, it will take longer to be activated for a new batch.
New SCOBYs are created
In the non-refrigerated version of the hotel, a new kombucha fungus will sooner or later form on the surface. This will grow over time and should be well cared for. Oxygen should still be able to reach your SCOBY hotel. Air circulates into the glass through the breathable cloth.
Properly care for and trim SCOBYs
To ensure that oxygen continues to circulate in your SCOBY hotel, you should trim or thin out the resulting tea fungus a little. Regular care ensures that the liquid under the resulting tea fungus is also supplied with oxygen. This also prevents the formation of harmful gases in the SCOBY hotel. You can simply try to separate the layers of the kombucha fungus with clean hands. Carefully pull them apart to thin out the SCOBY a little. If this is not possible, use a standard pair of scissors and trim the SCOBY a little in thickness and/or size. These should be cleaned with vinegar beforehand.
SCOBY rotation in the hotel
Most kombucha connoisseurs know that the SCOBY hotel not only proves itself as a storage location. It offers an excellent way to rotate kombucha fungi. The kombucha fungi are given a break and at the same time the cultures are kept active. The SCOBYs from fermentation move to the hotel and a SCOBY with some liquid from the hotel can be used for the next batch. Other kombucha brewers, however, prefer to use the same tea fungus again and again and to adjust the desired kombucha taste to it.
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2 comments
Wie lange kann ich den Scoby im Hotel lagern?
Vielen Dank für diesen ausführlichen und guten Beitrag. Er ist mir hilfreich.