SCOBY – Kombucha Mushroom Explained

What exactly is a SCOBY?

You've probably wondered what the word SCOBY stands for or where it comes from. SCOBY is the English abbreviation for SYMBIOTIC CULTURE OF BACTERIA AND YEASTS. In simple terms, it's a symbiosis of bacteria and yeasts.

Over centuries, alongside the word SCOBY, the term "Kombucha tea mushroom" has become established in society. However, it is not actually a true mushroom.

What is a Scoby made of and how is it structured?

The Scoby is not actually a real tea mushroom. It is rather a cellulose matrix colonized by bacteria and yeasts, and therefore neither a classic mushroom nor a lichen. This substance is, in turn, held together by cellulose. The yeasts and bacteria live in a symbiotic relationship, benefiting each other. For example, yeasts produce alcohol, which in turn feeds bacteria, which then produce valuable organic acids from alcohol and oxygen.

Although Scobys come in many different visual variations, it is usually round like a pancake and its consistency is somewhat slimy. Its surface can be smooth, but also very uneven. During the fermentation process, holes or small bulges can also appear in the Scoby – this is completely normal! Depending on the liquid content, the Kombucha tea mushroom can be more or less translucent in its composition.

How does a Scoby work?

The Kombucha tea mushroom initially spreads out over the surface of the so-called nutrient solution. It first wants to get as much oxygen as possible. This thickens the underlying tea mushroom culture or a new Scoby forms. The Scoby constantly forms new, tightly packed layers and thus becomes thicker and thicker. In some cases, the Scoby sinks to the bottom of the fermentation vessel. A new tea mushroom then forms on the surface and the Scoby at the bottom of the vessel stops growing.

We will explain how you can grow your own Scoby with a little patience, the right ingredients, and very simple equipment!

You will need:

• 1 large glass container with a wide opening – well rinsed without detergent! (Vinegar is a practical cleaner)
• Tea – e.g., Green Tea, Black Tea (without flavorings/artificial additives)
• Organic raw cane sugar
• Water – ideally filtered
• Unpasteurized Kombucha (e.g., Kombucha Original)
• 1 breathable clean cover cloth
• Environment for the Scoby: 1 room with a temperature between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius

Let's get started:

1. Boil tea with raw cane sugar for 8 to 10 minutes (8g tea per liter / 60g organic raw cane sugar per liter)
2. Pour the tea-sugar mixture into the glass container and ideally let it cool overnight. Important: Cover the glass with the breathable clean cloth and secure it with a rubber band or string!
3. The sugar should now be completely dissolved
4. Now, finally, the unpasteurized Kombucha can be added in a 1 to 10 ratio
5. Then, re-secure the cover cloth firmly to the container and place the glass in a safe place

Depending on the conditions, it can take 7 to 21 days for the Kombucha mushroom to form entirely on its own. Initially, it looks as if small foam bubbles are forming on the surface of the liquid. These will become denser over time until the Scoby slowly becomes visible.