Kombucha Scoby, Moldy or Good

Making kombucha for the first time is a bit scary. When the SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) begins to grow it’s hard to determine if it’s moldy or good. This collage of pictures can help you decide. There is a lot of forgiveness in making kombucha, in fact it’s hard to have it go moldy, a rare occurrence.

It is a fact that your SCOBY can go moldy and it should be discarded, along with all the kombucha it brewed. If you are in doubt and the booch looks like it is growing mold the easiest thing to do is wait. When the new SCOBY, (also known as mother, starter, mushroom, culture or pancake) is forming it often looks like mold is growing. The easiest way to decifer if it is mold or normal starter growth is to wait. Give it a few days to rest and see if the mold has advanced into hairy green, black or white mold.

As the booch brews it grows another SCOBY which can have a deceptive appearance.

We have been brewing booch in our house for over six years and have never had a SCOBY go bad. The task of brewing booch belongs to a teenage boy in our house, the process is simple and quick. Like most things the first brew is the hardest.

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These pictures are all healthy SCOBYs. 

 

 

 

*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, GAPS who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. As a Certified GAPS Practitioner she sees clients in her office, Skype and by phone. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia through food she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. This is not a news article published by a paper trying to make money. This blog is put out by a mom who sees first hand the effects of nourishing food vs food-ish items. No company pays her for writing these blogs, she considers this a form of missionary work. It is her desire to scream it from the rooftops so that others don’t suffer from the damaging effect of today’s “food”.

“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.