Moldy Kombucha. How to identify it, resolve it and prevent it.

As much as people fear getting mold it's actually extremely rare. Learn how to identify if you have mold, what to do if you do get it, and ways to prevent getting mold.
Instagram: / kombuchaliz
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[@teekotrain6845]

I've been brewing a couple years and I have not had mold either. NEW BREWERS: do not be afraid of mold. You simply will not have to worry ab that if you are the least bit conscientious. Just go for it!!! If it ever smells bad just do not drink. Kombucha always smells nice through every stage.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Rock on!

[@gregorydiasmusic]

Actually just had it twice :( Living in Bali and leave the kombucha in our outdoor kitchen. First time It happened - The first brew was good, I cleaned and sterilised and made a new brew, and that went moldy. So everything went in the bin Same thing happened this time around - First brew was good (We had TWO brand new healthy scoobies in there, because we only had one jar and a friend gave it to us), Second brew (I left some starter liquid) in there and its gone moldy no :( Soooo Sad I can only think these factors affected it - 1) Its too hot and humid here (easily over 29C outside) and humidity is a killer 2) I use raw cane sugar because that worked great with Water kefir grains -(now im reading that its inconsistent and could be bad stick with white sugar) 3) (This may be the most LIKELY reason) I put too much Sugar in the 2nd brew and the kombucha was NOT ACIDIC enough (highly likely as I didnt measure properly :( ... So Sad because this is the 2nd lot of scoobies our friend gave us - She keeps hers in the outdoor kitchen and only covers the top but doesnt keep it in the dark! and doesnt even feed them often they are sitting in a super acidic mixture (they have been sittin on a shelf for months it seems) so her kombucha would easily be facing way more heat and humidity than ours. So My guess is the acidity level was the problem

[@MsBiggles51]

Thanks very much for this as it has lots of useful information. (And thanks for not having music drowning you out as so many youtubers do).

[@KombuchaLiz]

Ha, you're welcome. Glad you find it helpful

[@JohnSmith-tz4on]

Right?! Jesus these babies that need that beat to do ANYTHING are troubling... Like their brains don't work right or something...

[@kimdavenport2485]

Straight and to the point! Thank you for the info!!!

[@KombuchaLiz]

You're welcome 😊 🙏

[@hnelson5609]

The one time I got mold (in 6 years) was when I used water straight from the tap. I thought the heating to steep the tea would be enough. It wasn't. Nice job on this video!

[@KombuchaLiz]

Thank you 😃

Omg the scientist in me is so fascinated by this whole video! Love how easy it is to follow what you're saying and explaining. I have YET to try making my own but I'm happy just watching you talk about it lol (it's the "accent" hehe). Thanks beautiful. Have an awesome evening 💗💞💋

[@KombuchaLiz]

🤣🤣🤣 so glad you enjoy my accent. Thanks for watching ❤

KombuchaLiz ❤️❤️❤️

[@Yoyoyoyoasshole]

Away from "mah booch" lol. Is that a pennsylvania accent by any chance?

[@KombuchaLiz]

🤣😅🤣😅🤣😅🤣 that is too funny. You are good. That is a PA accent.

[@joannmaciorowski8386]

Scoby motel....in the frig or out? I've heard both

[@KombuchaLiz]

We are more upscale and use a hotel 🤣🤣 Definitely out of the fridge. Cooler temperatures make the bacteria and yeast go dormant.

[@EnergyAndLightAwakening]

I haven't had any yet thankfully!! Also I thought you might find these flavor kits interesting shop.culturesforhealth.com/collections/kombucha. I finally got to share some kombucha and knowledge with one of my neighbors...yay lol.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi. Again so sorry for late reply. Those look tasty. Did you try them? Sharing kombucha is so special. Look at you go!😀❤

[@nanitchka]

Liz, could you maybe do a video about how to deal with flying insects in the summer? I live in the South, and the fruit flies are unavoidable. How do I keep them away while I am preparing my first and second fermentations?

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi Nancy. I am sorry you're having a problem with fruit flies. They are so annoying. I did a video on traps you can make. You may want to make several for your counter. That should help keep them at bay. Let me know how it works. kzbin.info/www/bejne/inqXhH-waNyZlZY

[@nanitchka]

@@KombuchaLiz Thank you! I shall try them!

[@carynmartin6053]

I got these little plastic apples with a liquid that smells like vinegar in them on Amazon for $5 and they really work and you can refill them with your own vinegar or beer or wine

[@PhatBoyiee]

@@carynmartin6053 funny i know which apples you are talking about. I bought some at cvs and they did not work for me.

[@OmShaanti1111]

Not funny, ironic - you are such a natural on camera Liz and your information is always presented with confidence and in an interesting way. Could you show us how to make saurkraut too, that's be fab? Have an awesome week Liz.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Thank you Steoh. You always boost my confidence. 💜 sauerkraut is on the list.

[@Crys7Realm]

*If you were my science teacher in my school days, I would not skip class or fail science subjects* 💖 I love your makeup too...look so natural

[@KombuchaLiz]

Awww haha. Michael you are so sweet. You totally made my day. ❤

[@melmack2003]

I'm an experienced Kombucha maker too. It was a good review! {Tip: My favorite way to flavor is using Herbal Tea [no caffeine] in 2nd Fermentation....two bags per single-serving bottle [steep for half an hour...then add 1/2 tsp sugar or honey.] Thank you! [PS....I've never had mold either....just keep the scoby hotel on my counter and feed it regularly till time to start the next brew.]

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi Mel. Thanks for the tip using herbal tea? What is your favorite herbal tea to use?

[@melmack2003]

@@KombuchaLiz My fav is Ginger/Turmeric....by Celestial Seasonings! [Their 5 flavor sampler pack is yummy too!]

[@dr.berg-mandell-axe19]

Please how do I grow Scoby from nothing ... meaning that I don't have Scoby before

[@carynmartin6053]

Same here. I love making and drinking it

[@FernCurtis]

Just saw this …probably because I have been looking for all sorts of different ferments. I made my own Kombucha for around a year and a half to two years. Started literally from scratch by making my own scoby (also from scratch, not from already made Kombucha). Then hubby became disabled in a split second accident and I just didn’t have time to keep up with it. (We had anywhere from 28 - 40 appointments each month for almost 2 years). To answer your question about having mold or not, I don’t remember ever having mold with the Kombucha, even though I didn’t know anything about the ph with it. I have had my sauerkraut go bad a handful of times, but that was more operator error more than anything…not having enough head space and thus losing too much liquid from it bubbling over.

[@nugrostv4600]

how to indentify moldy kombucha , thanks for sharing

[@KombuchaLiz]

You're welcome and thanks for watching.

[@mariebrady8475]

I too have been making 3, 2 gallon jars of kombucha at a time… I spaced each jar 5 days apart as far as bottling after 2nd fermentation for friends and family. Also have a huge Scoby hotel with lots of starter tea.. Gratefully I’ve never had mold…

[@KombuchaLiz]

Sounds great! It's really not that common if you use the right amounts. Thanks for sharing :D

[@Love.AnitaBlue717]

Thank you, sis. I am listening. Blessings. P.S. Love your sweater.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Thank you my dear girl. Sending you lots of love.

[@chairboi7160]

I forgot about my kombucha for about 3-4 months and this was very helpful. Also my kombucha didn't get moldy, and I don't have a Scooby hotel yet so id have to start from square 1 if I did.

[@FloStudios]

I'm feeling conflicted about my situation, which definitely involves mold. My last batch had a large scoby that rose above the surface like a buoy because it trapped gas underneath, and when it was ready I realized the scoby that had risen above had an even coating of green mold in a dry patch outside the liquid. 100% sure it was mold. My immediate reaction before research was to remove the moldy part (cut it off and an extra couple inches around the diameter with a clean sharp knife and clean hands), check the taste and smell of the batch (all seemed fine), and just go ahead and use it (it went through second ferment fine and tasted great). I also then sterilized all my equipment which I usually clean very well anyway but this time I took an extra step of doing a distilled white vinegar and filtered water rinse to all the vessels. I also wiped down the whole shelving unit that I recently started using to keep the vessels on with a cloth and vinegar. I wondered if this had caused it, since the unit had been sitting in my grandmas garage for a long time before I took it. I originally dusted it but not much else. Crucially, during this process I took the healthy looking remaining scoby from the vessel that had mold, and put it back in the hotel and I'm starting to worry about that. I did not reuse the liquid for anything. Then I started researching and thought, oh no, what if the hotel is infected now. I emptied the hotel, sterilized the vessel, cleared out some older scobies that were looking a little darker brown and kept the rest which all looked healthy. I could not tell by sight which one had the issues in the previous batch but if I had I would have thrown it out to be safe. I returned half of the starter liquid which smelled normal and was VERY acidic, and I fed it with a few cups of tea. I dumped the other half of starter. I've since started another large batch. One vessel has 2.5 gallons and another has 1.5 gallons. I used to have a lid loosely on top of each but now I have a fine hand towel fresh out of the wash over each with a few rubber bands securing it, thinking that will improve air flow. They have been brewing at 72 F ambient which is how I've been brewing all year. I just checked in on day 6 and the smaller vessel looks fine but the larger one, again, had the scoby slightly rising out of the liquid and there were a few small spots of what I feel pretty confident was some white mold (Though I'm only maybe 70% sure this time). I did the same thing, peeled off the thin gelatinous fresh scoby which had a few spots on it from the top, composted that, gave both a smell and taste test and all seems fine. I also did a pH test and both were reading 3.4. Could be closer to 3.2-3.3 because I'm aware of some slight error between what I was reading and a 4.0 calibration liquid. Anyway, all seems fine, but I'm starting to feel I'm taking some risks with my health and am concerned that this next batch has also had a bit of what appears was mold. I just don't see how mold could be spreading or even surviving dormant in such acidic liquid. I also don't know how probably it is that all of my scoby's are infected, in which case I need to start a whole new hotel. If it's possible that mold can live dormant but not spread in highly acidic environments, I could just get rid of all the larger scobys and make a new colony from the smaller ones which I know have never given me trouble, but WERE stored in the same hotel for at least a week.

[@sophiaterry6535]

Love you! On your scoby mask video you said you like to make face lotions!!! Please make that video!

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi Sophia. I am so sorry for the late reply. I did not see your comment. Thank you so much for the love. I haven't made any lotions in a while but I can look around at what supply I have to come up with something. I am working on a video for a DIY kombucha sunburn spray though. ❤❤❤🌞😃💝

[@gr33nt3aaaa]

Hey! I see that you're still replying to comments and I'd like to ask a question. I only have a little store bought kombucha left -about a mouthful? Do you think I can make a brew, even if it's a little amount with this store bought kombucha? ( Adding it to my own tea brew ) I know that people have used an entire bottle of store bought kombucha to make their own brew but I only have a little and I was just curious ! Thanks in advance!

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi! If you only have a little this is what I would do. Leave it out on the counter for about 1 week. Then make a strong cup of sweetened. 8oz water 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tea bags. Once that's cooled down add your kombucha to it and let it ferment for 2 weeks on the counter with a cloth cover.. That will give you plenty of strong starter tea. If you try to make a full batch of kombucha with only a little starter it might not be enough to ferment and it could get mold. 🙂

[@cris_balm7460]

Can you keep & reuse the scoby if you have mould on top?

[@KombuchaLiz]

No. You should discard it.

[@cris_balm7460]

What about if there’s a scoby in the liquid but mild has not grown on it? I only just made a batch and the old scoby was floating at the bottom of the jar.

[@KombuchaLiz]

You should discard the entire batch including the SCOBY and sanitize the jar. Are you 100% sure it's mold?

[@mahmoodalabbasi3448]

I just threw out my first batch ever.. First try went wrong Hopefully with your tips I'll get it right on my second try

[@KombuchaLiz]

How is it going?

[@christinethomas2563]

omg Liz my last 4 brews have had mould. I'm not lying. I am so disappointed, someone said to me that temperature can cause it too, so I moved it thinking my room would be warmer and I noticed the mould last night, I'm guttered. Back to the drawing board.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Oh crap. I am so sorry. I totally understand your frustration. Since scaling up for my business I've experienced it like 6 times. I've figured out what caused mine Let's do some detective work and figure yours out too. How big is your jar, what is your starter tea/scoby amount? What is the temperature in your room? Where did the starter teas all come from?

[@christinethomas2563]

@@KombuchaLiz Hi Liz apologises I have been so busy lately. Room temperature sits around 65 and the starter teas was from my batches prior to the mould issues. I have been getting my starter tea from my scoby hotels, which I think are fine as there seems to be no noticable mould in the jars? I made another batch and noticed bubbles forming on the top after 3/4 days and I thought yay no mould but its day 9 now, bubbles still there but it looks a really funny green colour? It is frustrating but I'll keep trying as I do lov the homemade Kombucha as opposed to store brought lol

[@floridagirl8540]

I ordered a boys online and added them to the tea. To start my scoby hotel. Everything went well for 26 days and it made a new scoby as well. I took a scoby to start a kombucha batch in a new vessel. 4 days later I had blue mold in the kombucha And my scoby hotel ☹️ I’m at a loss as to what caused it, but now that you mentioned bread, it might have been that because my husband put bread on the counter

[@agusbattocarol]

Thanks!!

[@KombuchaLiz]

You are welcome 😃😃😃

[@Arek.Arkadiusz]

I'm always jelaous of your kitchen when I watch your videos. :P

[@byamugishaalex5937]

Alex apricots the film u made on about kombucha

[@unchainyourbrain3312]

Is it ok to do your 1st fermentation in a glass container with the spout?Seems easier to get into the glass bottles but I don't see anyone using those kinds of containers.tfs!

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi. Yes, absolutely. I actually use 2 of them. And you're right. It is much easier to fill the smaller bottles from them. I still recommend stirring the jar before you bottle the smaller ones. The yeast settles at the bottom and giving a good stir will disperse the yeast around 😃😃😃 happy brewing

[@unchainyourbrain3312]

@@KombuchaLiz ...thx for responding and the tip!😉

[@KombuchaLiz]

You're very welcome ☺

[@Json-with-a-Kay]

First timer and I did everything good. But I fcked up because it is hella warm where I live and Kombucha evaporated a little bit leaving formated kombucha above liquid level. Got mold.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Are you 100% sure it's mold? You can send me a picture on IG if you'd like

[@oldchild527]

Mine got mold but it smelled good, so im throwing half and see if it still works because i have no more to ferment 😢

[@KombuchaLiz]

I'm sorry to hear about that. I know plenty of people that still drink/use it because the mold is on top not in the brew. Best wishes and please keep us posted

[@oldchild527]

@@KombuchaLiz I will survive🎶

[@jayneveillette6693]

Hi there, I have mold on the baby scoby (the one that grows on top). Now, The mother stayed at the bottom... I'm just wondering to use the same mother to start a new batch or to get rid of it and start fresh with a new one?

[@l0lY1000]

Plz if i am using one cup of starter for one gallon of sweat tea without any scoby, how long to get a scoby on top?

[@KombuchaLiz]

You should see a thin clear layer within a couple days. It might be hard to see at first. After that it will (usually) get white spots where scoby is growing thicker then it will become even and opaque. Please watch my other videos about mold.

[@jeanajett2719]

The one and only time I forgot to add starter liquid I'm pretty sure i got mold. I dumped it just incase. It diddnt taste right. Diddnt really stink but just wasnt right.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Yeah, smart move 😉👍 thanks for the comment

[@avagreen9795]

Watch this! It is a great video!!!

[@Plarg40]

I have photos of my Sobieski. How to upload for your viewing? It looks like a layer of blackish white dust on top of the scobies. When I touch and drag over the scobies the dust comes off the scobies.

[@KombuchaLiz]

That sounds like mold. You can send me a photo on Instagram kombuchaliz

[@Plarg40]

I have sent via Instagram

[@xhuliaz4698]

Heyy. I am here trying my first batch and I haven't gotten mold yet, but I am preparing emotionally for it. Should I toss it together with the scoby or just the tea?

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hello 😃 mold doesn't happen that often. Just make sure to use the right amount of starter tea. I'm sorry I'm sure what you are asking me. Can you say it another way?

[@xhuliaz4698]

@@KombuchaLiz hey again. thanks for the reply. I mean should I throw the entire jar, the tea and the mother scoby, or can I keep the mother scoby, if the tea catches mold?

[@KombuchaLiz]

Oh ok I understand now. If you were to get mold you would throw all of it away then sanitize the jar. But have faith with good intentions and believe in your scoby that all will be well. If you need me to check out your scoby as it grows send me a dm on ig. They all grow weird and here is another video I suggest you watch when you can kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGTMZISIfsh5qK8 godspeed 😃😃🌤🥳

[@xhuliaz4698]

@@KombuchaLiz Oh I have seen that as well 😏. Thank you so much. I will send you a picture. Its quite cold nowadays, so I was worrying about the little baby Bacterias. Hahaha

[@KombuchaLiz]

You are already a great scoby mom 😃😃 Mama's take care of thr babies haha 😄

[@_fashiontales]

I have black molds on the top and scoby is not formed as a thick layer. What should i do?

[@KombuchaLiz]

The safest thing to do is toss it out However if the brew taste good some people will just throw out the scoby and keep the kombucha. These types of mold require air to live so the mold won't be in the liquid

[@_fashiontales]

@@KombuchaLiz i poured it under my chilly plant . Waiting to watch what hpns

[@rerekim7047]

But i wonder if the kombucha that has mold it's safe to drink?

[@KombuchaLiz]

Everything I've ever read and seen has said no. That being said I've never seen a drop of booch with mold under the microscope. It's best to just toss it sterile Everything and start fresh

[@junlayton4949]

Hi, my kombucha scobie stayed on the bottom?

[@threeowls369]

What do you do if you started your kombucha & it was too cold then you moved it to warmer, dry area and it’s 75 degrees but it still only has the original Scoby? It’s been 7 days already. Is the Scoby still viable to start a fresh batch or does it need to be tossed? Thank you, your video was very informative. I don’t have mold.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi. How cold is cold when you started the brew? You could give it a couple more days to a week to see if anything happens then taste test it. Unfortunately I don't have an answer you'll just have to wait and see how it turns out or toss it. Lmk though because now I'm curious.

[@threeowls369]

@@KombuchaLiz I’m glad you reached out. The original temp was 72-74, plus I had towels on the jars as little coats. I took the towels off and set on a counter out of direct sunlight. The temps go between 75-77. This is the first Scoby from Amazon. One kombucha one jun. one Scoby floats, one doesn’t. It smells great & there’s a lot of yeast settled on the bottom.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Those temps are fine. I wouldn't worry at all. I thought you meant it sat in 45 degrees then 72. You are good. Also, remember kombucha is alive and is a little tricksters. The SCOBYs can behave differently as well. One floating and the other not is perfectly ok also.

[@threeowls369]

@@KombuchaLiz 😰...I was worried. I’m happy to hear this!!! I’m so excited to try both of them. I appreciate your channel. Keep up the great work.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Thank you so much 💓

[@soumyachopra8836]

Hey thanks for the information. It's been a week that I've brewed my kombucha. There were some green and white spots in my kombucha and the new scoby is not formed. What should I do?

[@KombuchaLiz]

I am sorry you have mold. You'll need to throw it all out and start fresh. Be sure to sanitize your jar and any tools.

[@suearakawa5265]

I have been brewing for over 20 yrs & now I have mold !!!!!! 5 batches of trying everything …

[@KombuchaLiz]

Nooooooo. Ah man 20 years is a good run. I hope you can get it figured out. This must be so frustrated for you.

[@gg-wk2ww]

Mold in the house somewhere?? Water damage??

[@beutel6116]

Can you do kombucha and sourdough starter in the same room?

[@KombuchaLiz]

Yes, but dont put them right next to each other. Store them in different areas on your counter.

[@rojintavassoli2224]

It has been few weeks i grow mold on my kombucha batch. I don't get why it's happen. I sterilized all my equipments, the glass jar and use the enough amount of starter, still not sure that my suger amount is enough but it drives me crazy. Last 3 batches went to the sink because of mold. It was summer and the weather was warm yet humidity (im living in the Netherlands).Please Helpppp me.

[@KombuchaLiz]

That is super frustrating. I am sorry you are having problems with this. I will do my best to help you. The first thing that came to mind is your sugar. How old is it? Is it fresh? And what do you use the stir the tea when you make it? What kind of cooking tool? Also, where is your starter tea coming from if the past few batches have gotten mold? Do you have other jars you brew? Is the moldy kombucha near any plants or other foods on the counter? Let me know and I'll try to help you figure this out.

[@nataleighjones4596]

I've been brewing my own kombucha my scoby is slowly getting there, I did notice two tiny spots of mold on the top but it still smells fantastic. I got the mold spots out; I will also point out that my house is really weird in how the air and moisture are so I'm pretty sure that is what has been playing the biggest role. Any helpful suggestions would be nice, thanks.

[@BrianJaggers642]

Did you toss it out after removing the mold? If not how did it turn out? I found a small spot on my first batch and hate to discard the entire gallon because of it.

[@shizuokaBLUES]

Do you really need the starter tea? I didn’t know anything about Kombucha except that I tried, and I enjoyed it, and that I’m looking for ways to get a healthy gut biome. to make a long story short, an acquaintance passed a Scoby on to me and gave me her recipe; tea, water, sugar and the Scoby. I made it a week ago and it seems okay. But I never used any starter tea. After watching KZbin videos from kombucha makers, it seems I may have something dangerous brewing now. One week in and it’s not moldy and smells nice. should I take the Scoby out, throw out the kombucha I’ve brewed and start over with some kombucha starter tea ordered online instead? thanks

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hello. The starter tea is the actual SCOBY. SCOBY stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. The bacteria and yeast are in the Kombucha (starter tea). What most people (including myself) call the SCOBY is just a cellulose mat (biofilm, pellicle). It does hold some starter tea in it but usually not enough. Some people don't even use the pellicle when they brew. It's hard to say right now about your brew. It may be ok depending on the amount you are brewing and how big that pellicle is.. Do you have a pH meter you could test it?? But if it's easier to just restart the batch that's what I'd recommend. Peace of mind is priceless 💙

[@shizuokaBLUES]

@@KombuchaLiz thanks so much for your reply. I’m in Japan so it might be difficult to find PH strips. But I did JUST order some inflavoured kombucha online, which will be here tomorrow. Maybe I could add a cup of this to the first batch I’m making now to bring the ph down and cut down any chance of mold etc? What do you think. Love your videos and many thanks again. Subscribed !!

[@KombuchaLiz]

@@shizuokaBLUES Oh hello Japan 👋 it's hard to say about that. You can grow a scoby will that bottle you've purchased. I'll link you an older video I have about how to do it. Makes sure it's a brand that you enjoy drinking.

[@KombuchaLiz]

@@shizuokaBLUES kzbin.info/www/bejne/fna6ZZeabq2Xgpo the brand I'm using is probably different from what you have but the concept is the same. You don't need a big a scoby (pellicle) to get started. 😃😃😃😃

[@shizuokaBLUES]

@@KombuchaLiz thanks so much ! This is very helpful for a newbie like me. Blessings : )

[@oscarw4095]

I see the word fuzzy and I hear it from you, is that meaning "hairy"? I have three containers with kombucha brewing atm, and all got from a few to lots of white spots that when I inspect it closely with a flashlight looks like they are "hairy" and I suspect it could be mold. I'm not gonna throw it just yet, because I'm just not sure if it is normal. //Regards from Sweden

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi Robert and greetings to you in Sweden. I hope all is well in your part of the world. Yes, fuzzy means hairy. The white spots forming at the beginning stages of a brew are normal. I would give it a few more days, like you said, to see what happens. You could always feel it to see if its hairy. But I won't judge you for not doing it 😉

[@penninahluwedde3261]

@@KombuchaLiz Thank am from Uganda and was worried of the white spots but I guess I should relax . Thank you

[@KombuchaLiz]

Wow! All the way from Uganda? 🇺🇬 thats amazing. Thanks for tuning in and glad to know these videos are helping people on all continents 🌎

[@penninahluwedde3261]

@@KombuchaLiz Thank Liz For how long do I have to wait to change the water during the first ferment. Thank u

[@roselj7828]

hi, iam new in kombucha, i try to make one but cannot fine the raw kombucha as my starter, so i use the mix greens kombucha and my tea is hibiscus, its been a week now and i see green like a mold on top of my tea, is it normal from my combination?

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi Rosel 🌷 Well...sometimes when using green tea green yeast will build up under the scoby and appear to be mold. If you touch itnwhat does it feel like? Dusty or fuzzy? It's mold. If it's smooth that smoothness is the scoby. Did you use the correct ratio of new fresh sweetened tea to starter tea?

[@roselj7828]

@@KombuchaLiz its not dusty, it feels like rubbery and bubbly

[@roselj7828]

Yes i did the correct ratio but the ingredients no, instead of black or green tea, i used hibiscus, and instead of unflavored kombucha starter, i used the the mix green kombucha.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Ok. It hard to say without seeing it but do the finger touch. The first time I used green tea to make Kombucha I thought I had mold but it was just green yeast.

[@KombuchaLiz]

@@roselj7828 oh ok you're good then. Hibiscus 🌺 ferments a bit faster so you may want to start taste testing this one around 7days..yay no mold. Happy brewing 🥂🌷

[@esdest]

I have this dark black... spot but the kambucha ..at the bottom ..is it mold or not...

[@KombuchaLiz]

Send me a photo on IG

[@esdest]

@@KombuchaLiz your instagram user name....the link at about...not available...

[@esdest]

@@KombuchaLiz i been looking for your insta....is it... so many similar name idk which one

[@Babu-kr3cr]

If your kombucha isn't moldy, but doesn't really grow either, is it safe?

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi Babu, I am so very sorry for this late reply. Please forgive me. So there is no mold but the SCOBY didn't grow? That really doesn't mean the ferment didn't work. Sometimes my batches will grow thick SCOBY's and sometimes they hardly seem to grow at all. The best way to find out is to just do a taste test. So to answer your question I would say that yes it's safe, as long as you don't see any signs of mold.

[@carynmartin6053]

Maybe you just need to add a little more sugar?

[@Babu-kr3cr]

@@carynmartin6053 It ended up smelling awful, so I threw it out. Maybe the black patches on it were mold.

[@IAMLove33]

🙏💜

[@tobywearnes269]

My first kombucha is already mouldy. So it’s not rare

[@AdaeAng]

My scoby got maggots :(

[@KombuchaLiz]

Omg! Was it from the fruit flies?

[@EllensAbundantLifeonLess]

I've had it mold twice in about 5 years. The Buch smelled OK, but it was definitely mold. I tossed it for sure because mold has spores. I put my kombucha in a corner of my dining room and cover my container with a dish towel to keep it dark.

[@KombuchaLiz]

Awesome, Ellen. Thanks for sharing that with us. 😀

[@dr.berg-mandell-axe19]

Please ... How do I get a Scooby election by a suitable medium for her .. Meaning: How do I create Scooby from nothing

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hi. That's a great question and one I don't have an answer for. I have searched for it myself. The only answer I got is a SCOBY is created from tea and sugar only when the forces of the universe deem it appropriate. I have read stories from people that grew a SCOBY on accident by leaving a cup of tea sitting out then forgetting about it. In one case she found the tea cup under her bed 2 weeks later with a SCOBY. You could try leaving a sweet cup of tea out but the atmosphere needs the right amount of bacteria and yeast floating around for it to happen. Good luck. If/when you grow your SCOBY I'd love to hear about it.

[@dr.berg-mandell-axe19]

I thank you very much for your concern to respond ... I promise that I will inform you of the result immediately

[@dr.berg-mandell-axe19]

@@KombuchaLiz With sincere thanks and appreciation for your presence

[@KombuchaLiz]

@@dr.berg-mandell-axe19 no problem 😃 I totally understand..if you figure it out I'd love to have you as a guest on the channel

[@savva5358]

Hi, Yes I have mould!!!🤦‍♂️😠

[@KombuchaLiz]

Aw I am so sorry.

[@Ashley-j9w]

I'm a beginner so far I have my first kombucha that I made he is happy he has even gotten bigger and thicker, the one that I'm curious about though and I just discovered is coffee kombucha, but instead of doing caffeinated coffee I mixed it with green tea and natural sugars like coconut sugar and honey we got me looking at videos I checked it I had something on top it's not fuzzy it's not doing anything funky and it kind of reminds me of the first time when I made my first batch of green tea kombucha the only thing that threw me off is the color it's dark brown thank you for making an educational video thank you

[@KombuchaLiz]

@Ashley-j9w dark brown blob sounds like it's yeast. If you use green tea the blob is usually green. Happy brewing

[@roselj7828]

hi miss Liz, its me again, just want to ask if i can use powder seamoss on my kombucha 2nd fermentation? thanks

[@KombuchaLiz]

Hello. I've never used it but I don't see why you can't Let us know how it turns out for you 😊