You took the leap and now you’re up and running with your home brew. While you saw first hand how easy it really was, we know you can’t help but have some questions. We were there once too! That is one of the primary reasons we started YEABUCHA- to help people through every step of the home brew journey. Here are 3 things we think every NEW brewer should know:
Your first SCOBY may be very thin. The SCOBY that grows on top of the mother SCOBY you started your home brew with may look different (opaque and thin). This is completely normal and very common - it will get bigger over time. SCOBYs are living and will grow differently from week to week. Sometimes the disc will be smooth and thick white, some weeks it may have a bubble or spots with no new growth. We recommend you brew five times before you start separating or removing SCOBY’s. This will give your brew time to get nice and strong.
Yeast is not mold. You will see brownish strands floating in your brew and around your SCOBY, don’t panic - this is just yeast! You may also notice yeast at the bottom of your brew vessel that looks a little cloudy. If you see little bubbles on the top of your SCOBY or in between layers, this is not mold either, just carbonation bubbles. Mold is fuzzy, green and white and grows on the top of your SCOBY, just like it would on bread or produce. Feel free to discard longer strands or clumps of yeast. More will grow each week.
Your brew is going to be ok! Questions and concerns over your first few brews are normal. You will find your home brew groove and won’t even remember the days when you worried if you were doing it right. Until then, be patient, use our resources, ask us questions and go ahead and give your brew some love and attention. You will find how many days you should do your F1 for and which flavors you prefer for F2. It's only a matter of time until your prefer your home brew over all the commercial brands.
We hope this calms your nerves and helps you feel more confident. Kombucha is a hearty culture and very easy to make safely at home following our 3 Simple Steps. We have quick reads under the blogs tab of our website that cover a range of kombucha related topics. In the meantime, check out the most important things to know before you begin drinking kombucha.
Hi Ann, Thanks for reaching out. It sounds like somewhere a long the way, something has gone wrong. But we are here to help! From your comment, it sounds like you might not be using the correct brewing equipment. For starters, check out the kits from our shop. They come with our easy 3 step guide that breaks it down and simplifies the brewing and bottling process. Plus, you get to be part of our facebook group that allows for quick response to questions and sharing ideas. We want your brewing experience to fun, easy and provide you the best kombucha! Hope this helps!