Brewing kombucha at home is a rewarding experience, and if you’re familiar with the process, you probably know that each batch creates a new SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). As you continue brewing, you may accumulate a collection of SCOBYs, and you’ll need a proper way to care for them. 

This guide will help you learn how to care for your SCOBYs and build a SCOBY hotel—a home for your extra SCOBYs. Whether you’re taking a break from brewing or just want to store backups, a SCOBY hotel ensures that you always have healthy SCOBYs and starter tea on hand. 

 

SCOBY Care: The Dos and Don’ts 

Dos for SCOBY Care: 

  • Keep SCOBYs in Sweet Tea or Kombucha: Your SCOBYs need to stay moist, so store them in a container with some sweet tea or unflavoured kombucha. This will keep them active and ready for future brewing. 
  • Preserve the Yeast: The brown, stringy bits on your SCOBY are yeast, which is essential for fermentation and carbonation. You don’t need to remove all the yeast unless it covers the entire SCOBY. 
  • Use Clean Hands and Tools: If you need to trim or separate your SCOBYs, use clean hands or scissors. You won’t hurt the SCOBY by cutting or tearing it and it will simply mould itself to the shape of its new container. 
  • Reuse Your SCOBYs: You can use a SCOBY several times before it becomes too old. It will darken over time but you can continue using it as long as it remains firm and doesn’t dry out. 
  • Dispose of Excess SCOBYs Properly: If you have too many SCOBYs, you can compost them, throw them in the trash, or even feed them to animals like chickens or horses. 

Don’ts for SCOBY Care: 

  • Don’t Use Flavoured Teas or Oils: Flavourings, oils, and herbal teas can weaken your SCOBY over time. It’s best to stick to plain, unflavoured black or green tea for the first fermentation. 

 

  • Avoid Refrigeration: Refrigerating your SCOBY will cause it to go dormant and may damage the bacteria and yeast, making it harder to reactivate when you start brewing again. 
  • Watch for Mould: SCOBYs are highly acidic, so they rarely mould, but if your SCOBY develops mould, it needs to be thrown away. Mould will appear as fuzzy patches, usually green or black, on the surface of the SCOBY. 

 

How to Build a SCOBY Hotel 

A SCOBY hotel is a great way to store extra SCOBYs and maintain a supply of strong starter tea for future kombucha batches. Here’s how to make one: 

Steps to Build a SCOBY Hotel: 

  • Choose a Glass Container: Use a clean glass jar or brewing vessel, preferably a one-gallon jar. Glass is the best material for fermentation, as it doesn’t react with the acidic tea. 
  • Add Your SCOBYs: Place your extra SCOBYs in the jar. You can add more SCOBYs over time as you accumulate them. 
  • Add Sweet Tea or Unflavoured Kombucha: Pour in enough sweet tea or unflavoured kombucha to keep the SCOBYs fully submerged. This liquid will act as food and a preservation medium for the SCOBYs. 
  • Cover with a Breathable Cloth: Use a tightly-woven, breathable cloth to cover the jar. This will allow airflow but prevent dust and insects from getting in. Some people use an airtight lid to prevent evaporation, but a cloth cover is generally preferred. 
  • Store at Room Temperature: Keep your SCOBY hotel at room temperature, ideally between 18-29°C. Temperature in the mid-70s is optimal for keeping your SCOBYs active and healthy. Avoid storing your SCOBY hotel in the fridge or in moist cupboards. 

 

Maintaining Your SCOBY Hotel 

Once your SCOBY hotel is set up, it requires minimal maintenance. Here are some tips for keeping your hotel in good shape: 

  • Feed Your SCOBYs: If the liquid starts to dry up or gets too acidic, add more sweet tea or unflavoured kombucha to “feed” your SCOBYs. A simple sweet tea mixture of 1 tsp of black tea in 2 cups of water with 2 tbsp of sugar will do the trick.
     
  • Use Your Hotel for Starter Tea: The longer the kombucha sits in your SCOBY hotel, the more acidic it becomes. This highly acidic liquid is perfect for super-charged starter tea that will kick-start your future kombucha batches. 
  • Check Regularly for Mould: While mould is rare, it’s important to check your SCOBY hotel every few months to make sure it’s mould-free and the liquid hasn’t dried out. 

 

Benefits of a SCOBY Hotel 

  • Backups for Future Brewing: Storing extra SCOBYs means you always have a backup in case something goes wrong with your current brew. 
  • Super-Charged Starter Tea: Your SCOBY hotel naturally produces extra-acidic starter tea that can make future kombucha batches ferment faster and more efficiently. 
  • Flexibility: Whether you’re taking a break from brewing or going on vacation, a SCOBY hotel lets you pause your kombucha-making without worrying about losing your culture. 
  • Experimentation: A SCOBY hotel allows you to safely experiment with different teas or flavours in your main brews while keeping a backup supply of healthy SCOBYs. 

 

Conclusion 

Caring for your SCOBY and setting up a SCOBY hotel is essential for every kombucha brewer. With proper care, your SCOBYs will continue to provide you with delicious, probiotic-rich kombucha for months, if not years. Whether you’re taking a break or looking to store backups, a well-maintained SCOBY hotel ensures that your kombucha brewing stays on track!