Busting 6 Kombucha Homebrewing Myths: How to Care for Your Blighty Baby

Brewing kombucha at home is an incredibly fun, rewarding, and surprisingly easy process. When you adopt one of our Blighty Baby Organic SCOBY Starters, you are essentially getting a sweet little kitchen pet that just so happens to provide you with delicious, naturally fermented probiotic tea!

We want to reassure you that traditional fermentation is a very simple, natural process. However, if you are a beginner and start to feel a little overwhelmed, don’t panic. Take a deep breath, send us a message, and sing your Blighty Baby a comforting lullaby. (We highly recommend anything from The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, but whatever you prefer will do the trick!)

To help put your mind at ease, we are busting six of the most common kombucha brewing myths we hear from first-time brewers.

Myth 1: You don’t need starter fluid, just the solid SCOBY.

False. Remember, the "solid" part is actually the pellicle, while the true SCOBY is the living liquid! The starter fluid is absolutely crucial because it contains high concentrations of active yeast and bacteria, and it lowers the pH of your sweet tea to keep it safe. You should always use at least 10% starter fluid for each new brew.

Myth 2: Dark, gloopy bits mean my brew has gone bad.

False. Those dark, brown, stringy bits hanging off your pellicle or floating in your jar are actually just super-concentrated yeast strands. They are a sign of a healthy, active brew and are perfectly natural! You will probably want to filter them out before you drink your finished booch, but definitely leave them in the fermenting batch.

Myth 3: If my SCOBY sinks, it’s dead.

False. A fresh cellulose pellicle will always form on the top of the brew to seal it off from the air. However, older pellicles may get heavy and sink down to the bottom or float sideways in the middle of the jar. That is completely okay! You'd sink too if you turned on your side in a swimming pool...

Myth 4: If you get a strange growth or mold, just scrape it off.

False. Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but if you see dry, fuzzy mold (usually green, white, or black) on top of your brew, you must discard the whole batch and start fresh. Luckily, in our experience, this very rarely happens. The natural acidity (low pH) of a healthy kombucha brew is highly prohibitive to bad bacteria and pathogens.

Myth 5: You can make kombucha with artificial sweeteners.

False. One of the absolute key ingredients required for fermentation is real sugar. It is non-negotiable food for your SCOBY. If you see a commercial kombucha on supermarket shelves claiming to have zero sugar, that raises some serious alarm bells for us about its authenticity. Real kombucha needs real sugar.

Myth 6: You should put your SCOBY in the fridge between brews.

False. Please don’t chill your Blighty Baby! SCOBYs love to be kept at a cozy room temperature. If you want to take a little break from brewing, simply leave it at room temperature in a clean jar (with a breathable cloth cover) sitting in plenty of sweet tea. Just top the tea up periodically to keep the culture fed and hydrated until you are ready to brew again. A well-cared-for SCOBY can live for years and years.

Have any more questions about your homebrew? Feel free to leave a comment below, and Happy Brewing!