How can I safely take a break from brewing (vacation) without killing my SCOBY?

Question

How can you safely take a break from brewing? Learn how to put your SCOBY on hold for a vacation or break without it dying or developing mold.

Answer 1

To safely take a break from brewing kombucha, store your SCOBY in a SCOBY hotel (a jar with starter tea) in the refrigerator. This slows down fermentation and keeps your SCOBY healthy for weeks or even months.

Detailed Explanation:

When you need to take a break from brewing kombucha, the key is to slow down the fermentation process. Here's how to do it safely:

1. Prepare a SCOBY Hotel: Find a clean glass jar. This will be the SCOBY's temporary home. The size depends on how many SCOBYs you have. A quart-sized jar is usually sufficient for one or two.

2. Add Starter Tea: Pour in enough mature, strong kombucha starter tea to cover your SCOBY. The amount should be at least 1 cup, but more is better. This provides the necessary acidity to protect the SCOBY from mold.

3. Place the SCOBY: Gently place your SCOBY into the jar with the starter tea. Make sure it's fully submerged.

4. Refrigerate: Seal the jar loosely (a coffee filter secured with a rubber band works well) and store it in the refrigerator. The cold temperature significantly slows down fermentation.

5. Reviving the SCOBY: When you're ready to brew again, take the SCOBY out of the refrigerator. You might notice it has settled at the bottom and the liquid is more acidic. That's normal. Use some of the liquid from the jar (about 1-2 cups) as your starter tea for your next batch. The SCOBY itself is ready to go into a new batch of sweet tea.

Pro Tip:

Don't store your SCOBY at room temperature for extended periods without feeding it. It will eventually run out of nutrients and the environment will become too acidic, potentially harming the SCOBY. Refrigeration is key for long-term storage.