Brewing Kombucha is a bit intimidating at first. Most every person brewing this delicious and beneficial tea considers the thought, “What if I’m doing it wrong? Is this mold?” As the new SCOBY forms it does sometimes look moldy. The easiest way to tell if it’s moldy is to wait. 

Allow the SCOBY to further grow.

If it’s a normally growing SCOBY, it’ll continue to grow into the normal starter. Click here to look at normal SCOBYs. This process takes roughly a week. If you let it grow longer the mushroom will be thicker.

Mold on a SCOBY doesn’t progress as normal SCOBY growth. If you wait and watch it progress the new growth that surfaces on top of mold happens at a much slower rate. If the new mushroom is good it’ll progress to look like a rubbery pancake. If it’s bad, moldy, the new growth on top of the mold takes about a month and a half to two months to grow the new mushroom. 

The new mushroom begins to grow on top of the mold appearing like little gel bubbles. 

After roughly a week the small bubbles are slightly bigger and connect together. Again, a normal mushroom is complete in one week. 

After roughly a month the mushroom is almost fully formed on top of the mold. This should not be eaten. The whole vessel of tea as well as the SCOBY be discarded.

To learn more about the health benefits of Kombucha click here. 

*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, CGP, D.PSc. who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. She has been published in Wise Traditions, spoken at two Weston A. Price Conferences, Certified GAPS Practitioner Trainings, has been on many radio shows, television shows and writes for Nourishing Plot. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia, through food, she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. She is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation. [email protected]

“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.

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