Re: SCOBY Envy (question for the pros...)

[Guest guest]

shesamazingnyc wrote:

> Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with GT's Kombucha

> as a starter. (I inspected all the bottles at the health food store,

> looking for the biggest pieces of gunk!) I've made three batches now

> and I'm starting to get the hang of it. However... I have never had a

> thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind I'm always seeing in website

> photos. My SCOBYs are always thin and lumpy and have spider-webby

> tendrils hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

>

> I suppose they are doing their work, though, because my kombucha

> tastes great (although not as sour as GT's) and I get the sweet/sour

> cider taste and a nice fizziness.

>

> Should I try to obtain another SCOBY, or will mine eventually grow up

> to be smooth and white and pretty or should I not care?

>

> Thanks!

>

>

Mine only get thick when I ignore them for a while. I have the last

couple of babies in a jar separate from my brewing jar. They've been

sitting there for weeks getting fat. I just throw new tea on them every

now and again.

Melisa

--

Food: http://magpieeats.blogspot.com/

Everything else: http://magpieima.blogspot.com/

[Guest guest]

The only time mine get smooth, white , and pretty is when they are in the

storage jar, undisturbed for long periods of time

and yes I have bunches that look like that. My " working " scobies are ugly,

bumpy, with stringy stuff hanging down, LOL but

my brews are delicious.

Friday, March 16, 2007, 4:01:09 PM, you wrote:

Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with GT's Kombucha

as a starter. (I inspected all the bottles at the health food store,

looking for the biggest pieces of gunk!) I've made three batches now

and I'm starting to get the hang of it. However... I have never had a

thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind I'm always seeing in website

photos. My SCOBYs are always thin and lumpy and have spider-webby

tendrils hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

I suppose they are doing their work, though, because my kombucha

tastes great (although not as sour as GT's) and I get the sweet/sour

cider taste and a nice fizziness.

Should I try to obtain another SCOBY, or will mine eventually grow up

to be smooth and white and pretty or should I not care?

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

>

> The only time mine get smooth, white , and pretty is when they

are in the storage jar, undisturbed for long periods of time

> and yes I have bunches that look like that. My " working " scobies

are ugly, bumpy, with stringy stuff hanging down, LOL but

> my brews are delicious.

>

I agree with Zoe.

My working scobys look like they are at work and my laid back scobys

just get fatter. The working ones have stringy stuff hanging from them

and they make a great tasting brew. Don't envy them just because they

are pretty!

Cheers,

Sandy

[Guest guest]

In message <etf7jl+pl16eGroups> you wrote:

> Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with GT's Kombucha

> as a starter. (I inspected all the bottles at the health food store,

> looking for the biggest pieces of gunk!) I've made three batches now

> and I'm starting to get the hang of it. However... I have never had a

> thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind I'm always seeing in website

> photos. My SCOBYs are always thin and lumpy and have spider-webby

> tendrils hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

>

> I suppose they are doing their work, though, because my kombucha

> tastes great (although not as sour as GT's) and I get the sweet/sour

> cider taste and a nice fizziness.

>

> Should I try to obtain another SCOBY, or will mine eventually grow up

> to be smooth and white and pretty or should I not care?

With scobys beauty doesn't come into it, although I brew a special

contingent of smaller pretty ones to send out with starter liquid.

We know that very often the ugliest ones produce the most delicious

brews, but for newbies it can be off-putting to get a gross-looking

culture through the post.

The only way to get them smooth and thick is to leave them for at least

a fortnight undisturbed, but it's not really necessary!

You are doing absolutely fine by the sound of you - sounds delicious-yum!

Blessings,

Margret:-)

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[Guest guest]

How long did it take you to grow a culture from GT's KT?

I bought a bottle of the original flavor and decided to try to grow

a SCOBY from it so I have it brewing but the SCOBY is so very tiny,

you could barely see it. Also, did you add any sweet tea to it or

did you just leave the ready made brew out? Thanks!

> > Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with GT's

Kombucha

> > as a starter. (I inspected all the bottles at the health food

store,

> > looking for the biggest pieces of gunk!) I've made three batches

now

> > and I'm starting to get the hang of it. However... I have never

had a

> > thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind I'm always seeing in

website

> > photos. My SCOBYs are always thin and lumpy and have spider-

webby

> > tendrils hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

> >

> > I suppose they are doing their work, though, because my kombucha

> > tastes great (although not as sour as GT's) and I get the

sweet/sour

> > cider taste and a nice fizziness.

> >

> > Should I try to obtain another SCOBY, or will mine eventually

grow up

> > to be smooth and white and pretty or should I not care?

> >

> > Thanks!

> >

> >

> Mine only get thick when I ignore them for a while. I have the

last

> couple of babies in a jar separate from my brewing jar. They've

been

> sitting there for weeks getting fat. I just throw new tea on them

every

> now and again.

>

> Melisa

>

>

> --

> Food: http://magpieeats.blogspot.com/

> Everything else: http://magpieima.blogspot.com/

>

[Guest guest]

Mine too, I leave them in the corner, I add some sweet tea to them and they grow

the most beautiful white SCOBYs in the world, I hate to disturb them, but

ocassionally add some sweet tea and continue to grow... Just have a side jar of

SCOBYs, takes a couple of months (uninturrepted) you will be amazed....Just

leave them alone and they will make you happy

HippeeSandee

>

>

Mine only get thick when I ignore them for a while. I have the last

couple of babies in a jar separate from my brewing jar. They've been

sitting there for weeks getting fat. I just throw new tea on them every

now and again.

Melisa

--

Food: http://magpieeats.blogspot.com/

Everything else: http://magpieima.blogspot.com/

~~PEACE~~

HippeeSandee

HippeeSandee's Endless Mountains Realm

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Try the Beta.

[Guest guest]

My SCOBYs all came from one I made from GT's plain kombucha. I poured

the 16 oz bottle into a quart mason jar, and covered it with a paper

towel secured with a rubber band. Then I put it on an open shelf in my

kitchen.

It made its first SCOBY in two weeks. I didn't know what it was, so I

shook the jar, it sank, and then 2 weeks later, I had another SCOBY. I

used both in my first brew, along with the very strong starter.

I never added any tea to create the first SCOBY. And since I tend to

forget my brews for long times, my scobys are pretty thick and mostly

white.

a

> > > Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with GT's

> Kombucha

> > > as a starter. (I inspected all the bottles at the health food

> store,

> > > looking for the biggest pieces of gunk!) I've made three batches

> now

> > > and I'm starting to get the hang of it. However... I have never

> had a

> > > thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind I'm always seeing in

> website

> > > photos. My SCOBYs are always thin and lumpy and have spider-

> webby

> > > tendrils hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

> > >

> > > I suppose they are doing their work, though, because my kombucha

> > > tastes great (although not as sour as GT's) and I get the

> sweet/sour

> > > cider taste and a nice fizziness.

> > >

> > > Should I try to obtain another SCOBY, or will mine eventually

> grow up

> > > to be smooth and white and pretty or should I not care?

> > >

> > > Thanks!

> > >

> > >

> > Mine only get thick when I ignore them for a while. I have the

> last

> > couple of babies in a jar separate from my brewing jar. They've

> been

> > sitting there for weeks getting fat. I just throw new tea on them

> every

> > now and again.

> >

> > Melisa

> >

> >

> > --

> > Food: http://magpieeats.blogspot.com/

> > Everything else: http://magpieima.blogspot.com/

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you! I poured a teeny bit of the GT KT to see what his

original tasted like. I prefer the flavored ones but it was fine,

then I put a cloth & rubber band around it and stuck it in my

cabinet. It really hasn't done much in a few days so I think I'll

have to be a bit more patient. :-)

-- In kombucha tea , " ewgott " <ewgott@...> wrote:

>

> My SCOBYs all came from one I made from GT's plain kombucha. I

poured

> the 16 oz bottle into a quart mason jar, and covered it with a

paper

> towel secured with a rubber band. Then I put it on an open shelf

in my

> kitchen.

>

> It made its first SCOBY in two weeks. I didn't know what it was,

so I

> shook the jar, it sank, and then 2 weeks later, I had another

SCOBY. I

> used both in my first brew, along with the very strong starter.

>

> I never added any tea to create the first SCOBY. And since I tend

to

> forget my brews for long times, my scobys are pretty thick and

mostly

> white.

>

> a

>

>

> > > > Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with GT's

> > Kombucha

> > > > as a starter. (I inspected all the bottles at the health

food

> > store,

> > > > looking for the biggest pieces of gunk!) I've made three

batches

> > now

> > > > and I'm starting to get the hang of it. However... I have

never

> > had a

> > > > thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind I'm always seeing

in

> > website

> > > > photos. My SCOBYs are always thin and lumpy and have

spider-

> > webby

> > > > tendrils hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

> > > >

> > > > I suppose they are doing their work, though, because my

kombucha

> > > > tastes great (although not as sour as GT's) and I get the

> > sweet/sour

> > > > cider taste and a nice fizziness.

> > > >

> > > > Should I try to obtain another SCOBY, or will mine

eventually

> > grow up

> > > > to be smooth and white and pretty or should I not care?

> > > >

> > > > Thanks!

> > > >

> > > >

> > > Mine only get thick when I ignore them for a while. I have

the

> > last

> > > couple of babies in a jar separate from my brewing jar.

They've

> > been

> > > sitting there for weeks getting fat. I just throw new tea on

them

> > every

> > > now and again.

> > >

> > > Melisa

> > >

> > >

> > > --

> > > Food: http://magpieeats.blogspot.com/

> > > Everything else: http://magpieima.blogspot.com/

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

texastykes wrote:

> How long did it take you to grow a culture from GT's KT?

Sorry if I'm jumping late into this thread...

I tried doing that (starting a culture with GT's) years ago,

several times, and did not have very good success with it.

If you're consistently getting very thin, or no, SCOBYs, even

after extended periods of time, then your culture is out of

balance. What you're brewing is no longer really Kombucha.

Remember what the acronym stands for... Symbiotic Culture Of

Bacteria and Yeast. It takes several different species of

bacteria plus the right kind of yeast to create this

symbiosis. Once the symbiosis is there, the combined culture

is fairly stable, but there are various conditions (such as

elevated temperatures, certain kinds of anti-bacterial

substances, etc.) under which maybe one or two of the

contributing species die out. What's left may continue

to ferment sugar and produce acids, maybe even healthful

acids... but it's no longer Kombucha, it's more like

normal vinegar.

The thick mass of cellulose we call the " SCOBY " is both the

defining criterion and the mystery of Kombucha. We don't

really know much about it... we don't know why or how this

symbiotic culture makes these things, and they aren't even

strictly necessary for a successful brew. But if a culture

is no longer able to produce them, then the culture is

missing some of the members that would make it a Kombucha

culture.

Such a no-longer Kombucha culture may " recover " with time

if the " missing " species didn't die out completely but

merely had a population crash. Or the missing species

may actually return, literally from thin air as there are

spores for all sorts of bacteria (and fungi, and yeasts)

in the air at all times. Or you may add a little of

a more complete culture to an incomplete one and with time

you may get a new complete culture.

Now as for GT's, it appears not to be pasteurized, but it

may be that some step in their bottling process kills off

one or more but not all the contributing species of bacteria.

I was never able to start a successful culture with GT's.

I would recommend that you try to get a SCOBY from someone

and start over (or add it to your existing ferment).

> shesamazingnyc wrote:

>> Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with

>> GT's Kombucha as a starter. [...] However... I have

>> never had a thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind

>> I'm always seeing in website photos. My SCOBYs are

>> always thin and lumpy and have spider-webby tendrils

>> hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

There are two possibilities here... one is that in her

batch of GT's the missing species was not completely

extinct, but has not been able to fully recover either.

The other possibility, which I consider more likely, is

that another species of bacteria (which came from airborne

spores after she started her ferment) is trying to fill

the role of the missing species but not quite succeeding.

:j

[Guest guest]

Thank you for taking the time to write so much. I do actually have

1 SCOBY that I purchased from Anahata Balance (a nice, thick SCOBY

that also has produced a getting thicker every day baby) and I have

another one coming from the ever so generous Sandy. I know I've

read several times over that GTs brand either may not be Kombucha,

Kombucha as it's recognized here and such but I did in fact get

wonderful benefits from drinking GTs brand (and it IS raw so it's

not pasturized). The funny thing is that although my SCOBY from

Anahata has produced a nice baby, my brew didn't taste so good (I'm

going for a 2nd or 3rd batch in hopes that it agrees with me

later). And the GT one tastes better to me but so far, just the

brew sitting along has not produced a full SCOBY to cover the

surface...I have NOT yet added any tea to it but I also left a cup

of my brew (no SCOBY pieces in the cup and no extra added sweetened

tea) and sure enough, in 1 day, there was very thin, transparent

layer on the surface. Tonight, I plan to add some sweetened tea to

the GT jar to see if anything develops in the next few days. If

anything, out of sheer curiosity.

> >> Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with

> >> GT's Kombucha as a starter. [...] However... I have

> >> never had a thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind

> >> I'm always seeing in website photos. My SCOBYs are

> >> always thin and lumpy and have spider-webby tendrils

> >> hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

>

> There are two possibilities here... one is that in her

> batch of GT's the missing species was not completely

> extinct, but has not been able to fully recover either.

>

> The other possibility, which I consider more likely, is

> that another species of bacteria (which came from airborne

> spores after she started her ferment) is trying to fill

> the role of the missing species but not quite succeeding.

>

> :j

>

[Guest guest]

I don't know if anyone is even interested in hearing about the GT

brew but I just smelled it and for the past few days, it has smelled

more vinegary and today, the brew smells more like alcohol vs my KT

brew.

> > >> Thanks in advance. I started my kombucha brewing with

> > >> GT's Kombucha as a starter. [...] However... I have

> > >> never had a thick, white, even creamy SCOBY, the kind

> > >> I'm always seeing in website photos. My SCOBYs are

> > >> always thin and lumpy and have spider-webby tendrils

> > >> hanging off the bottom. They are NOT pretty.

> >

> > There are two possibilities here... one is that in her

> > batch of GT's the missing species was not completely

> > extinct, but has not been able to fully recover either.

> >

> > The other possibility, which I consider more likely, is

> > that another species of bacteria (which came from airborne

> > spores after she started her ferment) is trying to fill

> > the role of the missing species but not quite succeeding.

> >

> > :j

> >

>