1st batch... weird brown mass forming... any advice?

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I'm a kombucha novice. I'm working on my 1st batch. On the second

day the scoby began to grow large dark brown solid looking flaps.

These were different than the strands of yeast that I have seen in

others. They are rather unappetizing in appearance and large, like

the leaf-like mushrooms you get in chinese soup. At first I thought

that the baby was brown because the tea I used was very dark. Then by

day 4 the white film began to form. The brown masses have gotten

continually larger, I keep thinking about the movie " The Blob " . I

fear that may have done something wrong. I have yet to open or shake

the bottle so I don't know how solid the stuff is.

Any advice?

It kind of looks like the thing in sanders photos of day one in the

photo section.

[Guest guest]

>

>I'm a kombucha novice. I'm working on my 1st batch. On the second

>day the scoby began to grow large dark brown solid looking flaps.

>These were different than the strands of yeast that I have seen in

>others. They are rather unappetizing in appearance and large, like

>the leaf-like mushrooms you get in chinese soup. At first I thought

>that the baby was brown because the tea I used was very dark. Then by

>day 4 the white film began to form. The brown masses have gotten

>continually larger, I keep thinking about the movie " The Blob " . I

>fear that may have done something wrong. I have yet to open or shake

>the bottle so I don't know how solid the stuff is.

These are just a variation on the strands of yeast, also totally normal,

although challenging to Western people's sense of food " rightness " . It

means you have a very active brew. As I have mentioned recently, when you

decant this batch and start your new one, save your starter liquid from the

top of the brew (before mixing it), which will encourage the bacteria

more. You have plenty of yeast and taking your starter liquid from the

bottom, or mixing the brew up and then taking your starter, will only

encourage it more. In general, the yeasts don't need encouragement.

--V

~~~ There is no way to peace; peace is the way ~~~~

--A.J. Muste