Hello everyone. This is my first post on here.
I recently purchased a SCOBY from someone on Craigslist. I made one gallon batch with it and another one with a bottle of GTs original. The GTs batch finally produced a full pellicle after two weeks and I already have a second batch brewing from the original SCOBY.
There are a few signs that have me a little concerned that the SCOBY I bought is really a MoV. For one thing, the GTs batch had yeast strands hanging off of the bottom of the SCOBY (it sunk when I stirred it to taste it a few minutes ago) but there are no visible signs of yeast formation in any of the 5 gallons I brewed with the SCOBY starter liquid, including the one with the original pellicle. The SCOBY batch with the mother also smells much more funky and sour even though it tastes sweeter than the GTs batch. To be more accurate, it tastes sour and funky upfront but the aftertaste is almost entirely sweet whereas the GTs batch has a more kombucha like flavor from beginning to end.
Is lack of visible yeast formation and a funkier/more sour smell despite the much shorter brewing time and the much sweeter after taste a sign that I'm brewing vinegar instead of kombucha? Do I just need to wait a little longer to harvest the SCOBY batch?
Thanks in advance for any and all replies
I recently purchased a SCOBY from someone on Craigslist. I made one gallon batch with it and another one with a bottle of GTs original. The GTs batch finally produced a full pellicle after two weeks and I already have a second batch brewing from the original SCOBY.
There are a few signs that have me a little concerned that the SCOBY I bought is really a MoV. For one thing, the GTs batch had yeast strands hanging off of the bottom of the SCOBY (it sunk when I stirred it to taste it a few minutes ago) but there are no visible signs of yeast formation in any of the 5 gallons I brewed with the SCOBY starter liquid, including the one with the original pellicle. The SCOBY batch with the mother also smells much more funky and sour even though it tastes sweeter than the GTs batch. To be more accurate, it tastes sour and funky upfront but the aftertaste is almost entirely sweet whereas the GTs batch has a more kombucha like flavor from beginning to end.
Is lack of visible yeast formation and a funkier/more sour smell despite the much shorter brewing time and the much sweeter after taste a sign that I'm brewing vinegar instead of kombucha? Do I just need to wait a little longer to harvest the SCOBY batch?
Thanks in advance for any and all replies
