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seanberger

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Hello All,

I started my first batch of kombucha on the 23rd, and I am thinking something went haywire.

I submerged all of my equipment into boiling water, along with using said boiling water as the main component of water for my batch (after it cooled down of course!). Used my starter tea with SCOBY, along with 1 cups worth of coconut sugar. Screw my cap with airlock on and let it sit.

After the first day or two, I noticed that alot of moisture was building up on the inside of the glass within the headspace. About two days after that, I noticed the white spots.

At no point in the process have I noticed activity within the airlock.

Did I mess up by using an airlock? Should I have used just cheesecloth?

Should I toss out what I have now? Or is this still workable? Or is it moldy?

Thank you all for helping noobs like myself.
 

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I've only been doing this for a month or so, so I'm no expert, but I can say that your pics look like what's been happening with mine and it's been making kombucha (albeit slowly) right along.

Plus, the people here who really know what they're doing almost always say that it looks okay so keep on. I figure if it's getting sourer and fizzy, it's okay kombucha
 
Thinking I may have been too quick to jump in here, since I don't actually know anything; just did bc didn't look like replies were forthcoming.

The experts here say that mold looks fuzzy or hairy
 
For your first ferment, I wouldn't use an airlock. Just a cloth/coffee filter covering top. Scoby needs air.
 
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