Is my scoby healthy?

[coco_roselle]

Hi Home brew community,

This is my first brew of kombucha & even though I've researched about mold, etc. I still thought I'd reach out before I bottle my brew in case I get sick.

Thanks.

 

[rossi46]

Looks normal to me. They aren't the prettiest things.

 

[coco_roselle]

Oh thanks!!
Well, I bottled that batch, made a new one, used the same scoby & this happened..
I did everything the same way I was shown the first time including emptying the tea out slowly & handling the scoby gently.
I'm too scared to separate them or cut them to size in case I disturb the culture but I will if necessary.
Any suggestions or thoughts on what I may have done wrong?

Thank you

 

[rossi46]

Looks like it has air trapped under it. It's really hard to screw up as long as you are half way sanitary.

 

[rossi46]

Oh thanks!!
Well, I bottled that batch, made a new one, used the same scoby & this happened..
I did everything the same way I was shown the first time including emptying the tea out slowly & handling the scoby gently.
I'm too scared to separate them or cut them to size in case I disturb the culture but I will if necessary.
Any suggestions or thoughts on what I may have done wrong?

Thank you

 

[rossi46]

View attachment 20170904_222155.jpg

 

[coco_roselle]

Is it bad to have air trapped under it?
I'm 100% sanitary so I didn't think it was a contamination issue.

 

[Yooper]

No, it'll settle down. A new baby SCOBY will form on the bottom if it stays like that. Then you can just separate them and have two.

I have a scoby 'hotel' where I save my new scobys. You'll soon have so many you'll be giving them away. I use the newest ones in a new batch, and I took a bunch of older ones to give away as well as to make a larger three gallon batch.

 

[coco_roselle]

Ok cool!! I was freaking out way too much lol
Do they have to be stored in containers or could large resealable bags do?

 

[Brewer-Joe]

I've poked holes in scoby to release the gas inside... Mostly because I don't want it getting up too close to the cover on the jar... Not because it's a problem

 

[KombuchaJim]

I usually dump a bit of kombucha over the top to keep it moist and high acidic to prevent mold. I like the idea of releasing air by putting a hole in it.