Mould On Top of Brew - SCOBY On Bottom

[Boylan]

Hi all,

Made my first batch and, needless to say, got some mould on top of it after a week or so. It's been a bit cooler here in the UK and I also don't think I used quite enough sugar in my brew.

My question is:

My SCOBY sank to the bottom (I put it in when all was cool), and has not floated since. There is no mould on the SCOBY, it is just on top of the brew - and even then not much.

Would I be able to re-use this SCOBY?

I ordered it online from a reputable company and currently don't have the means to order a new one. Also can't nip to the shops to buy a bottle or Kombucha to help make a new SCOBY.

Thanks all for your time

 

[RPh_Guy]

Would I be able to re-use this SCOBY?

No, sorry.
Mold is allergenic and can produce toxins and/or carcinogens, which would distribute throughout the batch. Mold also makes spores, which would indeed the likelihood of contaminating the subsequent batch.

If you want to post a high-quality photo I could verify that it's mold. It would be hairy or fuzzy. Use the "Upload a File" button below.