Noobie questions

[Kpotta]

Okay, I'm getting very discouraged. My new batch is covered in mold. This is the second time. Is there any way to prevent this? I just think it's ridiculous to keep having to buy a new scoby every week because that's quite expensive and wasteful.

 

[skadalajara]

The two things you haven't mentioned and no one's asked: how are you sanitizing your fermenter and what do you cover them with while you're brewing?
My first few batches all got mold. I had to do my best (well, ok, it was mostly swmbo) to rid my apartment of mold. Current batch is a continuous ferment started on 5 May and no mold.
You may have to clean more than your fermenter to avoid mold.

 

[Kpotta]

I used boiling water and vinegar to clean it. I covered it with a cloth napkin.

 

[skadalajara]

Ah ha! Well, maybe, anyway. Sanitization regimen seems good. You might want to switch to a paper coffee filter with a rubber band to secure it. Use a new filter every brew.
I was using a clean tea towel soaked in StarSan and was still getting mold. When we de-moldified the apartment, I switched to a loose fitting glass lid. We still get some mold in the bathroom, but so far, none in the kombucha.

 

[Kpotta]

Alright, thank you!

 

[Kpotta]

The room I'm using is next to the part of our house we call the dungeon which is extremely dark and dank and some of that might be escaping into the next room where I keep the brew because the room has no windows and is rarely used.

 

[Adam_Trainor101]

Thank you my next batch it brewing while I'm away. I can wait to see if there is new growth when I get back. This is fun!

I have not looked at this thread for a while but it sounds like your getting addicted to brewing now haha. Sounds like you have had some ups and downs too. Its all trial and error when your a newbie to kombucha brewing, I know I was the same doing things wrong and I sometimes do now. It could possibly be the room where your keeping the tea to brew. You've not thrown this second batch away have you?

 

[Kpotta]

Yes, I threw it away because it was covered in mold and I thought you had to. If you're referring to the batch that didn't grow mold I still have that and might try to grow a scoby with it.

The thing is I have a Jun scoby which is basically the same as booch except uses honey which is far more expensive than sugar. I don't want my first attempt at that to grow hairs either because it's so expensive, this is of course if I find out if I can help it. Thanks for your replies so much. And yes, I've been bitten by the fermentation bug indeed!

 

[skadalajara]

The room I'm using is next to the part of our house we call the dungeon which is extremely dark and dank and some of that might be escaping into the next room where I keep the brew because the room has no windows and is rarely used.

Umm, I think we may have finally solved the riddle.
Try moving your fermenter to the driest part of the house.
And put a fresh filter in your A/C unit if you have one.
Or put it in a box and lay a bunch of silica gel packets around it.

 

[Kpotta]

Okay, thank you. I will start keeping it upstairs where its dry. I like the in a box idea too!