Scoby and starter tea left in jar

[telebrewer]

I gave a friend a mother and a cup of starter tea in a sealed mason jar. He never got around to making tea with it. It sat in the jar for about a month, in a cupboard, not refrigerated. I took it back and want to use it. The mother and tea look fine, but there was what looks like mold on the jar lid. It's sitting now sealed with breathable cloth.

Long story short, should I try to use it, or dump it?

Thanks.

 

[shelly_belly]

I left my last batch in the cupboard for 1 year. I reused some liquid to start a new batch and drank the rest. I threw away the mother as I never use them anyway. Besides, it was too big!

 

[telebrewer]

When you stored it, was it in a breathable container, or sealed?

And are you saying that you just use starter tea and don't add any mother to your batches?

Thanks.

 

[shelly_belly]

It was unsealed, but that shouldn't matter. I started my first batch from store bought juice which was sealed. I never reuse the scoby. A new one always grows. I use 10% kombucha and 90% tea.

 

[ba-brewer]

It was unsealed, but that shouldn't matter. I started my first batch from store bought juice which was sealed. I never reuse the scoby. A new one always grows. I use 10% kombucha and 90% tea.

Shelly, do you use the funky kombucha on the bottom or some of the clearer looking stuff on the top?

 

[shelly_belly]

Shelly, do you use the funky kombucha on the bottom or some of the clearer looking stuff on the top?

I only use the clear stuff.

 

[ba-brewer]

I only use the clear stuff.

Thanks, I started my present culture from a bottle of commercial kombucha so not needing to keep transferring the scoby makes sense.