SCOBY newbie questions

[vjekob]

Can I put the SCOBY's from white sugar and cane sugar in the
same SCOBY hotel and would it matter what type of sugar is
used in the SCOBY hotel ?

Is there such a thing as ideal number of layers/thickness of a SCOBY?

How many layers should a SCOBY have when it is put into a SCOBY hotel?

Can all SCOBY's be used for fermentation or put in a SCOBY hotel for future use eg.
even SCOBY's which do not float on the surface/have sunk ?

My understanding is that the newest SCOBY layer is on top and that a SCOBY layer turns
very brown when it is too old/wasted (bottom layer). Is it important which layer of
the SCOBY faces upwards ? Which layer should face upwards if you have a new grown
layer and have thrown away the bottom layer ?

I would like to separate one or more layers from an old SCOBY but they don't separate
easily - is the SCOBY "destroyed" if a piece of a layer is torn apart when separating them ?

What is the best practice for dividing a SCOBY so as to have two SCOBYs - do you just
take the newest layer and start the new SCOBY with that or wait till there are more layers
and separate a SCOBY of more than one layer thickness ?

 

[vjekob]

bumpety-bump - can someone please comment ?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Can I put the SCOBY's from white sugar and cane sugar in the
same SCOBY hotel and would it matter what type of sugar is
used in the SCOBY hotel ?

Type of sugar doesn't matter at all.

Is there such a thing as ideal number of layers/thickness of a SCOBY?

How many layers should a SCOBY have when it is put into a SCOBY hotel?

No. In fact the SCOBY pellicle itself doesn't matter at all. The microbes live throughout the liquid too.

Can all SCOBY's be used for fermentation or put in a SCOBY hotel for future use eg. even SCOBY's which do not float on the surface/have sunk ?

Yep.

My understanding is that the newest SCOBY layer is on top and that a SCOBY layer turns
very brown when it is too old/wasted (bottom layer). Is it important which layer of
the SCOBY faces upwards ? Which layer should face upwards if you have a new grown
layer and have thrown away the bottom layer ?

The SCOBY pellicle turns brown from oxidation. It doesn't not affect anything, other than letting you know that you may need a little better oxygen control.

I would like to separate one or more layers from an old SCOBY but they don't separate
easily - is the SCOBY "destroyed" if a piece of a layer is torn apart when separating them ?

See above. The SCOBY pellicle (the snot blob) is just a byproduct of the microbes and a convenient way to save and re-pitch them.
Separating layers is pointless but wont hurt anything.

What is the best practice for dividing a SCOBY so as to have two SCOBYs - do you just
take the newest layer and start the new SCOBY with that or wait till there are more layers
and separate a SCOBY of more than one layer thickness ?

I suppose the easiest way is to simply cut the pellicle in half (into semi-circles).

Cheers. Hope this simplifies things for you!

 

[vjekob]

@RPh_Guy - much appreciated ! That has cleared up a lot of things - I was so focused on the pellicle new, old, etc. I didn't consider the fact that points you brought up.

From this info I then conclude that it doesn't matter which pellicle I take for the new batch - an old multilayer one which has dropped to the bottom or a very thin new one except that maybe the old one has a higher concentration of microbes making it a better choice (in case I want to keep only one of them) – correct ?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Yes, exactly!

 

[RogerL47]

Once you have a "balanced" ferment, I don't see a need for any scoby. The bacteria (Acetobacter)that live within the scoby produces vinegar and requires O2 dissolved into the liquid at the surface. Many complaints that I usually receive are; "Too much vinegar in my Kombucha". That is a direct result of too much acetobacter. Getting the right balance in a Kombucha takes time and experience.

 

[sinergy]

and, as a newby member myself, what tips may you suggest to achieve this balance?

 

[RogerL47]

The process includes Yeast, Acetobacter (vinegar) & Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) as the main biological units. They will all compete for the available food supply. The yeast will convert the sugars to alcohol. The Acetobacter will convert the alcohol to acetic acid (vinegar). The LAB will convert the available remaining sugars to Lactic Acid. From this, you can see that an overabundance of any of one these biological units will produce an unbalanced process. For instance, the yeast is "facultative" lives with or without free dissolved O2. During the startup phase, there is ample O2 where the yeast will produce many more yeast. When the O2 runs out, the yeast then sets about producing alcohol.

The Acetobacter is a strict Aerobe. It requires free dissolved O2 to live and produce vinegar, consuming the alcohol that the yeast produced. The LAB is an Anaerobe where it lives without free dissolved O2. From this, when the O2 runs out, the yeast is producing alcohol and the LAB is producing Lactic Acid. If there is too much air getting into the vessel, the Acetobacter will continue to produce vinegar which you do not want. To prevent the Acetobacter producing vinegar, you must have the fermenting vessel sealed to prevent outside air from getting in. My suggestion: Remove the scoby and drain off the liquid through a colander. The liquid will contain enough Acetobacter. Put it aside, open to the air when you're preparing the next batch. When you have prepared your batch, add the scoby liquid and seal. This is my opinion only. When your ferment is finished, remove the product, leaving a good portion of the previous batch in the vessel. This portion should contain enough yeast and LAB and when you add the scoby "liquid", the ferment should start back up balanced. The yeast, LAB and Acetobacter will have been established and will ferment accordingly. I realize that many Kombucha fermenters swear by the scoby stating that it contains all the units required (Yeast, Lab & Acetobacter) but this is not always the case. The scoby is a cellulose material produced by the Acetobacter for protection It isolates all other biological units from growing. If this is balanced, you will not have an abundance of vinegar or alcohol. Too much scoby and the chances of producing too much vinegar could occur because air will have been introduced into the vessel at startup.

 

[hottpeper13]

I repitch the fluid not the scoby. A scoby will form on top to make it go anaerobic fermentation. A clean tan smooth scoby is a sign of a good fermentation.