Here’s how to take a break from brewing kombucha without killing your SCOBY, from short pauses to long term breaks (+ how to make a SCOBY hotel).
Anyone who has been brewing kombucha for time will agree…our kombucha SCOBY becomes a bit like a pet. We love it, we nurture it, we might even name it (????????♀️).
So what can you do to make sure Peggy (err…your SCOBY) doesn’t die while you’re on vacation? Here’s how to take a break from brewing kombucha without killing your SCOBY so she’ll live for years to come!
Storing a SCOBY between brews (1 week)
Let’s say you bottled your first fermentation kombucha, but you don’t have time to start your next first fermentation batch. You’ll need to make sure your SCOBY is stored properly until you have a chance to start your next batch.
Fortunately, this is super easy – just leave it. Leave your SCOBY and some first fermentation kombucha (i.e. your starter for the next batch) in the jar at room temperature for up to a week. (Learn the best places to store kombucha).
Short term SCOBY storage (2 to 6 weeks)
So you’re going on vacation for a few weeks and don’t want your SCOBY to die while you’re gone. For taking breaks up to 6 weeks, just feed it and leave it.
A normal first fermentation can run for 4 weeks (if the temperature is not too warm), but this can be extended to 6 weeks if needed. Start a new batch of first fermentation right before you go, which will provide enough food and nutrients for the SCOBY to eat while you’re gone.
After 6 weeks, the resulting liquid will be very acidic and vinegar tasting, but this acidity is what will protect the SCOBY from mold. Either discard the liquid or use it as a vinegar in cooking (and of course, keep some to use as a powerful starter for your next batch).
Long term SCOBY storage (6 to 12 weeks)
For taking brewing breaks longer than 6 weeks, your SCOBY is going to want occasional feedings. Brew a fresh batch of first fermentation kombucha as you would with short term SCOBY storage.
Every 6 weeks or so, drain off some of the acidic liquid and replace it with an equal amount of sweet tea (the same ratios of sugar and tea that we use in the master kombucha recipe).
If you are pressed for time, you can add just plain sugar (1 cup per gallon of kombucha), but this should only be done as a last resort, as the kombucha needs nutrients in the tea as well.
If possible, store the kombucha somewhere on the cool side for long term storage, 60-65°F (16-18°C). This will slow fermentation and allow you to stretch the time between feedings, while keeping the kombucha in a safe temperature range.
How to Make a SCOBY Hotel
You may find yourself with more SCOBYs than you can use at once. In this case, you might want to set up a SCOBY hotel.
As the name suggests, a SCOBY hotel is just a jar your extra SCOBYs can hangout until you’re ready to use them.
To make a SCOBY hotel, brew a fresh batch of first fermentation kombucha (with the same ratios of sugar, tea, and starter kombucha as in our master recipe). Cover the SCOBY hotel with a breathable cloth (no lid), then just add SCOBYs to the jar whenever you have extras. Every 4 to 6 weeks, drain off some of the liquid in the SCOBY hotel and replace it with sweetened tea so the SCOBYs can continue to have food and nutrients.
When you’re ready to use a SCOBY from the hotel, simply pluck it from the hotel (along with some of the powerful liquid it’s sitting in, which can be used as a starter). Get the full guide to SCOBY hotels here.
Things to never do when storing a kombucha SCOBY
While taking a break from brewing kombucha is easy, there are two things you should make sure don’t happen:
- Do not refrigerate your SCOBY. Cold temperature greatly increase the chance of mold and will do more harm than good.
- Do not let your SCOBY climb out. Sometimes SCOBYs like to climb up the jar and out of the liquid. If this happens, just swirl it back into the liquid so that it remains in contact with the acidic kombucha. This is its natural protection from mold!
To dehydrate or not?
While some brewers have success dehydrating SCOBYs for long (loooong) term storage, I don’t recommend this. It has a high failure rate and is often more effort than it’s worth.
If you’re taking an extended break, just bottle some strong kombucha from a first fermentation and store it in the fridge. Kombucha (without a SCOBY) will last for many months in the fridge.
When you’re ready to brew again, you’ll have a powerful starter to grow a new SCOBY from.
The underside of my Scoby looks like jellyfish tentacles and it is darker in color than the top. Should I peel that layer off and discard and just keep the top layers. It is over an inch thick now.
The reverse! Peel off the top and leave the bottom (those tentacles are healthy yeast!)
Hi 🙂 I am going to go away for two months and I am going to leave my scoby in the pantry where it is dark and cold, after reading a few sites, i decided not to leave it in the fridge. I am a bit worried about the scody going to the surface and end up exposed to the surface… any ways to avoid that? And is it okay to no to feed it for all that time? Thank you 🙂
2 months should be okay, especially in that environment. I would “feed” it sweet tea before you go so it has plenty of sugar to nibble on while you’re gone! 🙂
Having had a rest from my kombucha brewing I have just received a scoby and a small amount of kombucha from a friend. She said she hadn’t made a brew for a while, the scoby and kombucha are very dark, there is no mould but they don’t smell right to me, there is a slightly mouldy smell. Should I presume the scoby and kombucha are dead? Or should I give it a try and see what happens?
This is a tough one! With fermentations I would always just use my best judgement, and a foul odor would be a red flag for me.
How do you keep the air smelling fresh in a small apartment when brewing Kombucha? I have a very vinegar-y smell permeating the air everywhere. 🙁
That’s common! Is there a closet you could put it in? It needs air to breathe, but can be stuffed away in a closet or back room.
Can I store my scoby for a few months in the fridge, if it’s submerged in it quite vinegary liquid, and with a solid top? I’m thinking that it shouldn’t get mold in such an acidic environment and filled to the top of a quart Mason jar with a lid should keep it submerged.
Is this good reasoning?
I generally don’t advise storing in the fridge because it stops the fermentation, which can make it more susceptible to mold. But if the liquid is SUPER acidic, it could be okay!
I found both your site and revolution fermentation. You suggest doing a scoby hotel and NOT storing in the fridge. They said to store in fridge and not do a hotel! I am confused but really like the hotel idea.
Hi Dave! They both have pros and cons. While you do have to feed it more if it’s at room temp, the risk of mold goes down substantially.
I was given a scoby a few months ago but didn’t get it started until this evening. It was sitting in the fridge this whole time without me feeding it or anything. ???? it looked fine, no mold. Hopefully it turns out. Am I doomed?
I think you’ll be okay!
I had delicious kombucha several times at a friend’s house in Florida. Before I returned to Wisconsin, she gifted me with a jar of what she called a “placenta.” It doesn’t look anything like a scoby; it looks like, well, what I imagine a placenta looks like! It apparently works well for her kombucha, and I’d like to know if it’s the same thing as a scoby.
I’m about to make my first batch. If it doesn’t work I’ll start from scratch with a new onw.
Thanks much,
SCOBYs can look like a whole range of things, so I bet it’s a SCOBY! Really all you need though is some started kombucha to get going (i.e. just unflavored kombucha).
I bought a scoby back in July 2021 and never got a chance to use it. I was under the impression that I should leave it at room temp so I did but didn’t realize I needed to feed it. Do you think they’re still any good assuming there’s no mold? Is there any way to tell from its visible appearance.?
If there’s no mold and there’s still liquid in the jar, it should be okay!
I made not 1st gallon of tea w/ so by. It has been 10 days. I now have to go out of town for a month. Can I put it into the flip top bottles and refrigerate it for a month? Will the bottles explode in the fridge? Or would you recommend a different process like leaving the gallon jug as is or put it in the fridge for a month. Confused in St. Louis
The bottles should be fine in the fridge! They’ll stop fermenting in there, so you shouldn’t have to worry about explosions.