A home brewed kombucha expert, Iโ€™m often asked what is a SCOBY? And is it the same as mother in kombucha? Or kombucha pellicle? We’re answering everything you need to know about homemade kombucha SCOBYs here!

Collage that says "what is a kombucha scoby?"

There’s a good chance if you show an uninitiated non-brewer your own kombucha, they’ll be instantly turned off by that thing growing on top. I mean, it is gross right?

But once you’ve churned out your first delicious batches of kombucha, you’ll have a newfound love for your kombucha mother (so much so that you might even decide to eat the SCOBY)!

What is a kombucha SCOBY?

SCOBY is an acronym that stands for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. While you’ll most often see it referred to as a SCOBY, it also goes by “kombucha mother”, “kombucha mushroom”, or “pellicle”. But they all basically mean the same thing – the kombucha starter.

So how does a SCOBY work? The name says it all. Bacteria and yeast working together symbiotically n a fermentation process to transform sweet tea into kombucha. The yeast in the SCOBY eat the sugars in your kombucha, transforming them into ethanol. The bacteria feed on this ethanol, turning it into acidity and giving kombucha its distinctively sour taste.

The bacteria also feed on some of the sugar, producing cellulose as a result. This cellulose builds up to form the thick, rubbery SCOBY layer!

What is a mother in kombucha? The kombucha mother is just another word for the SCOBY, because it is the catalyst to the fermentation.

What is a kombucha SCOBY baby? As kombucha ferments, it will continue to make more and more SCOBYs, either making one large SCOBY or sometimes many small SCOBY babies.

Is a kombucha SCOBY edible? Can you eat a SCOBY? Yes! The SCOBY is made if edible cellulose, and can be added to smoothies or used to make jerky or candy.

Kombucha SCOBY on a plate.

What should my scoby look like?

SCOBYs are like snowflakes; no two are the same! Room temperature, humidity, ingredients, brew vessels, and age can all impact how your SCOBY grows and looks.

Some SCOBYs will be perfectly white and round, while others will be brown and sludgy (the brown stringy bits on bottom are simply yeast – nothing to worry about, but you can double check with these pictures of kombucha mold to be sure). There’s no “perfect SCOBY”!

Did your SCOBY sink? That’s totally fine! Learn more about sunken SCOBYs here.

Kombucha SCOBY in a jar.

Can you grow your own scoby?

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to buy a SCOBY to get started. You can make a new SCOBY at home with just black tea, sugar, and pre-made kombucha.

The pre-made kombucha (either from a friend or the store bought beverage) contains the bacteria and yeasts needed to get started, and will produce a SCOBY in 1 to 4 weeks. Just be sure to use a starter kombucha that doesn’t have added flavors! Get the full guide to making your SCOBY here.

How to use a SCOBY

Once you have a SCOBY, you can start brewing kombucha with it! You’ll essentially just mix together tea, sugar, and pre-made kombucha, then add your SCOBY. The SCOBY jumpstarts fermentation while creating a seal over the brew to prevent contaminants from coming in. Get the full guide to brewing kombucha here.

When your SCOBY isn’t in use (like if you have extras or need to take a break), plop them into a SCOBY hotel. Here’s how to make a five star SCOBY hotel!

How long does a SCOBY last?

SCOBYs don’t have a shelf life and can live virtually forever if fed and cared for regularly.

How to feed a SCOBY?

Feed a SCOBY by regularly placing it in a solution of sweetened tea.

Kombucha SCOBY on a white background.

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46 Comments

  1. Carmen says:

    Hi. Iโ€™m brand new to kombucha brewing. My scoby is huge, taking most of the jar, and smells vinegary at day five. What am I doing wrong?

    1. Sarah says:

      That’s all completely normal! You can divide up your SCOBY and get rid of some to slow down the fermentation a bit if you want to.

  2. Deb Murphy says:

    I received my scoby in the mail. I ordered it from Etsy. It said I could keep it at room temperature sealed in the same container for weeks. I had a family emergency and its been three weeks. Do you think it’s ok? Thank you! Deb

    1. Sarah says:

      It’s probably okay, yes!

  3. Crystal Nichols says:

    I have followed your “grow your scoby” instructions and it’s time for my first brew (maybe even more like 1/2″ scoby). I was wondering if I could save my scoby growing tea in a different jar and allow it to maybe keep growing scobies? or use it to store scobies my 1st batches make.
    2nd issue-how do I keep gnats off my scobies/kombucha in the late summer? This last year I had it covered with cheese cloth and it got a lot of gnats or fruit flies in it, so I chucked it out ๐Ÿ™
    Thank you for all your kombucha advice!

    1. Sarah says:

      Yes you can keep that tea and let it keep fermenting! It’s a great starter tea for future batches ๐Ÿ˜€ And here’s our guide to preventing fruit flies in kombucha. Happy brewing!