Hi Friends!
At some point in your brewing process, you are going to want to create a SCOBY Hotel. This vacation spot for your SCOBYs is the perfect place for them to chill out until an emergency arises.
WHY HAVE A SCOBY HOTEL?
*Your culture gets infested with fruit flies, vinegar eels, mold
*Your friend wants to make Kombucha too
*You are experimenting with different teas, roiboos, yerba mate, raw honey, etc
*You are going on vacation and can’t brew KT on your regular schedule
HOW TO MAKE A SCOBY HOTEL:
1. Grab a clean jar – at least a quart size or bigger
2. Put an extra SCOBY in the jar
3. Cover with Kombucha Tea
4. Hide in the back cupboard
—————————————STORING YOUR SCOBY HOTEL:
You can cover this jar in a couple of different ways:
a. With a cloth cover; the liquid will evaporate more quickly and you will need to check it more frequently but a new SCOBY will form to slow the evaporation process.
b. With a lid; plastic lids work best. Avoid metal lids or line them with a piece of plastic wrap to avoid metallic condensation from dripping onto your SCOBYs.
Whenever you encounter any problems with your brewing process, use a SCOBY from your Hotel. It’s great to have a couple, three of them hanging out, just in case.
From time to time, make sure there is enough liquid in the jar and refresh with unflavored Kombucha Tea when it starts to get low. That’s it!! The SCOBYs will just hang out in the pool until you need them!
—————————————
Hannah Crum is 
Thank you for all the wonderful info! I first made kombucha five years ago, but have never used green tea or fresh fruit and jams- always black tea plus herbal tea. Thanks again!
Melissa
HI! Thank you for your wonderful blog! I am a seasoned kombucha maker, but I have always used black tea + herbal tea. You have given me quite a few new things to try
Thanks again!
Melissa
Hi – I'll be out of the country for 11 days next month. Can I put the SCOBY in the fridge or would you leave it in the 'hotel' in room temperature? Thank you – Sandra
Hi Sandra! I'd definitely leave it out. You will come home to a fat, happy SCOBY and lots of great starter liquid to start your next batch. Just make sure you leave plenty of liquid for the culture so it doesn't dry out.
Thanks so much Hannah, I will do that!
Hello. My SCOBY seems to have developed some black spots. Is this normal?
Here is a picture:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mariepoling/4883737313/
Hi Marie,
Thank you for your photo. The black spots could be tea leaves. Could some tea have gotten into the brew? The black spots seem to be inside the SCOBY rather than on top of the SCOBY where mold would grow.
Please provide some closer photos, from a side view and I'll have a better look
I'd love to hear about your brewing process to see if it could be anything else. Email me the deets at kombuchakamp@gmail.com
☮ & ♥
Hannah
my mothers also develop like a dark scum slimmy like, i use loose leaf tea and i have come to the conclusion that it is tea dust that gets poured in the tea/sugar solution. you could avoid this by pouring your tea through a coffee filter. I don’t because it doesn’t bother me but its like in between the layers it looks like the scum that forms on top of the soup when you are simmering bones and easily removed with your fingers.
Maria
I’ve noticed that scobys often develop black places, or brown, when introduced to a new environment or a new batch of tea is introduced to the culture. My thought is that when a scoby is put in contact with a new solution[ one that it wasn't born in], parts of it die, as the scoby becomes extremely habituated to it’s culture conditions. However, I don’t think this is a bad thing as long as the tea is nutritive and free of toxins. The scoby is adaptive, and will become stronger for the experience. When I first experienced this, I was depressed, thinking I had failed this beautiful life form. I’ve seen this happen many times now, and know that this is how a scoby behaves and adapts to changes.
Hi Hannah, thank you so much for your tips and videos! I have a small SCOBY hotel, too, but I wonder if there might be too less sugar in, when there are so many SCOBYs in. Usually I take 100 g sugar per 1 l KT. Do you know a rule of thumb, how much sugar I need (per SCOBY)? Thx!
Cheers from Germany,
Kathrin
Halo Kathrin! Wilkommen! Okay, my German is not that great – so thank you for sharing your comment in English
Because the cultures in the SCOBY Hotel are not there to make more Kombucha, it is okay to have less sugar. This allows the yeast to relax and further cultivates the bacteria (which makes for great starter liquid!)
I would make your Kombucha recipe in accordance to the size of your vessel – if you keep the cultures in a 1 gallon vessel, you will want to fill it half way (1/2 gal. water, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tea bags)
It is taking my brain a minute to figure out the conversion – why aren't we all on metric??
Also, based on the conversion, it sounds like you are using double the amt of sugar (200g=1 cup – 1 gal=4 litres – so divide by 4 means 50g of sugar per litre) PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG!
For 1 litre, you'd want 1/2 litre of nutrient solution (1/2 litre of water, 25g of sugar, and 8g of tea). Hope that helps and that my math is right =)
i have a question please, why does the gallon container need to be filled only half? i have been filling mine 3/4 or a little more and i dont want to mess up my culture if thi would hurt it.
Thank you so much for this blog it is great
Maria
Thank you for your kind words Maria! You can fill the SCOBY Hotel as full as you like. We suggest leaving a little room for air flow to keep the SCOBYs happy.
Thank you very much for your help, Hannah! Formerly I took per 1,2 liter Kombucha or SCOBY-tea: 1 L water, 10 g loose tea (60 % green + 30 % black + additionally 10 % mate or lapacho), 80-100 g sugar and 0.2 Liter nutrient solution. In future I will reduce the sugar amount and advance the amount of nutrient solution. Thanks
Kathrin
Hannah, I am so grateful for your help, thank you. And from this old grandma… you are such a cute chickadee!
Dear Melissa,
I'm wondering how many SCOBY's can be used at the same time in a gallon Jar, to make some Tea- filled with one gallon water with the approtpriate amount of brewed tea and sugar? I have my origional SCOBY in the jar as well as it's offspring. Both of them are there, IS THIS TOO MANY and if not, how many more can I leave in the Jar??
Thanks Karen =)
Hi Anonymous,
I keep 2-3 cultures in my 1-gallon sized brewing batches. The more cultures that are in the vessel, the faster the fermentation and the less Kombucha Tea because of the liquid the cultures displace.
For the Hotel, I'd keep 3-5 as backup unless you plan on doing experiments with different types of tea, or herbs.
As you grow more cultures, you can trade out the older ones for newer ones.
i eat the old pads they are very tasty
Maria
Hanna, i received an email from you and you said more than two cultures would NOT ferment faster, but here you do.. please clarify so I know!!
While 2 cultures may ferment faster than one culture, 10 cultures will not necessarily ferment faster than 2 or 3. So it isn’t a 1:1 ratio.
Hi Hannah! How long can I keep my scoby hotel? I have about 3 in there right now and am not sure when I will brew next. How long can I keep them without them going bad? Thanks!
Hi Lindsay,
Just keep them covered in mature KT (or even add some sweet tea if you want) and they'll last basically forever.
H
Hanna what is kt?
I just figured it out kom tea, hello?
You got it, Loretta!
I just found your blog for the first time today. What a great resource!!
I was brewing my own kombucha for a while, and stopped when I moved to a new apartment. I put my scoby's in a glass jar with some kombucha and have had them in the fridge for 10 months. Do you think they'll still brew?
Hi Sara B,
As long as it remained wet the whole time, your SCOBY should be fine. However, it will likely take a longer time for the first brew to mature, then maybe even a few brew cycles to completely "wake up" all the yeast and bacteria and repopulate the SCOBY completely.
Thanks for the compliment!
H
Hi EveryOne,
If you plan to give away or use your SCOBY from the hotel to make more KT you should always keep it covered with a breathable cloth secured with a tie or rubber band. The SCOBY needs air to stay healthy!
Metal tops should not be used because condensation can form and drip from the top into your hotel.
Great video just an important point of clarification.
Peace, Love and Harmony,
Bev
Hi Bev,
Thanks for your comment. I agree that the SCOBY needs air to propogate, but as a storage option, I still believe it is okay to have a lid on your jar.
Now, that said, COMMON SENSE is important. If you see rust on your lid, just like with any food preparation, you should immediately replace your equipment. Most metal lids have a lining to prevent this kind of scenario, but if you are using just a straight metal lid, you are right Bev, that has to be monitored closely!
But again, with any food, you must inspect your equipment regularly.
P&L,
Hannah
I have my scobys in a hotel but I was told to keep them in the fridge. They have been there for about 2 months. Are they ruined or can I still use them? How long can they keep in the fridge too?
Hi Michael,
Keeping them in the fridge for a short time doesn’t ruin them, but it does make them go to sleep. Just take your SCOBY Hotel out of the fridge, leave out with a cloth cover and allow them to wake up naturally over time. Then if you need one, it will be ready instead of requiring a few batches to awaken. SCOBYs cannot go “bad” so I always leave mine at room temp and allow the living stuff to keep percolating in there.
P & L,
Hannah
Hi Hannah, I received a scoby from a friend and found your website. I now have three gallons brewing at a time. I am experimenting with different flavored teas. My favorite is Ginger Peach. I now bottle them like beer! I bought bottles, caps and a capper. It’s fun and delicious hobby. Thanks for you website, it was very useful.
Ric
Hi Hannah,
I have a question about the hotel. I have a two scoby’s in the hotel but it seems to be taking a long time to make a new scoby. I have it covered with a cloth like you said in your advance video. Should I make new tea and change it out with what is in the jar? Hope this makes sense. I want to make more scoby’s just in case I need more. I have given away 2 already from when I was doing batch brews. I have a continuous brewer now which I love and my oh my has that baby grown like crazy. I just don’t think my hotel is doing very good. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks…oh I LOVE your site. So much great info. I refer to it alot and gave your site to both people I gave scoby’s too.
Hi Penny – If you want to grow more culture more quickly, then add some nutrient solution to the hotel as well. That will stimulate the yeast and boost the fermentation process.
Thanks for sharing Kombucha Kamp with your friends =)
My scoby hotel is in really vinegary kT.. How do I calm this down?
Since you aren’t drinking the KT in your Hotel, this shouldn’t be a problem. If you are using some of it as starter liquid, then you can use less. If you want to reduce the acidity, then add nutrient solution (sweet tea) to the Hotel next time you need to add liquid.
What about keeping them in plastic Ziplock bags? I am running out of Jars and Jar space…
Hi Hannah! I hope you are well. It’s been awhile since we’ve spoken. I just got a scoby a couple weeks back from a friend and my first batch is ready to bottle. I was just perusing your site for tips.
My question is, what is a vinegar eel? That sounds horrid!
I have a similar question, can you put your scobies in a hotel that the top is sealed? Like a jar with a rubber sealable lid? I also had another question; if I have a scoby that is large from a bigger jar that I was using to brew, can I cut it in half or smaller pieces?
Thank you!
Hi Aaron. Yes, you can store your cultures in a closed jar, though I recommend using a plastic or glass lid rather than a metal lid to avoid rust. Yes, you may cut a culture in order to start 2 batches.
Hi Hannah, thanks for all your great info. It’s helped me so much! I do have a question RE the hotel. I kept my SCOBYs in a hotel as you suggested, but I placed a metal lid on top of the container instead of a cloth. Not sure how I missed that step
They sat that way for a couple of months. Now, my brew is flat and lifeless. Is there any hope? Or do I need to start w/ new cultures? Please HELP! Thanks 
How is your brew now? Sounds like some of your yeast may have died off – however, since they are often present in the air “wild”, they ought to come back in a few cycles.
Thanks for all your advice. I have started my own SCOBY and because we are in summer in SOuth Africa my brew is fast and my scoby doesnt get that thick but results are fine. I also bought another thick SCOBY and it is slow and it produces a much different taste to myu own, with a much sweeter finish. I was wondering whether the originating tea when the Mom was made does not infliuence the taste of kt? How does kt from Rooibos taste like, in more general terms, more on the sweet finish or vinegar???
Sorry if I confuse the matter
I’m not totally clear from your comment if you are using ONLY Rooibos or if it is in combination with other tea (green, black or white). If the tea is too sweet, then it needs to ferment longer or it could indicate that the culture isn’t active. Give it another batch or 2 and see if it doesn’t come around. Do make sure you are using tea as your nutrient solution (tea & sugar).
How long can the continuous brew go on without having to clean out the container? Also, does it make so many scobys that they have to be harvested as well. Should you pull out the older one and leave some newer ones to continue on? I just picture the container filling up with scobys like a kt hotel. Thanks.
Hi Hannah,
Just found your website and have watched a couple of videos. I am new to Kombucha, and in fact just finished my first bath. The scoby I had gotten (unfortunately not from you) was oddly shaped with a couple of long legs sticking out. Lol. Is that okay? All the ones I’ve seen in your videos are nice and round and pancake like.
Also, I didn’t know you WERENT’T supposed to keep the brewing jar in a dark cabinet, so mine probably didn’t get much air circulation. Does that harm the KT? Should I just start over?
Lastly, since my first batch is done, I was just trying to start a new batch because they take so long to brew and I haven’t built up a lot of scobys yet, and I forgot I was supposed to cool the tea before I put the scoby in. It wasn’t freshly boiled, but it was still fairly hot (probably around 160 degrees). Do you think I damaged the scoby by doing that?
Thanks! And sorry for so many questions. I’m excited and anxious to do this properly.
Jenny Ambotolis
Brewing KT is simple and fun once you get the hang of it. You definitely want to let the water cool down or you risk harming your yeast (they are temperature sensitive). Here is the Kombucha recipe I recommend using. Airflow is also important – a great place to brew it is on top of the fridge as it gets some warmth from the exhaust fan and is usually out of direct sunlight with plenty of air!
Thank u for showing me how to store the scobies in the scoby hotel
hi hannah,
I found your videos and entire site very informational and helpful. I got my scoby from a trusted friend and have completed 3 brewing, and results have been fine. However, every time there’s an extra scoby on top of the mother it always attaches to mother. I would like to have a scoby hotel or use those babies to experiment different flavors. Should I separate them? What do I do?
Yes, you can separate them into your SCOBY Hotel. Gently tear them apart or use a pair of sanitized (vinegar) scissors.
I have the same question as Jessica, What is a vinegar eel? I am new at making kt i have only been doing it now for about 2 months, so far my first batch came out good, but my second batch I guess I didn’t let it brew or ferment long enough. Hopefully my next batch will be better.
A vinegar eel is a harmless nematode. They are often raised as food for baby fish. They aren’t good for KT though because they eat the SCOBY.
Hi Hannah- Life got away from me and just saw my two poor scobys languishing in ziplocs. Bags seem filled with gas. Too late? Also at the moment don’t have unflavored kt to make hotel. Your thoughts are welcome!
Not too late Randy! Liberate the SCOBYs and get brewin! You will have more culture later to start the hotel.
Hi Hannah,
Question:
I am speculating since we can brew in a Food Grade Plastic (#2) bucket, that it is acceptable to use that bucket for a SCOBY Hotel.
Is this true?
I just hadn’t seen this asked of you yet?
THANK YOU for your joyous dedication to health and healing.
Bliss and blessings,
Gail
Thank YOU Gail for your kind words =) Yes, the bucket will work fine!
Maybe you are tired of so many questions from people.
Here’s mine – I’m hesitating to make a “hotel” to store in my pantry because I assume it will gradually emit a smell like vinegar? Also we often make homemade beer in the same kitchen and dh is concerned too much kombucha around might contaminate his work. (He makes beer, I make kombucha & kefir.) I’m wondering if it would be safer to store my extra in the fridge and just give them plenty of time to warm back up should I need one?
Also wondering if I need to periodically sanitize my continuous brewing pot and take out & clean the spigot? tia
Hello Hannah,
I’ve started my first Scoby hotel. Once the the level of the mature KT goes down, do I add more starter liquid or can I just make sweet tea and continuously add it in as the levels go down?
I am soooo glad to have learned this! I have always kept my Scoby in the fridge, and at some point find it vinegary! A Scoby Hotel it is!!
The other day after making some fresh juice, I added a bit of my Kombucha to it. Yum!!
Hey thanks for the great videos. How long can a kt hotel store viable SCOBYs? If I use a metal lid how often should I check on it?
Thanks
Peter
Don’t recommend using a metal lid due to condensation. Better to use a plastic lid or cloth cover.
I am using a Primo ceramic water dispenser for my continuous brewing of KT. Their web site said the dispenser is lead and cadmium free. It is made in China. I do not believe everything I read, and am wondering if there is any danger of there being lead in the glaze on the jar. I do not know if it is FDA approved. Do you have any thoughts or experience with the safety of using this for brewing KT? I want to be safe.
Most items made for food consumption are going to be lead free. If you are still concerned, you can purchase a home lead testing kit to see for yourself.
Can the jar you use for the hotel be round? I got a jar at Goodwill for my hotel, but it’s rounded, not straight up and down. Does that matter?
Yes, the jar can be any size as long as it is of a food safe material.
Can I let a scoby sit for 6 months in a close container? I am travelling for that time but would like to start over again when I return!
Hi. Thanks for this site. I’m completely new at brewing kombucha, and I’m bottling my first batch today. I want to make a scoby hotel. Do I add sugar to the kombucha tea for the hotel at all? Is this kombucha tea just the regular old kombucha tea, and not fermented kombucha? Sorry about all of the questions, but I have 2 beautiful scobys and I don’t want to kill them.
Thanks.
We like to feed the SCOBY Hotel sweet tea from time to time to keep the SCOBYs happy.
Hannah – I’m new to KT brewing, and my friend is SCOBY-sitting until my supplies roll in. Anyway, I’ve was told that a ceramic (and therefore, dark), lead-free crock is the way to go – but then I see your SCOBY hotel in a clear glass jar. What’s up? If I cover the sides of my 3 gallon clear glass jar with a towel, will that be dark enough to brew? Thanks – love your site and your energy. KT-generated, no doubt?
Yes Vikki, I like to think of myself as “bacteria powered”
The main concern with light is direct sunlight as it can have an antibacterial effect (best way to dry your clothes!). Ambient light doesn’t have an adverse affect on the cultures so provided they are out of direct sunlight, they will remain healthy & viable. You may also cover them with a long cover and we have gallon jar covers coming soon! (I’ll post the link here when they are in the store!)
At what point can vinegar eels grow in your kombucha?
At the point it gets contaminated. I wouldn’t expect it to happen, but if you purchase a culture or use a Kombucha that is already infested, then it will lead to an infestation. Their exact origin is still a mystery that we are working to figure out.
OK, then – Thanks so much for clarifying that I can use my 3 gallon glass jar for a scoby hotel. And, I read in this blog that I can cut the too-large scoby so that it will fit into the smaller-necked jar. Very cool! Other questions: 1) You have said that airflow is important, but that a plastic lid could be used. Am I confusing the type of lid needed for the brewing KT with the type of lid needed for a hotel? And 2)All of the crocks I’ve seen online (and, the one I have) have a slanted lip that a rubber band will not stay around. What’s a girl to do to keep a cloth cover in place? I noticed that some websites offer a ceramic lid in the $16.00 range. Would that work? I don’t want to spend money unnecessarily!
Since you aren’t brewing Kombucha in your SCOBY Hotel, you can use a plastic lid if you like. Our hotels are covered with cloth covers. We found that the cloth covers & rubber bands often just slipped right off the ceramic brewers, so we invented Brewer Caps that fit snugly on the vessel to keep fruit flies out! Check them out here – they come in a variety of colors!
Greetings Hannah!
I feel blessed to have a conv. with you
My question today is: What is your overall opinion of using a Charred Oak barrel with a wooden or plastic spigot for Continuous Brew of KT?
Also I might as well ask this too; How bad is it to have non-food-grade plastics come in short contact with KT(Like- funnels and stir-spoons)?
Thanks, and namaste!:
We will have Oak Barrels with all wood spigots SOON! (Call me if you want yours before they hit the site 424-245-5867). The tannins of the oak and the charring process provide a healthy and happy home for the cultures. We are choosing to go with an all wood spigot for peace of mind. Incidental contact with metal or non food grade plastics do not carry a risk.
Hey Hannah, I bought my SCOBY from you about a year ago and have been successful in keeping it going, but I have a question….. I made a SCOBY hotel about five months ago, after watching your video, but I’m worried that perhaps I ruined the SCOBYs inside. Basically I put the SCOBys in there with plenty of kt, and put a metal lid on it and set in a dark place. I haven’t fed it or really done anything with it at all since then. I just opened it to make some tea with the SCOBYs and it smells like liquor! The SCOBYs look great, no mold, but is the tea ok? Did they “go bad”? So my question is, can I use the kt for the starter culture for my new batch? Should I throw these SCOBYS out? I hope not, but I don’t know.
I would leave off the metal lid as it may corrode over time leaving your cultures with a metallic taste. Use a cloth cover or plastic lid for longer term storage. The alcoholic smell is due to the yeast and the lack of oxygen. No worries, it doesn’t mean that if you brew up a batch with them that it will create more alcohol. Just add some fresh sweet tea to the hotel, change the lid and they will be happy!
I am new at this and just received my scobies last week. Really thick and nice, thanks! I have begun to brew these in my large crock, and tasted last night and it is wonderful! My big question is, will I disturb the new thin scoby on top of the brew when I replace with sweet tea the same amount? (Do I stir this in, or just slip it past the scoby gently?)
Also, do I then assume another 7 days for readiness — or could it be ready earlier since there is much more kombucha per new tea?
Thanks for this site and your advice!
Hi Kay! Glad you are enjoying your KT. You can pour the top off tea directly on top of the new SCOBY. It will disturb the layer, but a new layer will start forming. Over time, you will end up with several layers fused together. Taste it from your spigot every day to determine when the KT is done. Refer to Chapter 5 of the Complete Handbook for full details regarding the CB process.
I just brewed my first batch of continuous KT…how do I build a SCOBY hotel from my brewer?
When you are ready to clean out your brewer or when you notice you have a nice amount of culture built up in the vessel, trim some of it or fish out your original mother to start your SCOBY Hotel.
Hi Hannah, today I’ve left comments on this blog for the first time. Doing so, it came to me how much I’ve learned in a short period of time. I give you my deepest thanks for getting me started on this wonderous journey!
When the tea ready and I want to flavor it how much Juice do I add to 3 Qt. of the Kumbucha tea, does it have to be fresh or bottled juice?
Experiment to find the flavor that tastes delicious to you. A little bit goes a long way especially if it is juice. Here is an article to read about flavoring Kombucha – hope it gives you some great inspiration! Share your findings with us when you do!
Hey, was just wondering what is the maximum amount of scobys you would keep it one hotel at a time and for how long? Thanks.
You can fill the jar up. Provided there is enough liquid to cover them all, they will remain viable for extended periods of time. From time to time, add fresh sweet tea to keep the cultures active. The starter it makes is very powerful, so if you drain some of the liquid off, you will only need 1/2 as much as regular starter.
Hi Hannah,
Love your site, very informative.
I have a gallon jar with several scobys and lots of brown gunk. Should I get rid of the gunk?
Also the scobys grow very thick and do not have layers is there a reason for this?
Thanks for your help.
The layer continues to grow until it is disturbed. If you haven’t touched or moved your SCOBY Hotel lately, then that is why the layer is so thick. You can always use a pair of kitchen scissors to trim off a piece. The “gunk” is yeast and yes, you may remove the excess yeast when you clean out your hotel. That will help to keep the bacteria & yeast in balance.
Okay, now I’m freaked. Vinegar eels? Creepy. A friend mailed me a scoby in KT and I’ve had it going for 3 days now. How does one tell if one has vinegar eels?
Nevermind, I found a you tube video! Yuck.
Hi Hannah! Do I have to worry about carbonation build-up on my scoby hotel if I put a lid on it? I’m out of town every other week for 8 days at a time – so I wouldn’t be able to release the co2 during that time. Thanks so much!
If you are concerned about carbonation build up, you can always put a cloth cover on the hotel while you are traveling. You will likely come home to a new, healthy SCOBY on top!
Hi Hunnah
I am a kombucha brewer. last month i saw my new scoby is so thin.i think my old scoby is weak so i used a newer scob but no change happend.Now i understand that my kombucha is contaminated whit a kind of nematode( a kind of worm). what can i do to swoop them? thanks
You will NOT be able to get rid of the vinegar eels once they have contaminated your brew. We recommend cleaning all of your brewing supplies with bleach & water to eradicate the eels and then start with a fresh, uncontaminated, quality culture
When my very first KT was done, I found a poor, thin, weak looking SCOBY on the top. It had stuck to the filter paper I had put over the KT to keep things out. I thought it had torn when I removed it. But I lifted it gently out and made a SCOBY hotel for it. Now 5 days later it has grown big and strong. I can hardly believe it is the same SCOBY.
Hanna, should i keep my scoby hotel in the fridge?
No. Cultures are temperature sensitive and the fridge is too cold. Best to store it at room temp.
How long will the SCOBY last in the hotel, and does it need to be fed?
The SCOBY will last indefinitely in the hotel. Yes, you will need to feed it sweet tea from time to time as you notice the liquid evaporating.
Hey quick question, do I need to burp my hotel if kept with a lid?
Potentially – depends on how warm it is where the Hotel is being stored and how active your brew is in terms of carbonation.
HELP!! I started myt batch, I left it too long but got a beautiful baby out of it… Threw thre baby ion a new batch, got two more babies out of those batches, then I started having warmth issues, which I know I could fix with a warmer… My question is: If the yeast gets out of hand because the bacteria is sleepy from the cold, how many batches might it take to bring them back into balance? I have GORGEOUS!!! SCOBY like creamy and beautiful and over an inch thick on three of them and still happily growing!! and it’s tart and vinegary tasting after 14 days, I’m in Canada.. it’s cold here..I love the flavor, I love the look of it, The SCOBY seem happy… but I’m thinking it may be too yeasty because of the cold..advice? Or am I just being neurotic?
We still have to clean out the Hotel from time to time especially when you notice that the flavor is getting too tart or that there is quite a bit of brown goop on the bottom of your jar. If you are getting creamy, happy SCOBYs, then it sounds like everything is going well. You will know its time for a clean out when the flavor noticeably shifts (too tart, beer-y, etc). Until then, Happy Brewin!
I have a 2-gallon glass container for continuous brewing, however it has a stainless steel spigot. Is stainless ok? If not, do you sell plastic replacements? Thanks.
If the spigot is actually made of stainless steel, then it is perfectly acceptable to use for brewing KT. If it is a plastic spigot with metallic paint, then we would suggest replacing it. The acidity of the KT will eat through the paint and it may chip off into your glass. We do sell replacement spigots —> http://store.kombuchakamp.com/Spigot-Modern-Porcelain.html
In a few days I will be the excited owner of a scoby from a friend, and because of your well presented information things will go well, Im sure.
My goal is to have it on hand for my family and then share the extra scobys, and your website. Maybe others will be encouraged to try it when they see how easy it really is.
Thank you!