Big Baby Kombucha!
One of Kombucha’s many gifts is that of self-perpetuation. You can literally make a LIFETIME supply from one culture, if it is properly cared for. At first, this is a miraculous delight for the homebrewer, but after a few cycles, it can seem like you are in trouble with Tribbles. Many people are loath to simply toss the extra cultures, rightfully acknowledging that the SCOBY is a living organism with its own consciousness and intelligence.
The great news is that this is a win-win situation. Science has barely begun to grasp the full scope of Kombucha’s usefulness from functional beverage, to household cleaner, to skin & hair care product to vegan leather substitute. This flexibility gives the homebrewer an excellent opportunity to experiment. Instead of dreading what to do with those extra cultures – I’ve included some great tips for other ways to use them, but first, let’s take a closer look at what the SCOBYis exactly.
SCOBY – Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast
Most commonly pronounced with a short ‘o’ (like the ‘o’ in the word ‘go’) but maybe you like to call it “Scooby” after your favorite cartoon dog. 
It is also known as a biofilm, pellicle, zooglea (living skin), yeast mat or near lichen. The SCOBY is a protective layer built by the bacteria – most often Acetobacter xylinium, but could also be any of several other strains – to prevent other non-friendly or pathogenic bacteria from entering their food source while dually serving to reduce evaporation.
The zooglea also acts as home for a large number of yeast and bacteria. Think of it kind of like an apartment building – the yeast live on one floor, bacteria on the next, and so on. They build this cellulose structure to make working together easier. Finally, the mat makes transfering the necessary bacteria and yeast starter from one batch to the next extremely easy, ensuring their continued propogation.
WHAT TO DO WITH EXTRA SCOBYS
Beauty is Skin Deep
- Check out these recipes for making your very own beauty masque and toner from Bev Ferguson, owner of the Original Kombucha List.
- I like to take a fresh culture and lay it across my face (no, it will not suck your brains out, though the thought has crossed my mind). Allow the culture to rest on your face for up to 15 minutes, using a towel to catch the drips. You may notice some redness on your skin but it will quickly fade. If you are sensitive, always test first on a small section of skin.
Why this works
Living Band-Aids
- The Kombucha culture also has many topical uses. One of the terms for the SCOBY is zooglea, which translates as “living skin” and helps heal the skin from burns, wounds and other skin ailments. Biofilms are not new and have a wide range of applications from medicinal bandages, replacement blood veins, speaker diaphragms and more. BASYC is one such biofilm that is being tested and manufactured for such purposes. They have isolated an acetobacter xylinium strain – one of the bacteria native to the Kombucha culture – to create this biofilm.
- You can use pieces of the culture topically to speed healing of cuts, burns and other wounds. Cut a piece to size and hold in place with a bandage wrap. It will sting a bit, much like iodine.
Why this works
These nanostructures help the skin to rebuild
Pets are People too!
- Animals can also reap the health benefits of Kombucha. I give my dog Kombucha in her food everyday. She has a shiny coat, healthy skin and nails (despite having come to us with a bad case of mange) and very regular elimination.
- My friend Donna Schwenk of Cultured Food Life made these tasty sounding treats for her dog.
Why this works
Vegan Sushi?
- With the oceans being poisoned by plastic, healthy fish supplies are running low. Save a fish, eat a SCOBY! While many will feel disdain for the rubbery texture of the SCOBY, it is actually quite similar in texture to raw squid.
- If you don’t want to eat it straight, try adding a piece to your smoothie.
Why this works
How Does Your Garden Grow?
- Many plants thrive in more acidic soil environments. Grind up or coarsely chop a SCOBY and add it to your soil mix.
- Adding extra SCOBYs to the compost pile is a great way to return the culture to the earth. I throw them in my worm bin and boy, do I have a lot of happy worms! =) I use the worm tea to nourish my garden.
Why This Works
Do you have a use for Kombucha or SCOBYS that isn’t listed here? Leave a comment below.
Still need MORE ideas? Join us at the KommUnity discussion (already in progress) to talk about other uses for Kombucha & SCOBYs!
Hannah Crum is 
Thanks for posting this! As a new brewer, I only have a few Scobys set aside and I have plans to give those to friends. But it’s great to know the other uses and I will def try some of these out in the future!
What an AWESOME post!! Thank you!
I like to take my SCOBY’s and blend them up until liquid and add honey. I apply a thin layer on my face and let it dry then wash off with a natural hemp soap like Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap.
I also add some Kombucha brew to a nice hot bath and it softens my skin.
I also spread the love and have become an advocate for the benefits of Kombucha, educating my friends and giving them a free SCOBY to start out
Excellent suggestions! I’ve heard some use jojoba or other essential oils for the face cream. I’m a big fan of just laying it on my face
So glad that you are sharing the knowledge of Kombucha & your extra SCOBYs with friends! The more who benefit the better!
These are excellent uses for KT & SCOBYs – thanks for sharing your tips and for spreading the Kombucha LOVE =)
I have been using homemade kombucha for a few months but dont know how to keep my discarded scobys. Do I have to keep them in kaboucha in the fridge or what?
Check out the SCOBY Hotel Video for how to store your extra cultures.
using the culture for the skin and hair is a bad idea the skin and hair have a pH of 3.4 to 5.4 and the reason your skin turns red is because of the acid making your skin a higher acid level giving you what is similar to a chemical burn that is why some times when cosmetologists get bleach on the skin they will put a pH balancer that returns the skin to its natural pH
Vinegar has been used in beauty regimens for skin and hair for millenia. Kombucha is an acetic acid ferment similar to vinegar. If your skin is sensitive, dilute with pure water.
You’re both right.
A chemical peel is a great way to force remove old skin cells and generate some new even healthier ones (because you drink Kombucha now!).
Different acids are used such as lactic acid….
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_peel
My SCOBY hotel has a SCOBY that looks like a balloon. Is that normal? And in the video says that you can keep the hotel for 90 days, but I started mine 6 days ago and it´s pretty potent., almost vinegar. Do I keep it like that for 84 more days? or should I make a new feeder for it? Thanks!
Im with ya here! I see so much potential it’s hard to choose a place to start! I am more and more believing those who have hypothesized that fungi are advancing consciousness and creating a culture for which their continuity is rewarded. I feel so blessed to be a part of their vehicle.
I have been experimenting with my scoby batches for some time now, I have notebooks full of experiments relating to medical uses, bioremediation, use as a meat substitute, to produce a living battery (the vinegar created makes for a renewable electrolyte and the scoby keeps the fluid from evaporation) To use of different plant based teas to impart new qualities to the brew. I even grow giants for halloween use with light sticks to make a kind of alien pod. I would like to build up a form that follows the human form for use as a sort of bioelectric medium or to integrate minor homebrew cybernetic systems. I guess I’m sort of a garage mad scientist when it comes to the stuff, but when you can grow and test the limits of this great stuff, It really takes on a life of its own!
Questions: What if each Scoby attaches to the original and you have one big Scoby piece? Can I cut it to separate it?
Thanks!
Jess
No worries! Cut it with scissors (sanitize with distilled (white) vinegar) or rip it apart with your bare hands!
I havn’t tried this yet, but soon I will. For a long time now, I’ve been pondering making a sandwich without bread. There is just something about a sandwich that makes whatever is in the middle taste better, or seem more gratifying. In my raw food studies, I learned to sprout seeds in a deep petri dish, to create a tightly woven mass of sprouts resembling a slice of bread. I liked this, but still wanted alternatives. I’m thinking of using extra scobys to replace bread for sandwiches. Perhaps even as a sheet for wraps. I’ll experiment with fresh and dried scobys, and see which appeals most to me for this application. I’ve eaten many scobys before, and came up with recipes using them as vegan substitutes for jellyfish and squid. Hoping my sandwich will be as pleasing! Has anyone tried this?
When I said extra scobys, I didn’t really do justice to my feelings about scobys. Scobys can be shared, bought, and most of all, grown. There is no such thing as an extra scoby, or too many. If one finds they have more than they want, it should be their ethical obligation to gift someone else with the health and happiness that this fantastic organism can provide. What I’m thinking of is in addition to brewing kombucha tea, I want to grow scobys as a food source, and experiment with ways to get the most from my idea.
Can one use the yeastie strings to start a sourdough starter? I’ve tried to start a sourdough starter but I never have enough yeast to produce the bubbles. hhhmmmm
Yes Missy – you can! Here is the post on making sourdough with your Kombucha yeast.
ANTI-FUNGAL SALVE – In a Blender, blend SCOBY with fresh rosemary leaves (or R. oil if you have) and virgin coconut oil. Put in jar and store in fridge. Use as an anti-fungal compress (eg. athletes foot, ringworm etc). Application great for animals, esp because they lick medicines off, so this works first from the outside and then the inside.
Thanks for the great tip Andrew!
Is it ok to add an extra scoby to my brew? I also accidentally added two cups extra water. Is that a problem?
No problem Monica! Yes, you may add a 2nd culture at any time.
Can I put the extra scoby through a blender and put spoonfuls into my beverages?
Yes!
What about metal utensils? I know you’re supposed to avoid metal, plastic, etc and use a wooden spoon and clear glass container throughout the brewing process, but I have seen videos of others using scissors/knives to cut Scobys to size. And what the about the metal blades of the blender… does that not affect the Scoby and/or it’s next brew?
Kombucha isn’t “afraid” of metal. It is a powerful detoxifyer and if we brew in reactive metals, the culture will pull the toxins from the metal and put it in your brew. Incidental contact with scissors, metal strainer or blender blades will not have a long term detrimental affect on your SCOBY. Moreover, many kitchen utensils are stainless steel which is corrosive resistant.
is the scoby more beneficial than the liquard i see that it is getting put into food an drinks an food for animals which dosent surpise me it would be so alsum if the scobys work alot quicker than the liquard for healing im a bit hesitant to eat the scoby as it mite reproduce itslf inside of me just wandering is this possible it may happen
The bacteria & yeast & healthy acids are all present in the Kombucha tea itself. The SCOBY is bacterial cellulose and it is a great probiotic for animals of all kinds – human or otherwise!