The more Kombucha you brew, the more layers of SCOBY you’ll produce. Giving SCOBY away to friends is a great way to create Kombucha converts. But what if you don’t have a booch-curious friend standing by?
That’s where the SCOBY Hotel comes in handy. It’s a safe, healthy place to store your spare SCOBY layers until you need them. Think of it as an exclusive spa retreat where your SCOBY go to rest up and recharge! Plus, it acts as booch brewing insurance. No matter what happens to your current batch – mold, fruit flies, or just old age -- you’ll have a hotel filled with backups ready to go.
Building your Hotel is simple. We recommend using a clean 1-gallon jar. Just add your separated SCOBY layer, along with a cup of reserved, fermented Kombucha from your last batch. Then cover it with cheesecloth and a rubber band or a plastic lid. Find an out-of-the-way spot where you can check on it easily and then let it sit until you need it.
If you use cheesecloth, keep in mind that the liquid will need replacing as it evaporates…and don’t be surprised if you see a new SCOBY forming on the surface. It’s all good! Just push the new baby down beneath the surface of the liquid and let the Circle of Kombucha continue.
You can add more divided SCOBY layers to your hotel as needed. Just remember to keep about two times as much Kombucha starter liquid in the jar than SCOBYs to maintain the proper balance of yeast, bacteria and nutrients.