What actually is a SCOBY?

You've probably already wondered what the word SCOBY stands for or where it comes from. SCOBY is the English abbreviation for SYMBIOTIC CULTURE OF BACTERIA AND YEASTS . Simply put, a symbiosis of bacteria and yeasts.

In addition to the word SCOBY, the term Kombucha tea fungus has been established in society for centuries. It's not a real mushroom at all.z.

What is a Scoby made of and how is it constructed??

The Scoby is actually not a real tea fungus. In botanical terms, it is a lichen, a whitish-beige substance composed of yeast and bacteria, rather than a fungus. This substance, in turn, is held together by cellulose. The yeasts and bacteria live in a community, so to speak, and benefit each other. For example, yeasts produce alcohol, which bacteria in turn feed on, which then produce valuable organic acids from alcohol and oxygen.

While Scobys come in many different visual variations, they are usually round like a pancake and have a slightly gooey consistency. Its surface can be smooth, but also very uneven. During the fermentation process, holes or small bulges can also appear in the Scoby, this is completely normal! Depending on the liquid content, the composition of the Kombucha tea fungus is either more or less glassy..

 

 

How does a Scoby work?

The Kombucha tea fungus first spreads over the surface of the so-called nutrient solution. He wants to get as much oxygen as possible first. This will thicken the underlying tea fungus culture or a new scoby will form. The scoby always forms new layers that are close together and thus becomes thicker and thicker. In some cases, the scoby will sink to the bottom of the fermenter. As a result, a new tea fungus forms on the surface and the scoby at the bottom of the container stops growing.

 

We explain how you can breed your own Scoby with a little patience, the right ingredients and very simple equipment!

You need:

• 1 large glass jar with a wide opening, rinsed well without washing-up liquid! (Vinegar is a handy cleaner))
• Tea e.g. green tea, black tea (without flavorings/artificial additives))
• Organic raw cane sugar
• Filtered water at bestt
• unpasteurized kombucha (e.g.Original Kombucha)
• 1 breathable clean drape
• Environment for the Scoby: 1 room with a temperature between 20 and 30 degrees

And here we go:

1. Boil tea with cane sugar for 8 to 10 minutes (8g tea per liter / 60g organic cane sugar per liter)
2. Pour the tea and sugar mixture into the glass jar and let it cool down, preferably overnight Important: Cover the glass with the air-permeable clean cloth and fasten it with an elastic or band !
3. The sugar should now be completely dissolved
4. Now the unpasteurized Kombucha can finally be added in a ratio of 1 to 10
5. Then reattach the drape securely to the jar and place the jar in a safe place

 

Depending on the conditions, it can take 7 to 21 days for the kombucha fungus to form all by itself. At first it looks as if small foam bubbles are forming on the surface of the liquid. These will become denser over time until the Scoby will slowly become visible.

Hinweis: Dieser Artikel ist ausschließlich für Informationszwecke bestimmt und nicht als professionelle Analyse, Beratung oder medizinische Auskunft zu verstehen, sondern enthält die persönliche Meinung des Autors, basierend auf recherchierter Fachliteratur und eigener Erfahrung zum Thema.