SCOBY – The Kombucha mushroom briefly explained

What exactly is a SCOBY?

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

For centuries, alongside the word SCOBY, the term "Kombucha tea fungus" has become established in society. However, it is not a true fungus.

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

The Scoby is actually not a real tea fungus. Botanically speaking, it is more like a lichen made of a whitish-beige substance consisting of yeasts and bacteria, rather than a fungus. This substance, in turn, is held together by cellulose. The yeasts and bacteria essentially live in a community and benefit each other. Yeasts, for example, produce alcohol, which in turn feeds bacteria, which then produce valuable organic acids from alcohol and oxygen.

Although Scobys come in many different visual variations, it is usually round like a pancake and its consistency is somewhat gooey. 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 Kombucha tea fungus is either more or less glassy in its composition.

How does a Scoby work?

The Kombucha tea fungus initially spreads out flat on the surface of the so-called nutrient solution. It first wants to get as much oxygen as possible. This thickens the underlying tea fungus culture or a new Scoby forms. The Scoby constantly forms new, tightly packed layers and thus becomes thicker and thicker. In some cases, the Scoby sinks to the bottom of the fermentation vessel. A new tea fungus then forms on the surface and the Scoby at the bottom of the vessel stops growing.

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

You will need:

• 1 large glass container with a wide opening – thoroughly rinsed without dish soap! (Vinegar is a practical cleaner)
• Tea – e.g. green tea, black tea (without flavorings/artificial additives)
• Organic raw cane sugar
• Water – filtered is best
• Unpasteurized Kombucha (e.g. Kombucha Original)
• 1 breathable clean covering cloth
• Environment for the Scoby: 1 room with a temperature between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius

Here's how to get started:

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-sugar mixture into the glass container and let it cool, preferably overnight. Important: Cover the glass with the breathable clean cloth and secure it with an elastic band or string!
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 re-secure the covering cloth tightly to the container and place the glass in a safe place

Depending on the conditions, it can take 7 to 21 days for the Kombucha fungus to form on its own. Initially, it will look as if small foam bubbles are forming on the surface of the liquid. These will become denser over time until the Scoby slowly becomes visible.