The good news? With the Kombooch kit, it’s genuinely hard to go wrong.
The starter liquid you received is very strong and acidic – this is intentional. It will protect your brew from mould by very quickly lowering the pH to safe levels. Combined with a healthy SCOBY, this gives your kombucha a solid head start.
Still, kombucha is a living thing – and there are a few simple habits that help keep your brew in great shape.
Mould is very rare if your setup is right. It is only really an issue if your starter liquid is not active or strong enough, or you have an unhealthy SCOBY.
Just follow these simple steps to keep your brew safe:
Sterilise your utensils every time before brewing
Wash your hands before handling the SCOBY, and try to touch it as little as possible. Anything the SCOBY touches should be sterilised
Use filtered or boiled water (or both). Our instructions talk you through the boiling process.
Keep your jar tightly covered with the double-layered cloth provided – this keeps out insects and dust
Keep the brew in a dark, warm spot (21–27°C), away from direct sunlight or drafts. Too much light can harm the culture.
Don’t move or disturb the jar once fermentation starts – a still environment helps the SCOBY form properly
Here’s how to tell what’s normal – and what’s not:
Fuzzy patches (white, green, blue, or black)? That’s mould – rare, but if you see it, it’s safest to discard the brew and SCOBY. If it still smells fine, get a second opinion- sometimes brown, harmless yeast can look worrying at first.
Brown strands or blobs? Totally normal! That’s yeast at work. SCOBYs are often weird-looking; lumpy, spotty, and a bit alien. All part of the process.
Smells bad- like cheese, rotten eggs, or mustiness? Toss it. That’s the biggest sign something’s gone wrong.
Smells tangy and sharp- like vinegar or sour apples? Perfect. That’s exactly what you want!
Feel free to send a photo in the WhatsApp group – the wisdom of the community can help.
