Are you brewing your own Kombucha at home, and wondering whether you can share the live culture of this easy-to-make, ancient, health tonic with friends and family?
Or perhaps you're the friend of a Kombucha home brewer, hoping to get in on the Kombucha action?
This blog will explain everything you need to know about both splitting the existing SCOBY, and then how to use some of it to create a healthy, thriving starter culture to give to a friend.
Our Kombucha Starter Kits are famous for helping beginners make perfect Kombucha, right from brew 1, so if you don't know anyone with a SCOBY to share, we have a starter kit for you!
What is a SCOBY, anyway?
For those who may be new to Kombucha, a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeasts, see our SCOBY Gallery here) is a living, gelatinous, jelly-like-disc that feeds on the sugar used (in the sweet tea solution) to make authentic Kombucha.
The sweet tea is mixed with the SCOBY, and the fermentation of the sugar turns the sweet tea into Kombucha; an ancient, natural health tonic that's rich in probiotics, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds.
A healthy SCOBY is essential for brewing Kombucha, and by using the continuous Kombucha brewing method, it can be used to ferment batch after batch of this delicious, natural drink.
How to Split Your Kombucha SCOBY
Splitting your SCOBY is a very simple process that requires some clean hands and basic equipment.
You'll need:
- Your existing Kombucha SCOBY
- A clean bowl / plate
- A clean glass jar or container with a wide mouth
- Starter liquid (more on this below)
- Clean breathable lid (something like kitchen roll and a rubber band)
Step 1: Prepare Your SCOBY
Before splitting your SCOBY, make sure it's healthy and active.
If your SCOBY is looking a bit shrivelled up, or hasn't been used in a while, it's a good idea to refill your Kombucha brew with sweet tea and then split the SCOBY once that batch of Kombucha is ready.
Step 2: Create a New Starter Culture
To create a new starter culture for your friend, the most important part to give them is actually the starter liquid, which is simply the already fermented Kombucha, this is absolutely crucial to kickstart the fermentation.
A rule of thumb minimum (info taken from the rest of the internet) for the starter liquid is 10% of the amount of sweet tea they will add to the mix. So for example, if your friend will brew 2 Litres of Kombucha, they'll need 200ml of starter liquid. But it isn't really that simple (this is where it gets (very slightly) scientific).
10% will work fine to kickstart the fermentation of a new brew, as long as the pH is between 2.5 to 3 (very acidic Kombucha), but it takes much more time to bring the pH of the liquid down to this. In actual fact, the pH of the Kombucha you will probably provide will likely be between 3 and 4.
You could of course, leave your new culture to sit at room temperature, with its breathable lid and give it more time to ferment, until it has a very strong vinegar smell, but most of the time, our friends will be too impatient to wait!
This is why we recommend giving your friend a minimum of 20% starter liquid to the amount of tea they will add. So for example, if they will make 2 litres of Kombucha, they will need around 400ml of your Kombucha. the extra liquid makes up for the slightly higher pH.
If you are interested in measuring the pH, you can do this with cheap pH strips, or more expensive digital readers, I also find measure the brix (sugar percentage) of my Kombucha super interesting!
Add this liquid into the clean glass jar or container you will give your friend.
Step 3: Split Your SCOBY
Using clean hands, with jewellery removed, gently lift your SCOBY out of its container and place it in a clean bowl / plate.
You should have white-ish layers growing on the top, and darker ones growing below. Peel away one solid layer from the darker ones, and add this into the container you will give to your friend.
It doesn't matter how much you give them (make sure that the liquid you've added is enough to keep it submerged), and it doesn't matter if it is broken / misshapen, as they will grow their own one, to the shape and size of their Kombucha jar, once they're brewing.
Add the whiter layers back into your own Kombucha jar. Don't worry if they sink, they may bubble back up in a few hours by themselves, or you can try to adjust them to the top of the brew, but it also doesn't matter if they just float about at the bottom. You'll grow your new SCOBY layers on the top as before.
Step 4: Transfer the New SCOBY to a New Container
Cover the mouth of the container with clean breathable lid, making sure its tight around the edges, and so safe from flies and dust.
This will allow the SCOBY to breathe, and to turn the liquid into a super powered Kombucha starter.
Keep you new SCOBY at room temperature for 7 days, before handing it over to it's new home. This will bring the pH down a little, and you can check it's looking healthy before handing it over ready to be used.
Step 5: Give the New SCOBY to Your Friend
Congratulations! You have created a healthy, thriving new SCOBY to share with your friend. Simply give them the container, with some basic instructions on how to brew their first batch of Kombucha.
Make sure to share our Kombucha Recipe Club and Instagram page for non-stop recipes, tips and tricks and Kombucha brewing fun.
By following these simple steps, you can easily split your kombucha SCOBY and share the love with friends and family.
Happy brewing!