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Kombucha Tea Fungus Tibi - Frequently Asked Questions - Troubleshooting

At this point we have compiled all important information and frequently asked question with regard to kombucha tea mushroom. Maybe one or another will find his own question again. Many Kombucha buyer are very delighted about this valuable hints that is always accessible.

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Which ingredients do you use to make the delicious kombucha tea?

For the manufacturing of our high quality kombucha mushrooms we exclusively use selected ingredients from trustful and reliable sources. All products have been tested and have to correlate with our high quality standards before we offer them to our customers. This includes with regard to the kombucha fungus especially tea and sugar. For the cultivation we use solely high quality tea and sugar. Concerning our organic live kombucha scobies we of course use exclusively organic tea types. Besides organic tea the culture also needs sugar. At this point we use selected organic raw cane sugar and whole cane sugar. Naturally the sugar used to produce our organic live kombucha mushroom is also organic.

How much Kombucha beverage can I make with the Natural-Kefir-Drinks starter set?

If you treat your kombucha mushroom well it will accompany you for the rest of your live. The quantity of kombucha tea you are able to produce is nearby endless. With our kombucha starter set (375g Kombucha beverage including kombucha scoby) your can make 2,5 litre kombucha tea with the first batch. After one to two week of fermentation 2,5 litre of the delicious beverage is ready. Now you can enjoy the aromatic drink. Please note that of part of it is required for a new batch. For example: If you want to brew 5 litre kombucha tea you need at least 500ml (10%) of the beverage as starter liquid.

Start today making your own organic kombucha - just click here for the popular complete starter kit

How is the kombucha tea fungus of the Natural-Kefir-Drink package packed?

The fresh mushroom including starter liquid is packed in a secure food-safe bisphenol-A free plastic bag. This bag guarantees that your kombucha will reach you in perfect conditions. In addition the parcel is well-padded, so that the parcel is assured against vibrations.

Could the tea fungus get damaged while transport?

We pack the kombucha mushrooms including starter liquid only on the day of dispatch. The liquid provides protection during the transportation. At the same time it serves as starter liquid. Furthermore every parcel that leaves our facilities has to pass our quality checks. Even after a transport duration of many days the kombucha fungus will make tasty kombucha tea for you. Nevertheless please unpack the parcel immediately after receiving and start brewing kombucha. In case our delivery is contrary to expectations please give us feedback. Our top priority is your satisfaction.

Why does the self-made kombucha tastes different than those from the supermarket?

Your self-made kombucha tea beverage is a natural product that could change in taste and consistency from time to time. It depends on several factors like fermentation temperature, fermentation time, quantity of the kombucha fungus. You can't get the real homemade kombucha tea in normal stores. During industrial manufacturing regrettably all highly vital yeasts and bacteria is killed. This procedures prevents any further fermentation. Without this approach the kombucha tea would keep on fermenting in the refrigerated section in the supermarket and would convert into vinegar. For this reason you better make the delicious, exotic kombucha tea at home. You thus have direct influence on the quality of the ingredients.

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How long is the shelf life of the ready kombucha beverage? How can I store it?

After you have filled the beverage into glasses you should store it in cool conditions. Therefore you can store it in the fridge or, if you have, a cool basement. In this way the delicious "juice" has a shelf life of up to two months. Despite cooling the fermentation process continues in the ready kombucha. The longer the storage continues, the more the drink gets acidic. Because of the rising acid the quantity of microorganisms drops. If the kombucha drink is sealed in the bottle even more sparkling carbon dioxide develops. At best you plan the manufacturing of your kombucha tea so that you have always fresh kombucha. As time goes by you will develop a feeling for the fermentation duration and the relation to the taste.

How do I recognise that my kombucha scoby is fine?

For kombucha newcomer it is often difficult to assess whether the fungus is fine. After all you simply don't want to do anything wrong.

If you can answer the next three questions with "Yes" your little "friend" is totally fine:

Is your fungus growing respectively does the batch develops a new thin mushroom looking like a membrane?
Does the batch smells fresh-acidic like vinegar?
Is the scoby free of greenish, bluish mould (like a pelt).

Could you answer all question with "Yes"? Perfect, then everything is okay. If not, something is not right.

My kombucha tea fungus starts to get mouldy? It smells unpleasantly mouldy. What can I do?

Your kombucha fungus is very strong and has developed a sophisticated defence system against undesirable microorganisms like mould. The acidic environment the kombucha mushroom creates usually ensures that different kind of spores can't survive. In rare cases a kombucha scoby goes mouldy. At first you should find out whether it is mould. The kombuchas are completely healthy:

By complying the following procedures you can prevent your kombucha to get mouldy:

Did you add enough starter liquid to your batch? By adding starter liquid respectively ready kombucha drink the mixture gets acidified. This prevents the kombucha tea from foreign and undesired bacteria. We recommend 100ml starter liquid for each litre of tea.
Boil the tea 1 - 2 minutes. Tea is a natural product. Lots of microorganisms could adhere to the tea leaves. Sometimes it is simply too much of it or the combination of different factors leads to an imbalance. By boiling the tea you can ensure that undesired organisms that could disturb the fermentation are removed.
Store the fermentation tank away from sources of mold like potted plants, fruits, bread, cheese etc. Furthermore the smoke of cigarettes could harm the well-being of kombucha mushrooms.
Similar to the tea sugar is also a natural product and could host microorganisms. Sometimes it is simply too much of it or the combination of different factors leads to an imbalance of the culture. For this reason just boil the tea with the sugar. In this way you can ensure that undesired organisms that could disturb the fermentation are removed.
Very important: Before adding the sugared tea to your kombucha scoby and the starter liquid make sure that the tea has room temperature. If the tea is too hot the desired microorganisms that live in the kombucha fungus and in the starter liquid could get killed.
Furthermore make sure that the tea used is free of essential oils and artificial flavours.
By using a breathable cotton cloth or kitchen roll to cover the fermentation tank you can prevent undesired microorganisms through dust or insects to enter the batch.

Your kombucha really got mouldy?

Mould is green respectively blue with fine hair!? Then please do the following:
Firstly dispose the mouldy kombucha fluid. After that remove the mould from the tea fungus. At this point you can rub off the fungus with ordinary vinegar. Of course you have to clean the contaminated fermentation jar as well. At best you use washing-up liquid and subsequently rinse the jar with hot water. Now you can make a new batch of fresh kombucha. In Addition you should add - just to create a acidic environment - 5 tablespoons of vinegar. If you successfully made kombucha tea without mould you can keep on making kombucha. In case of doubt you should get a new kombucha scoby. Your health is worth it.

My tea mushroom doesn't swim on the surface of the batch - it sinks. Is that normal? What can I do?

Everything is fine!!! If you have made a new batch, that means you filled the fermentation jar with tea, sugar, kombucha scoby and starter liquid there are regularly 2 scenes how the fungus reacts. Either it sinks to the bottom of the glass and remains there. Then the following happens: On the surface of the batch a thin beige coloured layer will be formed. This layer is a new little baby kombucha. Congratulations!!! Of course, things may turn out differently: The fungus doesn't sinks to the ground of the batch but swims to its surface. Now the kombucha scoby will grow further on the surface and gain weight. It doesn't matter if the scoby sinks to the ground or swims on the surface of the batch - everything is perfect! Sometimes there is a mixed form of both scenes. Firstly it sinks to the ground and dances in the middle - even swims vertical in the glass, appears on the surface of the batch just sink again. No matter if a new kombucha is formed or your original fungus grow further, in fact: You can make more and more kombucha tea if you want to.

Does the ready kombucha tea beverage contains alcohol?

Yes, the ready kombucha tea contains after 1 - 2 Weeks of fermentation an average 0,5 vol. %. The alcohol content depends on different factors like fermentation temperature, fermentation duration and size of the kombucha fungus.

Can I drink kombucha during pregnancy?

The ready kombucha tea beverage contains an average 0,5 vol. %. For this reason it shouldn't be enjoyed by pregnant women.

How can I make kombucha at home?

The whole process of making kombucha is quite easy if we consider some basic rules and tips. Just get your complete starter beginners kit with a live organic kombucha scoby and act in accordance to our detailed guidance. Now there is nothing more to prevent you from making your delicious probiotic fitness drink at home - enjoy it!

Start today making your own organic kombucha - just click here for the popular complete starter kit

All about Kefir and Kombucha @ Youtube

Valuable Tipps and frequently asked questions around the cultures kombucha and kefir you will find on our youtube channel.

Visit us on Youtube - just click here and learn more

Study our simple and concise tutorial to make Kombucha tea or read the detailed one.
Click here to download the guide of How to produce Kombucha easy and safe at home

My kombucha is curled upwards - What procedure do I have to follow?

Everything is all right! There is a simple reason if your kombucha mother culture is curled upwards. The scoby works well and through this process carbonic dioxide is created. During fermentation a thin layer - a new kombucha culture - covers the entire surface of the batch. Therefore the carbonic dioxide can't escape and your little friend starts curling upwards. You should pay attention that the culture has to stay in contact to the fluid. Otherwise it could happen that it will dry out and die. You could pierce the blisters or help the carbonic dioxide to escape in any other way. Please not that the kombucha doesn't like metal.

Finally vacations - but what should I do with my kombucha scoby when going on holiday?

Whether the nicest season of the year is just around the corner, you will soon go on holiday or you need to take a break from dealing with kombucha - no problem! If you can't look after your scoby for some weeks ( 2 - 3 weeks or even more) please proceed as follows: Make your kombucha batch as usual, but add 40g more sugar. Now store the fermentation tank as usual at a light protected place without direct sunlight. You can also store it at lower temperature in the basement or the fridge. In this way you can take a even longer break. Less temperature slows the fermentation process down. Very important: Make sure that there is always enough liquid in the jar so that the kombucha couldn't dry out. If you have prepared the kombucha batch as described you can enjoy taking your time off. If you then got the desire to make kombucha tea again you can "wake" the culture. Don't be surprised if, after weeks of fermentation, a very acidic beverage developed. This kombucha vinegar may also be used. It is eminently suitable for making delicious salads. Now you just have to proceed as usual according to our kombucha tutorial. A few days later, depending on your personal taste, you can enjoy the tea fungus beverage again. Please remember to keep some ready kombucha drink (starter liquid) for the new batch.

Should the fermentation jar and the kombucha scoby be rinsed after every batch?

A guarantee for successfully brewing kombucha tea at home is cleanness and hygiene. We recommend to clean the fermentation jar after every batch. But it is not mandatory. You can also clean it only after every second batch.

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My kombucha tea is too sour - it tastes like vinegar. What can I do?

When manufacturing kombucha tea many different factors come into play. The great thing is that you can determine the taste of your tea fungus beverage by yourself. But what might be the reason, that your kombucha got too sour? Therefore you need to know, that the tea fungus ferments the sugared tea and in this way the whole batch gets acidified. Precisely through this difficult process the kombucha tea develops valuable ingredients and its fragrant unique taste. The following factors affect the fermentation process: Fermentation duration ( 5 - 14 days); fermentation temperature (room temperature), quantity of starter liquid ( 10% of the whole batch), weight of the tea fungus (50g each litre tea) and quantity of sugar (90g each litre).

Your kombucha tea is sour probably for the following reasons:

Perhaps the fermentation duration is too long!? Tip: Shorten the fermentation duration. You may try the kombucha after about 5 days whether the taste is fine for you. Just take straw and drink some kombucha tea. If the drink is too sweet yet keep the batch fermenting.
It may also be possible that the fermentation temperature is to high!? Tip: When it is too warm please reduce the temperature or shorten the fermentation duration. In the summer time the room temperature is often higher than in winter. For this reason the fermentation duration could differ from winter to summer. It is also possible that the fermentation jar is placed near heat sources like radiator.
Check the relation between starter fluid and the volume of the desired kombucha tea quantity!? Tip: The ratio should be 100ml starter fluid for each litre tea. If the kombucha tea is too sour you should increase the quantity of tea or reduce the starter fluid.
Your kombucha fungus may have grown and for this reason to heavy!? The relation between tea fungus weight and desired kombucha tea is not correct!? For each litre of kombucha tea you want to make you need 50g of the tea fungus. If the fungus have grown you should reduce the weight of the fungus or increase the whole batch.
Did you add too little sugar!? Tip: Add more sugar to the batch. The less sugar you add to the kombucha batch the faster it gets acidic. You can also sweeten the kombucha tea after the fermentation has completed. We recommend 90g sugar for the manufacturing of 1 litre kombucha tea.

How much of the kombucha tea beverage should I drink?

Every human is unique and reacts in a very individual way to different food staff. For this reason drink as much kombucha as you can tolerate and makes you feel good. Be aware of the signs of your body. Nonetheless you should give your organism the time to adapt to this extraordinary beverage so that you have the chance to benefit from its positive effects. Your body will be grateful for it! In order to get started, we recommend to enjoy to every meal one little shot glass (0,04 litre) of kombucha tea and increase continuously thereafter. Many kombucha lover enjoy about one litre daily.

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There are therefore different approaches, ranging from drinking the elixir on an empty stomach or after the meals. Some substances are better absorbed on an empty stomach some better after meals. Some people swear by health treatments with kombucha tea. During such treatments for example you drink 6 weeks kombucha and afterwards take a break for 6 weeks. Just test different approaches and find what works best for you and your body.

How often and how long can I use the tea fungus to produce the delicious kombucha drink?

With our live quality tea fungus you can make kombucha tea as long as you want. If you treat the culture well it could accompanies you all the way along your life journey. And it's getting even better: The kombucha scoby is growing from batch to batch respectively new little kombucha develope. This enables you to make more and more delicious kombucha tea. If you want to make more kombucha please be aware that you need for each litre 100ml starter liquid and a scoby with a weight of about 50g.

How much sugar does the kombucha mushroom needs? 90g sugar each litre - isn't it too much?

To make one litre kombucha tea we recommend to basically 90g sugar to your batch. Depending on your personal taste your can add more or less sugar - just the way you like it. You can give the recipe individual character. Furthermore you have the choice between different types of sugar. You can use ordinary white refined sugar, brown sugar, row cane sugar, whole cane sugar, coconut blossom sugar, agave syrup, sugar beet syrup just to mention a few. But what actually happens to the sugar? Besides tea sugar is another food resource for the kombucha scoby.

A large portion of the sugar will be metabolized into valuable organic acids and yeasts. The speed of the diligent microorganisms depends among other things on the following factors : Fermentation temperature, type of sugar, tea type and water quality. Basically it can be said that: The longer the kombucha batch ferments the less sugar will be in the ready beverage and the more acidic it will taste.

With regard to sugar you have the choice between different types. You can use ordinary white refined sugar, brown sugar, row cane sugar, whole cane sugar, coconut blossom sugar, agave syrup, sugar beet syrup just to mention a few. Depending on your intended taste and fermentation duration you can use more or less sugar. In our article "The right sugar for kombucha, water kefir and ginger root beer" we explain the advantages of each sugar type.

Does the kombucha fungus need air (oxygen) to breath?

During fermentation of kombucha many complicated processes are taking place. In general the kombucha culture needs air (oxygen) for the fermentation. It is a aerobic respiration and fermentation. In order to meet the demands of the kombucha fungus please make sure that the batch is always sufficiently provided with oxygen. You can ensure that by covering the batch with a breathable cloth ( cotton cloth or kitchen roll). In this way the culture is provided with enough oxygen and is at the same time protected against dust and insects.

How do I recognize that my kombucha tea is ready to use?

Well, that is a good question!!! And the only person who could answer this question is you by yourself. Because it is about you and your personal taste. That is the most important thing. As known, tastes differ as much as we humans do. In general after 5 - 14 days the kombucha beverage is ready to use. The longer the batch ferments the less sugar is in it and the more acidic it will taste. Is your kombucha too sweet?

Then just let the batch keep on fermenting. Just try the taste from time to time until your favourite kombucha drink developed. In our experience an average fermentation duration of 10 days leads to the best results. If you want even more carbonic dioxide in your ready kombucha tea just fill it into bottles - close the bottle - for some days for further fermentation. Attention: If the pressure caused by the carbonic dioxide gets to high the bottles can break. So please look every day and maybe open the bottle to check the pressure. Please note that you can determine the taste of your kombucha tea beverage.

Kefir and Kombucha @ Youtube

Valuable Tipps and frequently asked questions around the cultures kombucha and kefir you will find on our youtube channel.

Visit us on Youtube - just click here and learn more

Study our simple and concise tutorial to make Kombucha tea or read the detailed one.
Click here to download the guide of How to produce Kombucha easy and safe at home

Please notice:

The information on this website is provided for general information purposes. Even if the information provided here has been collected and examined with utmost care, no warranty can be assumed for the correctness, completeness and relevance of the information offered. Nevertheless we assume no liability for incomplete or incorrect information.

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