If you’re going on a holiday and have to stop a batch of brew, or you’re keen to experiment on different types of teas and would like to have backup SCOBYs, then creating a hotel is the best solution.
What you’ll need:
– A glass jar
– Starter tea
– Sweet tea
– SCOBY
– Tea towel/ cloth
– Elastic bands
Instructions:
Simply put your SCOBY into the glass jar and fill half with starter tea and half with sweet tea so that the SCOBY has food. Close the jar with the cloth and elastic band, storing it in a cool place with good airflow. You may choose to close the jar with a proper lid after 2 weeks as the SCOBY will go into maintenance mode by now.
Maintenance:
– Check your SCOBY hotel once in a while and remove the brown yeast particles to keep the symbiosis of yeast and bacteria
– Top up the hotel with sweet tea or syrup every month
– The SCOBYs will continue to grow, so take out the thicker layers and thin them out to prevent clumping
– Every 3 months, take out your SCOBYs and transfer them into another clean jar. Check for mould while you take out the SCOBYs.
– Strain the liquid and use it as starter tea in your next batch of kombucha. Top off your hotel with sweet tea in the new jar.