Hello, here you are at 'my kombucha scoby' with the hopes of starting something new that is good for you in the new year. I know how excited I was when I first heard about kombucha and eventually got my first taste of kombucha tea (KT). My kombucha scoby became a living part of my daily routine for a good detoxifying drink and I guess an elixir of life; I hadn't tasted anything quite like it before. You may find yourself becoming fond of this pancake-shaped biomass and a bit possessive of same, but remember that kombucha and the resulting scobies are meant to make friends with and share all around.The 'scoby' became a new word in my vocabulary, an acronym for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. Now many people would be a bit dubious upon learning that acronym but of course we consume many foods that undergo fermentation. We love cheese, beer, wine, yogurt and even saurkraut. What's really great is that other than finding your scoby, you probably have everything else in the house already to make a batch of KT. So, we first obtain our scoby and collect some sugar, water, a gallon jar, a handkerchief, and either some ready made kombucha or apple cider vinegar for the first batch starter.
You're probably thinking, okay, I now know what a scoby is but where do I find this living thing. Not to worry, lots of folks are learning about kombucha and many are brewing their kombucha right at home; and ergo, it just takes a little asking, questioning, and exploring to find your first kombucha scoby.
The origin of our first scoby can be an interesting endeavor. We may find one from a friend or local healthfood shop; or even listed on craigslist for sale or gratis (you know – free!). Of course, you can find many opportunities to purchase a scoby online, but as for me, I related finding a local scoby to say, getting your own local sourdough starter. Regardless of where it comes from, it is a fun and healthy hobby that you owe it to yourself to try. So let's carry on, Cheers