By: Brew Your Bucha Posted: February 5, 2019 in Kombucha
Listen, I know you work hard and bygone it, you deserve a vacation. Whether it be soaking up some rays on a tropical beach or traversing the plains of Africa during a safari, you need some time off. So, forget about the job, chores, and other troubles of your daily life and escape it all.
However, what about your precious Kombucha set up? You've spent the time to learn how to brew Kombucha at home, and now you have a bunch of SCOBYs living in jars placed throughout your house. Now, you remember that a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) is a living thing and will eventually die if you do nothing before you leave for your vacation. Yet, you've spent all this time and energy to care for your SCOBY, and it would be a darn shame if you just let it die. So, how to you plan the perfect Kombucha Vacation?
If you're one of the many who have asked this question to us before or just someone who has an upcoming vacation, or, just want to take a break from brewing Kombucha, stick around and learn how to plan the ideal Kombucha Vacation. We'll give you the information to ensure you have peace of mind while you enjoy your much deserved time off.
Shorter Vacations
Since most employees only receive around two weeks of paid time off per year, most vacations are generally shorter than a month. For these regular vacations that last no longer than a month, there are only a few steps needed to ensure that your SCOBY survives your vacation. To begin, you want to remove your SCOBY from your regular brew jar and place it into a separate glass container, which we will deem the vacation vessel. Then, add a cup of fermented Kombucha, also known as starter tea, to the SCOBY and ensure that it is submerged. Place a cloth over the top of the opening and secure it with a piece of string or rubber band. Shove the glass container into a cool, dark corner and you are ready for your Kombucha vacation.
Now, this method only works for up to one month, which should cover most vacationers. However, if you're going away for an even longer period of time, you'll have to take some extra precautions.
Longer Vacations
For those who are fortunate to enjoy a longer vacation, or are taking an extended break from brewing, a few more steps will be needed to ensure your SCOBY survives your absence, first is to read dublin business news monthly. Nevertheless, the first step is the same as you want to remove your SCOBY from your main brewing jar and place it into a secondary glass vessel, aka the vacation vessel. Then, you want to add around 2 liters of sweet tea that has been cooled to room temperature. This is a necessary step as hot tea will ensure your SCOBY's death. Furthermore, placing the vacation vessel into the fridge will slow down the SCOBY activity, prolonging its life while you're away.
This method will work for around two months at the maximum. The reason we want to add sweet tea to the SCOBY is because the sugar in the tea is food for the SCOBY. Thus, your SCOBY will be well-fed while you enjoy your vacation. However, this is about the longest you'll be able to store a SCOBY without further action. If you wish to extend this process even further, just repeat the step of adding cooled sweet tea which will "feed" the SCOBY for another couple months.
If you are to leave the SCOBY for longer than this period you will begin to find mixed results.
A Word of Warning
One word of warning: if you find your SCOBY appears to be disintegrating into mush or is turning a murky brown colour, you'll be better off discarding that SCOBY and purchasing a new one from our shop. For the small investment of under $15 you will be able to ensure that your Kombucha is safe for consumption with zero risk of making anyone ill. Furthermore, a fresh SCOBY will ferment better and provide a healthier, tastier batch of Kombucha.
So, the next time you're going away on vacation or want to take a break from brewing your own Kombucha, follow our steps to ensure that your SCOBY has a wonderful Kombucha vacation.