The ideal temperature for fermenting kombucha is 69-81º F.

If your culture is brewing at a colder temperature (66–68 º F.) it generally takes 3 weeks to fully ferment. However, if your brew ferments at a colder temperature, it's more likely that it will grow mold. If your culture is brewing at warmer temperatures (82–84 º F.) it is likely that the yeast will overpopulate and ferment too quickly.

If you are making a 1-gallon batch of kombucha, you should use 1 to 2 gallons of starter liquid. You can scale this up or down based on how much kombucha you are trying to brew.

This is actually a good sign and means that your brew has strong yeast activity. Just push the SCOBY back down with a clean spoon whenever you see the SCOBY climbing out of the liquid.

No, we do not recommend storing your starter in a refrigerator. When you store your culture in the refrigerator, you can cause the yeast and bacteria to go dormant and even potentially grow mold. 

You should store your culture on a countertop in a glass jar. The jar should contain 1–2 cups of starter liquid (your previously brewed kombucha) and be covered with a cotton cloth that is secured with a rubber band. To feed your culture while storing, add one cup of caffeinated tea with 1/3 cup of sugar dissolved into the tea. Do this every 4 weeks to ensure a healthy culture.

Yes, bubbles are caused by a change in air temperature, airflow, or a buildup of CO2 and are normal to see while fermenting kombucha.

Yes, this likely happened because of a change in temperature and will not affect the fermentation of your kombucha.

It's very rare for kombucha to grow mold, but it is possible. Often, what you think is mold is actually just yeast that can appear blue, green, pink, or orange. If your kombucha has actually grown mold, it will develop fuzzy blue, green, or whole mold on top of the culture.

Although it is very rare, there are a few reasons that your kombucha could grow mold.

• Your sweat tea liquid was not cooled long enough before feeding the culture.
• Your brew time was too short, try brewing for 12-14 days.
• If your brew temperature is too cold, make sure to brew above 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Your brewing teas have oil in them, try using black tea as a base with a little bit of green.
• The top of your culture was exposed to air, try leaving your SCOBY in at least 2-3 cups of starter liquid and push your SCOBY to the bottom of the liquid starter periodically.

It's yeast! Which is a sign that your fermentation is going great.

If your SCOBY has dried out, unfortunately, it is now dead. If you find that your SOCBY is dry, it's time to get a new SCOBY and start over. 

Unfortunately, your batch has turned into kombucha vinegar. But don't worry, kombucha vinegar makes great starter liquid for your next batch, so be sure to save a cup or two for your next batch. You can also use Kombucha vinegar like regular vinegar by using it as a salad dressing, household cleaner, and hair tonic. 

After you've used your culture for 5 brews or if your culture turns dark brown and can be ripped apart easily.