Should I strain my kombucha?

Kombucha Tip: Should I strain my kombucha? · Watch on YouTube

What are baby SCOBYs?

During second fermentation, depending on what you use to flavor your kombucha, you might find a "baby SCOBY" or some pulpy, globby bits forming in the bottle as the yeast digests the sugars in your fruit and the kombucha continues to ferment.

This is completely normal — a sign your fermentation is going well! They take different forms: sometimes chewy or mucus-y (for lack of a better term), sometimes just fruit pulp or sediment. In any case, it's all edible, and it tastes pretty much exactly like the kombucha around it. Ange honestly just gulps them down!

But some people find the texture unappealing — and when you're serving homebrew to guests or people unfamiliar with kombucha, it's usually best to err on the "conservative" side and strain. Totally personal preference. A simple stainless mesh strainer that fits over a glass does the job.

Can I prevent them from forming?

SCOBYs are a natural byproduct of fermentation, so it's hard to stop them completely. If you really can't stand the babies and straining isn't a fix for you, use store-bought bottled fruit juice: the more processed the flavoring (pulp-free, shelf-stable, pasteurized, from concentrate), the fewer fruit particles yeasts can congregate around — so you get a clearer brew and a smaller baby.

The trade-offs: pasteurized, shelf-stable juices sometimes take longer to F2, some brands' processing leaves funky or off flavors, and occasionally they stop carbonation altogether. That's why Ange prefers fresh fruit — but store-bought juice is definitely an option. Experiment with flavorings and amounts. The flavoring guide →

How do store-bought bottles stay so clear?

Many commercial brewers use yeast inhibitors, pasteurization, or other methods to unnaturally halt yeast production and fermentation in the bottle. The label may say "raw" and "natural," but the FDA doesn't really regulate that — take it with a grain of salt.

Your homemade kombucha isn't pasteurized (we're assuming!). It's a real, raw, living product — and SCOBY growth is part of that. Without it, your kombucha wouldn't be kombucha.

Anything to do with them besides drink or discard?

Compost them, or feed them to pets like some homebrewers do (just make sure you didn't flavor with anything harmful to animals). You can't save baby SCOBYs to brew future batches — they've already been flavored with fruit, and they're too small to be effective for brewing anyhow.