My kombucha scoby grew a whole inch in a week after I moved it to the basement

I was reading this old book from the library, 'Wild Fermentation' by Sandor Katz, and he said temperature is the biggest thing people mess up. My kitchen sits at like 75 degrees, but the book said 68-72 is the sweet spot for a slower, less sour brew. I moved my jar down to the cooler basement last Monday and checked it today. The new scoby layer is legit over an inch thick already, and the taste is way more mellow. I always thought warmer was faster and better, but it just made it vinegary fast. This one change made a bigger difference than any fancy tea I've bought. Who else has tried moving their ferment to a totally different spot in the house and seen wild results?

2 comments

2 Comments

harperschmidt1mo agoTop Commenter

Oh man, my buddy did something similar with his sourdough starter. He stuck it in his garage during a cool spell and it went absolutely nuts, like it doubled in a day. Totally changed his bread game.

elliotjenkins1mo ago

Wonder if it's less about the cool air and more about the wild yeast strains in his garage. That's a totally different ecosystem than a kitchen. Could have picked up something from old wood, garden tools, or even car exhaust chemicals that made it hyper active. Might explain why moving it back inside didn't kill the effect, he basically inoculated it with a super yeast.