Temperature Brew-Ha-Ha: Monitoring Kombucha SCOBY Growth at Different Temperatures

Overview

Objectives/Goals To evaluate the optimal temperature at which to grow a kombucha SCOBY. I hypothesized that a higher temperature within the range recommended by many kombucha brewers would be a more suitable environment, because most bacteria and yeasts have a higher metabolism at higher temperatures. Methods/Materials The manner in which I tested this hypothesis involved using aquarium heaters with thermostats to keep the SCOBYs at consistent temperatures. Since the recommended temperature is between 65º-85ºF, the four temperatures I chose for brewing the kombucha were 70ºF, 76ºF, 82ºF and Room Temperature. I weighed each SCOBY before the ferment, and then observed the changes over the course of one week. Results After a week of brewing, I re-weighed them. The results were definitive. At room temperature, the SCOBY grew 29 grams. At 70ºF it grew 48 grams; at 76ºF, growth was 57 grams; and at 82ºF, the SCOBY grew 73 grams. Conclusions/Discussion From this data, I concluded that my hypothesis was correct, but I was unable to establish an optimal temperature. So, I decided to repeat the experiment at higher temperatures to determine the temperature where the SCOBY's health starts to decline. These experiments are currently in progress and will be complete at the time of the fair.

Competition history

• CSEF 2014 Microbiology (General) · Entry J1511

Resources

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