Warning: I thought kombucha SCOBY hotels were a total waste of fridge space

For years I kept hearing about storing extra SCOBYs in a 'hotel' jar, and I thought it was just hoarding. My friend in Asheville gave me a piece of her 3-year-old SCOBY starter last fall, and I almost tossed the extra. I kept it in a small jar with some sweet tea as a backup, totally forgetting about it. Six weeks later, my main batch got moldy from a cold snap. I was ready to quit, but I pulled out that hotel jar. The SCOBY looked weird and vinegary, but I used a cup of the liquid to start a new batch. It fermented perfectly in 5 days, way faster than my old starter ever did. That backup saved my whole routine. Now I keep a hotel going, no question. Has anyone else had a SCOBY hotel actually save them?

3 comments

3 Comments

jones.gray17d ago

My cousin in Boise lost her whole setup to a power outage. She had a hotel jar in the basement that stayed cool, and it was the only thing that survived. Now she swears by keeping two.

maryh9611d ago

Rotating fresh tea into the hotel every few months is smart, but it can thin out the strong starter liquid. I add just a spoonful of sugar instead, to feed the culture without watering it down. That keeps my backup really potent for when I need it.

nancy_butler18d ago

Your story hits home. I had a hotel save me too, after a fruit fly got into my main jar. The old starter liquid from the hotel was so strong it kicked off a new batch in just three days. It's like keeping a library of strong cultures. I rotate a bit of fresh tea into my hotel every few months to keep it fed. That tiny jar has bailed me out more than once.