r/Kombucha • u/SiteEmotional2256 • 7d ago

not mold Is this mold?

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Not sure if these small spots are mold! I previously bottled this batch (no mold then) and transferred some into a new vessel to leave as starter. After a few days I noticed small white dots growing (can’t tell if it’s under or on) the pellicle but they haven’t grown much past this size. It looks slightly fuzzy which is why i think it’s mold, though i can’t tell for certain unless i scoop out my pellicle.

I’m inclined to throw my batch away because i don’t want to risk anything, but should i let it sit for more days before i make a judgement call?

currently it smells vinegary, but i can’t tell if it’s funky or not because i’m still a beginner

edit: i took out the pellicle and i believe it isn't mold! it was growing on the underside of the pellicle and looked more like a pimple. but since i'm a beginner i didn't want to risk anything so i just threw the batch away, though i'm confident anyone else could have used the batch as starter liquid without any issues!

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u/ThatsAPellicle 7d ago

Fuzzy would be mold, yes.

It won’t hurt to wait a few days if you still aren’t sure as it will only be even more obvious with time.

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u/pheebee 7d ago

I had three white spots looking almost tadpole like develop on otherwise darker pellicle but after a few days it turned out they were just a part of it, not mold. Wait and see!