SCOBY

noun

ˈskō-bē

variants or scoby or less commonly Scoby

plural SCOBYs or scobys also Scobys or scobies

: a symbiotic culture of bacteria (such as Komagataeibacter xylinus synonym Acetobacter xylinum) and yeasts (as of the genera Brettanomyces and Saccharomyces) in the form of a gelatinous film which results from the fermentation process that produces kombucha and is typically reserved and used as a starter (see starter entry 1 sense 3b) to make more batches

At the beginning of 2021, Romy Ellenbogen … got a kombucha starter kit in the mail. Every time she brewed a batch, her SCOBY doubled.—

Gabrielle Calise

The best place to find a SCOBY is from a friend who already brews kombucha at home. SCOBYs replicate quickly and can be easily divided for sharing.—

Deanna Fox

It's not unusual for the scoby to float at the top, bottom, or even sideways during fermentation. A new cream-colored layer of scoby should start forming on the surface of the kombucha within a few days.—

Emma Christensen

The natural carbonation in the tea comes from 'scoby', which actually creates the probiotics by fermenting the drink …—

Instablogs.com

called also kombucha, mother

Note: SCOBY is an acronym for Symbiotic Culture/Colony of Bacteria and Yeast; however, some brewers object to the use of colony, as colonies typically consist of just one species of bacteria or yeast.