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Upcycle, you mean Recycle?
Upcycling scoby is a unique way to make new use of used scobies. If you asked me what upcycling was 10 years ago, I wouldn’t know what to tell you. Did you mean to say “recycle”? And while it’s very important to recycle, it’s better for us and the planet rather than ending up in the landfill and contributing to carbon emissions warming the planet, upcycling takes a bit of a different approach. Instead of taking something used, like a plastic bottle, and recycling it into a new bottle for example, upcycling would mean something like making new use for that same bottle without wasting it.
People have found some amazing uses for old stuff. From turning scrap cloth into beautiful clothing or home décor, turning paper and plastic cups into tiny pots for plants or a simple jewelry holder. These are only a couple of the countless examples of turning old things into something new and wonderful. Now does this have anything to do with scoby; the bacterial culture used to make kombucha and other fermented beverages? Let’s take a look at some creative ways that brewers have gone about upcycling scoby that they longer need need or have use for.
Upcycle… a Scoby?
Now, why would a homebrewer want to go about upcycling scoby? In my personal experience, when I was a novice brewer I would toss out nearly every pellicle that formed above the scoby during the first fermentation of kombucha. This action led me to feel guilt, like I was wasting something precious. I thought to myself, “there has to be new uses for this stuff”, the scoby may make one queasy to look at (it looks pale, wet, and slimy sometimes) but it is nutritious, made of protein prebiotic fiber, probiotics, B vitamins and other nutrients. They’re also flexible and tough if you can believe that! Let’s take a look at three very unique and interesting ways to go about upcycling scoby.
The Joy of Gifting… and Composting
The most basic and straightforward method of upcycling scoby is to simply give it away. If you’re a seasoned kombucha brewer, you’re very well aware of the amount of mats or pellicles that form over the scoby and become thick over time. If you don’t have use for a Scoby Hotel and don’t want to discard that, why not gift the scoby to a friend or family member. “But Ryan, why would I do that? What if I don’t know anybody that makes kombucha?” And I would reply, “Have you ever bothered showing anyone how?”
Home-brewing kombucha felt so foreign to me when I was just starting out some years ago, but as I made the first few successful batches it was an amazing feeling, so much so that I introduced it to my buddy, and he even started brewing his own as well. And that’s the story of how Bucha Bros was born!
Origin stories aside, gifting a new or used scoby and starter liquid is a pretty neat gift, in my opinion. Another use for upcycling scoby is to simply turn it into compost. Do you have a garden or grow plants? Scoby can be added to your compost bin to make excellent fertilizer. I have not personally tried this, but I’ve read that others have. Just be sure to check the pH of your soil, since scobies tend to have a lower pH due to its acidic nature.
Upcycling Scoby as Food
Now here’s a thought, have you ever tried eating your scoby? Now I’m not saying you should fish your scoby out of your fermentation vessel and start munching on it as is, that would be diabolical! Not even I would do that, and I’ve done some rather untamed things. But hear me out, there are applicable ways to consume the scoby. Let’s look at some interesting ways to make food with a leftover scoby and I’ll even drop a few recipes along the way.
But first, are there any health benefits that come with consuming scobies? As said above, it includes protein, insoluble fiber, B-vitamins and other minerals. Its also low in calories, and can help regulate blood sugar levels. Don’t read too deep into these benefits however, as while kombucha is a wonderous health tonic, its still not a cure-all and shouldn’t be drunk to replace other good habits like proper diet and exercise. Still, it’s neat to know. And it is, nonetheless, perfectly safe to consume, even for pets like cats and dogs!
Scoby Jerky!
Have a dehydrator handy? Vegetarian and interested in “fruit jerky”? Why not scoby jerky! Pat your scoby dry with a clean paper towel and dehydrate it for several hours. When it’s done, cut it into strips and make it sweet by drizzling with honey or cinnamon sugar, or savory with teriyaki or buffalo sauce. There are many possibilities for what you can make with it. Here’s a basic savory recipe:
- Scoby or pellicle less than an inch thick
- 2 tsp melted butter
- Pinch of your favorite seasoning for savory (salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder)
- Optional (½ cup tamari or other sauce)
If using an oven, preheat to 90°F. Rinse vinegar off scoby (using clean hands!). Pat dry and cut into thin strips. Marinate scoby with other ingredients, then bake for 8-10 hours on parchment paper, rotating every couple hours.
Energy Bites!
Look in your pantry, do you have oatmeal or oats handy? If you grind up your scoby in a blender (cutting it up in chunks so it fits in and blends well, of course) and mix together with oats, honey, maybe some peanut/almond butter or protein powder like whey, chia seeds, etc. There’s limitless possibilities of the kinds you can come up with. Here’s a basic recipe for that:
- 1 cup oatmeal
- ½ cup nut butter (peanut, cashew, almond, sunflower)
- ⅓ cup dried cherries or other dried fruit
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup scoby puree (mashed or diced up to a pulp)
Puree the scoby in a blender and mix it with the other ingredients. Place in the fridge to chill for an hour or two to firm up. Scoop out and roll into 1 inch balls. Consume within a couple weeks. Some people even bake them, try 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Mix-In for Fruit Smoothie or Protein Shake
If nothing else, your scoby can be pureed in a blender or food processor. Why puree scoby? It’s a great way to add prebiotic fiber and probiotics to your fruit smoothie or protein shake. Here’s a basic fruity scoby shake:
- 1/4 cup scoby puree
- 1/2 cup strawberries or fruit of choice (preferably frozen)
- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or nondairy like almond or oat milk)
- 1/2 cup kombucha (flavored or not)
- (optional) honey or sugar alternatives like stevia to taste
Add all the ingredients in a blender, pour into a glass and enjoy.
A Purse?!!
If you’re looking for something completely out there but which remains in the realm of possibilities, look no further than a scoby purse. You heard that correct. People have been looking for a sustainable alternative to leather, whether its used for bags, purses, or clothing. With a bit of patience and a knack for handcrafting, scoby can be transformed into vegan leather and then sewn into a purse or hand bag, etc. How does one make a scoby purse?
It starts with a long first fermentation of kombucha; its important for the scoby to grow considerably in size, this article above mentions a pair of students waiting 4 weeks. Then the scoby is taken out of the kombucha and skimmed, treated with something like glycerin for flexibility, or a mix of linseed oil and turpentine, and then left to dry for several days to a month. The culture is then cut up into pieces used to be sewn together.
While there are many positives to vegan leather and a scoby purse, one of the downsides is that it isn’t waterproof and may warp if wet (at least for the students’ college project in the article). The process is a bit more complicated and beyond my personal expertise, but you get the idea. Its a unique concept, one that could one day replace the harms of leatherworking if there’s enough interest for it.
Should I Upcycle My Scoby?
With that, I hope you have a better idea about what it means to upcycle and upcycling scoby for that matter. There’s a number of unique ways to find new life in something used or has little use left. Having an extra scoby on hand doesn’t mean it needs to be thrown out. It can instead can be gifted to friends or family, used for compost in the garden. Scobies can also be turned into a variety of foods like jerky, energy bites, fruit smoothies, or fed to pets. People have even made vegan leather with it, creating fascinating things like purses and wallets. And there could be more uses out there!
Let us know if you’ve ever upcycled or tried upcycling scoby, we’d love to hear about your experience! Thanks for taking the time to read this, as we hope you find some of the information useful, or just fun to read about. Check out and order our kombucha here! Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine.
