The Difference Between Kombucha Brewing in Tropical vs Temperate Country

I had a chat with a fellow brewer Erin who regularly brews in Canada and currently relocated to Malaysia. Based on that conversation there were certainly several differences in the brewing process.

Shorter Brewing Duration
 Malaysia being a tropical country is always hot and humid 24-7. Thus the brewing duration to complete a kombucha brew is only 10-14 days compared to 18-24 days in a temperate country.

Thinner baby Kombucha Scoby
As the time needed to brew is way shorter compared to temperate countries, the baby Scoby that are formed are also notable thinner.To make the baby Scoby thicker you might need to lengthen the brewing process but you might end up with a more vinegarish brew.

Thicker baby Scoby

Thinner baby Scoby


Higher risk for mold growth
The risk of mold infestation on kombucha Scoby is very high here in Malaysia. The high humidity and temperature is a potent mix to encourage growth of mold if proper steps are not taken during the brewing process. According to Erin, the threat of mold is almost non-Existent in Canada.

And there you have it, 3 notable difference in the brewing process. If you have any that is not listed above, feel free to share it with me.

PS: Thanks Erin for sharing the information with me J

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