Better kombucha brewing through chemistry (IMAGE) American Chemical Society Caption In a glass jar, a kombucha pellicle — the rubbery puck of cellulose that holds most of the bacteria and yeast culture — forms at the surface (top). With the silicone bags, however, the researchers noticed that the pellicle formed all the way around the inside (bottom). The increased surface area of the culture in the silicone bag may be one of the factors that speeds fermentation compared to traditional jars. Credit Jeb Kegerreis Usage Restrictions Image may only be used with credit shown. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.