The amount of sugar in kombucha will vary depending on the recipe. Sugar Content One of the health-related factors to consider when shopping for kombucha is the sugar amount. The price consideration will come in handy when you have to work within a budget, in which case it's important to remember that just because a drink is expensive doesn’t mean that it has more nutritional benefits that a moderately priced brand. Price Bottled kombucha can be quite pricey, and this is why the majority of avid kombucha drinkers usually take up brewing as a hobby as it’s cheaper. Alternatively, you can choose to experiment and try out multiple flavor combinations to achieve unique tastes. Ensure that you pick a flavor that you are comfortable with if it's your first kombucha experience. The process typically takes place during a second ferment during which the flavoring ingredient is anaerobically fermented with the raw kombucha, and at times sugar can be added to make the drink fizzier. Flavor There are so many unique kombucha flavors that rely on adjusting the recipe. While some companies do add extra probiotics after pasteurization, it's nearly impossible to give the drink a natural amount of culture as it had before the entire process. While this is a sure way to kill invasive bacteria, it also kills the good bacteria and yeast rendering the drink less helpful. Pasteurized kombucha, on the other hand, has been treated with heat for preservation purposes and sealed airtight. It, therefore, contains a naturally balanced culture that continues feeding off the dissolved sugar until you consume the kombucha. Pasteurized Raw kombucha is bottled directly from the fermentation process without changing its composition. As a result, it's recommended to take a couple of factors into consideration before settling on the specific kombucha brand to buy. Kombucha has quite a wide range of flavors and nutrients due to the application of a wide range of substitute ingredients. Not Much Time? Skip To What You'd Like To Learn. This can then be scaled up to the desired amounts. Due to health concerns, it’s recommended to start kombucha consumption on a low amount such as 4 oz to allow your body to acclimatize to the increased probiotics intake. Our Kickass Kombucha Brewers group is filled with generous brewers from around the world, or find a local group specific to your area.Ĭraigslist: Craigslist (and similar local buy/sell websites) are filled with brewers selling SCOBYs and starter, usually for pretty cheap.įriends: Have a friend who brews kombucha? They may have extra starter (or even a SCOBY hotel filled with potent starter)!Īmazon: If all else fails, Amazon has a variety of things from SCOBYs to starter kits that can get you up and running.As kombucha becomes more popular, it’s high time we looked into the most popular fermented tea brands with an emphasis on the flavoring and nutritional value of each.
Many groups don’t allow the selling of SCOBYs/starter, and will only charge you for postage. My favorite brand of unflavored is GT’s Organic Original.įacebook Groups: There are many Facebook groups filled with avid home brewers. Grocery Stores: Many organic or health food grocery stores – like Whole Foods and Sprouts – carry unflavored kombucha. Any kombucha that is sold at room temperature (i.e.
The unflavored kombucha (or “starter” kombucha) kicks off the reaction, producing a SCOBY over a couple weeks.
Which leaves us with the question…how can I start my kombucha now? Why you need unflavored kombuchaįor the uninitiated, you can grow your own SCOBY from scratch with just a bottle of unflavored, raw kombucha. But things are changing and our favorite brands have been pulling the unflavored bottles from the shelves. When I first began making kombucha, unflavored kombucha was easy to come by in any grocery store that carried kombucha. This may be the question I get most often – “Where can I find unflavored kombucha?!” You can make your own homemade kombucha SCOBY from scratch, but you’ll need raw, unflavored kombucha to start.