MamaDrew Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I had never heard of kombucha until now and as I'm looking it up on-line I see different options. There is kombucha extracts you just add to water, there is one that looks like it's in a beer bottle, and I've seen tea bags. Help! What is the best? Do you have any recomendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted January 11, 2013 Moderators Share Posted January 11, 2013 Real kombucha is a live culture, comes in a bottle, and is kept chilled. They have an expiration date too. The only brand I've ever tried is GT Dave's which is sold at Whole Foods and other places. You may get a little kombucha flavor from teas or extracts, but the really useful stuff is the live culture, chilled stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Della Nova Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 You should know that the taste of kombucha can be pretty strong and lots of people are put off by it. I suggest people start by trying GT's Synergy Kombucha, with the Strawberry Serenity flavor. The strawberry taste is really nice and even my husband (who dislikes kombucha) found it palatable. Try starting off with that and if you're good with the taste, move on to other flavors, brands, and types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terez Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I cut my Kombucha half-and-half with sparkling mineral water. I prefer it that way. But it's also a nice way to start. Personally I prefer the "original" flavor to the flavored ones. I don't care for sweet drinks and (when I'm drinking wine) I prefer dry wine. Just mentioning that as a guideline when selecting whether to start with Strawberry Serenity or Original flavor. Depending on whether you prefer dry wine or fruity wine, unsweetened tea or sweet tea, might help you decide which Kombucha flavor to try. As a heads-up, there is a slight vinegary-ness to the taste of kombucha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachael2288 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Best one is GT's Gingerade, hands down. I have one bottle a week (over 2-3 days) as a "treat" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I have tried GT's GIngerade as well as the Synergy Trilogy. I enjoyed them both, but cannot say I had a preference of one flavor over the other. I guess it depends on what you are in the mood for! i do agree to start slow with a single bottle purchase and make sure you like it first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladunn Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 try a bottle, and if you like it, brew your own! Check out culturesforhealth.com for some info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaDrew Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 I cut my Kombucha half-and-half with sparkling mineral water. I prefer it that way. But it's also a nice way to start. Personally I prefer the "original" flavor to the flavored ones. I don't care for sweet drinks and (when I'm drinking wine) I prefer dry wine. Just mentioning that as a guideline when selecting whether to start with Strawberry Serenity or Original flavor. Depending on whether you prefer dry wine or fruity wine, unsweetened tea or sweet tea, might help you decide which Kombucha flavor to try. As a heads-up, there is a slight vinegary-ness to the taste of kombucha. Thanks everyone! I do typically prefer dry wines, I was never a sweet wine person until recently actually. I think I'll try all three recommended flavors, thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terez Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I bought three different flavors when I started too, MamaDrew. My thinking was, I had heard it was an acquired taste and I wanted to give it enough of a try for me to acquire the taste. Isn't all this interesting and fun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaDrew Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 I bought all three today and was surprised at how many other flavors there are! I am drinking the strawberry one tonight since I wanted something sweet and it is delicious!! I will try either the original or gingerade tomorrow and probably go back for a few more flavors. I am drinking it out of a wine glass and it's a nice treat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Christensen Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Yum. Had some gingerade yesterday with lunch! Time to refeed my poor neglected giant mother and make my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melelina Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Does anyone know of a compliant brand that is sold in Canada? I went to my local "pseudo" Whole Foods and the only kind I found had a form of sugar in it. It also wasn't refrigerated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpketz Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Although I'm a little surprised that any kombucha is compliant since sugar is key to its fermentation, I would highly recommend making your own as per @ladunn. It's a LOT cheaper and kinda fun, once you get the hang of it. You can buy a dehydrated mother culture at culturesforhealth.com. All you need after that is a large enough container, some cheesecloth and a few bottles with closures. After you make a few batches of regular kombucha, branching out and adding flavors is easy, so if you like ginger or fruit flavored kombucha, you can always have a supply on hand. Maybe a moderator can weigh in on the compliance issue? Now I'm really curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladunn Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Although I'm a little surprised that any kombucha is compliant since sugar is key to its fermentation, I would highly recommend making your own as per @ladunn. It's a LOT cheaper and kinda fun, once you get the hang of it. You can buy a dehydrated mother culture at culturesforhealth.com. All you need after that is a large enough container, some cheesecloth and a few bottles with closures. After you make a few batches of regular kombucha, branching out and adding flavors is easy, so if you like ginger or fruit flavored kombucha, you can always have a supply on hand. Maybe a moderator can weigh in on the compliance issue? Now I'm really curious. If you do a forum search for kombucha, the compliance issue is addressed in several other posts. I know the culture feeds off the sugar you add, so when it's ready to drink, the sugar content is very very minimal...or not at all if you like the vinegar effect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaDrew Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 I'm hooked! I tried the hibiscus and gingerade and they are both great! The hibiscus is not as sweet as the strawberry, it has a really nice flavor. I am going to look into making my own but I'm not sure it will happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGEDDS Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 This just seems like another crutch to me......am I wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I'm hooked! I tried the hibiscus and gingerade and they are both great! The hibiscus is not as sweet as the strawberry, it has a really nice flavor. I am going to look into making my own but I'm not sure it will happen Gingerade is my favorite. Yum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 This just seems like another crutch to me......am I wrong? Most folks who drink kombucha do so in small amounts for the probiotic benefit of the bacteria. The flavors make it taste good, but the sugar content is minimal. The point of the Whole30 is not to remove all the joy from our food and drink. The point is to put the focus on foods that make you healthier and kombucha can be one of those foods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpketz Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Most folks who drink kombucha do so in small amounts for the probiotic benefit of the bacteria. The flavors make it taste good, but the sugar content is minimal. The point of the Whole30 is not to remove all the joy from our food and drink. The point is to put the focus on foods that make you healthier and kombucha can be one of those foods. Agreed. Although, one thing to note if you're new to Kombucha is that it almost always contains anywhere from .05-1% alcohol, which means 12 oz. of Kombucha is about the same as 2-3 oz. of beer. Perspective-wise though, if you leave orange juice out for a few hours you'll get a .03-.08% alcohol level, too, but, I do know some people (including my wife) who are extremely sensitive to alcohol, who swear they can feel a slight buzz after drinking a 12 oz. bottle so I guess that's a caveat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 The gingerberry is my new favorite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 I am working on a bottle of Gingerberry right now... yummy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stepford WASP Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 The mother is also called a scoby? I really do want to make own, especially now that I mastered paleo mayo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladunn Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 The mother is also called a scoby? I really do want to make own, especially now that I mastered paleo mayo. Check out culturesforhealth.com Its the site I went to when I wanted to start doing my own. I started in August and do about a gallon a week. I'm not sure if that site tells you, but you can grow your own culture if you don't have a friend who can give you one. You can google how you do it, but I think I just brewed a cup or two of strong black tea, added a lot of sugar- maybe 1/2 cup (although that seems like a lot) and a bottle of GT's organic kombucha (the original, not the flavored variety) In a few weeks I had a nice scoby to make my own tea. Each time you do a new batch, you'll double your scoby. I've read some people on here do a continuous ferment (if I'm calling it the right thing). I don't know anything about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnynancy Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I've tried several flavors, and I like the citrus best. I don't consider it a crutch because it's not replacing anything I eliminated. It is something entirely new to me, delightful, and healthy. I find it settles my stomach (contrary to what others have experienced. I guess I'm just a kombucha natural!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erinnalea Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 I greatly admire those who are able to grow their own kombucha, who are great cooks, and who can be SO creative in the kitchen. I am learning so much from this forum and have already gotten so far out of my cooking box... I cooked dinner for my mom - who's a chef by the way - on Saturday night and she said she couldn't have done it better herself. Woot! My point as it relates to kombucha? I know that I am never going to make my own, so I am ever so grateful for GT's. I buy it by the case at Whole Foods. All it replaces for me is one of my many glasses of water throughout the day, so I don't feel that I'm leeching onto it for anything. I have only had the original and gingerade, but now I will definitely give the strawberry and hibiscus a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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