Kombucha 101: How To Know If You’re Drinking The Real Thing

Kombucha 101: How To Know If You’re Drinking The Real Thing

Social media influencers promote it. Health and wellness gurus drink it. Grocery store chains carry it. The kombucha craze has taken over. Yet, the trendy probiotic beverage that people can’t stop talking about actually has a whole history behind it’s effervescent conception. And it turns out, it goes far beyond the pop culture zeitgeist.

BRIEF HISTORY

In fact, kombucha came about in East Asia, dating all the way back to 220 BC. It is believed that in those ancient times, people would give one another (including the Royal Family) a SCOBY to create an “Immortality Tea” or “Long Life Elixir” as the ultimate gift of love.

THE REAL THING v. THE COMMERCIAL

Although kombucha is readily-available in most commercial grocery stores, finding authentically-brewed batches can be a harder feat than you might expect. To make sure you’re getting raw, unpasteurized kombucha, made in the vein of its sacred roots, evaluate your kombucha based on what you can SEE,TASTE,andFEEL.

SEE: Even if those floating strands at the bottom of your bottle alarm you, you should know they’re actually a living indication that your kombucha has been properly crafted. Those swimming strands are healthy live cultures that result from the kombucha’s fermentation process (which also creates those naturally-occurring effervescent bubbles). 

TASTE: If the first sip tastes just like your everyday carbonated sugary soda (or smooth like a typical tea), then put the bottle down. Real kombucha goes through a natural fermentation process which creates those naturally-occurring effervescent bubbles and produces its signature tangy, vinegar-like bite. These unique, natural qualities make kombucha a great, better-for-you ingredient that chefs love incorporating into all kinds of recipes.

FEEL: Many facets of kombucha’s crafting tradition have varied throughout history (i.e. green tea vs. black tea), however the one thing that remains consistent is its reputation for healing. Because of its fermented nature, which naturally produces probiotics, polyphenols, enzymes, and a host of other nutrients, kombucha can help to maintain a healthy microbiome.

KEEPING THE LOVE ALIVE

Kombucha made its US-debut in the 1990s when GT Dave (of GT’s KOMBUCHA) started brewing his own batches at home after being gifted a Himalayan Mother SCOBY. Since then, every single batch of his kombucha has been created in the same spirit as ancient Eastern practice.

DID YOU KNOW?.

If you’re looking to try making your own kombucha at home, you can simply take some of the liquid and live cultures from your trusted bottle and use it as a starter to create your own batch – just make sure it’s a real, living & raw brew. We recommend GT’s KOMBUCHA Original.