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8th March 2024
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Kombucha is the new “it” drink. You’ve probably heard of it, but perhaps you are still not sure what it’s all about and whether or not you should incorporate it into your diet. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! And we are here to help. Here are some fun facts and basic infos every kombucha beginner should know.
In its most basic definition, Kombucha is a fermented sweet tea, and all authentic kombucha is made following a similar procedure. However, depending on the ingredients used and the unique style of the brewer, the final product can take on many different forms, with a wide range of flavour profiles, colours and bubbles.
One of the main variances is in the acidity and sweetness profile, which is dependent on the length and environment of the fermentation. Depending on how long and how strong the fermentation is, and depending on how much sugar is used, the end product could taste anything form sugar free to as sweet as soda, and the acidity could be anything form very tight to as strong as vinegar.
Then of course, the kind of tea and sweetener used will have an impact on the flavour profile. Traditionally, kombucha is made from black tea, which results in a stronger / darker kind of appearance and flavour. However kombucha can be made from other teas too. The kind of water used (i.e mineral vs municipal tap water) will also impact the quality and taste of the kombucha. The health and composition of your mother culture / SCOBY will also have a major impact on the quality and style of the end product.
Another major contributor to the style of kombucha will be on the flavour infusions. Kombucha can of course be enjoyed plain, or can be flavoured with natural fruit juices, herbs and spices, offering a wide range of different styles.
Then of course, there is the bubbles! Kombucha creates its own natural bubbles, as the by product of the yeasts consuming sugars. Depending on a bunch of factors, a kombucha could have anything between no bubbles and A LOT of bubbles !
Kombucha’s history goes back hundreds of years. A lot of different cultures believe in the power of probiotic and fermented foods, and there are a lot of cultures that drink fermented tea.
Most records seem to agree on the fact that it originated somewhere in China and maybe Japan, Korea, or Russia, with oldest records from over two thousand years ago… Its name is reportedly derived from Dr. Kombu, a Korean physician who brought the fermented tea to Japan as a curative for Emperor Inkyo.
This tradition of fermenting tea at home was passed down through the centuries, and eventually brought to Europe in the early 20th century as a result of trade route expansions. Home-brewed Kombucha popularity grew significantly in the West in the 1960s following Western studies which discovered its potential health beneficial properties.
Kombucha first became available as a commercially ready-to-drink beverage in the early 2000s in North America, and has since become a revolution in the beverage market all around the world.
Apart from its popularity of being a delicious and refreshing drink paired with your favourite meals, it’s also known for helping people detoxify the body, boost immunity and vitality, balance the gut and improve digestion, and enhance overall health and wellbeing. This is all thanks to the range of beneficial properties found in kombucha, including antioxidants, beneficial organic acids, probiotics, enzymes, minerals and vitamins.
In the last few decades, there have been big and rapid changes in the way human beings live and eat, which have had a detrimental impact on the health of our digestive systems, and in turn, our wellbeing. In fact, over half of adults globally report to have gut health difficulties and struggle to find solutions, that’s where probiotic kombucha comes in.
There is still so much research to be done on the link between gut health and overall wellbeing, but there is no doubt that this ancient holy grail has been used for boosting the overall health of humans for thousands of years! If you would like to learn more, you can visit our page on the beauty and benefits of a healthy gut here.
Kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened tea with a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) and can be flavoured with fruit extracts or herbs. No two SCOBY’S are alike, and depending on where the kombucha is brewed, it takes on the characteristics of that particular location, similar to the way wine and beer pick up different flavours depending on the location of their origin. The unique bacteria and yeasts that live in your SCOBY will determine the types of acids and probiotics that your SCOBY produces.
Kombucha has really come a long way in terms of flavour, and taste profiles, especially now that there are a lot of kombucha brewers on the market. However, none dares challenge the taste profiles from Happy Culture.
With all the hype surrounding kombucha and its many purported health benefits, you may want to learn how to make your own! Making your own kombucha at home is much less expensive than purchasing it from the store, plus it allows you to control what goes into your brew—and gives you bragging rights when you show off your SCOBY at parties 😉. Keen to make your own brew? Visit our blog post here to find our step by step guide on making your own DIY Kombucha.
You can get a wide range of kombucha tastes and flavours that suit your particular palate from Happy Culture’s online store.
We hope that this article has been insightful in helping you understand the history of kombucha, its health benefits, and why it’s so important for us to keep making this delicious drink available to as many people as possible. Feel free to visit our online store to shop our wide range of kombucha tastes and flavours and find one that suits your particular palate, or if you’re feeling brave, go out there and get brewing at home!
Find Happy Culture products at most of your favourite stores around South Africa ! Search for stockists near you by entering the name of you suburb in the search box.
Not in your preferred stores ? Send us an email with the name of the store you would like us to get into, and we will try our best to make it happen 🙂
One Response
Very insightful