Choose the booch: 5 reasons to pick up this funky beverages
Not all kombucha are brewed equal but real kombucha is still easy to find. Leaving out some exceptions, kombucha is still brewed with time-honoured practices and ethos that makes it a unique beverage.
With a little bit of tweaking and tinkering kombucha found itself in many new avatars, interesting flavours, brewing techniques, packaging, but the core remained untouched, a liquid that is obtained by fermenting tea over many days.
For all the kombucha I have come across and tasted, there are striking similarities in the product and brands I noticed that goes beyond just fermented liquid.
I am sharing with you my perspective and observation that makes kombucha stand out as a commercial beverage with a soul and why you should give it a chance (or second):
- Made with real ingredients: Kombucha is for everyone who loves to enjoy a drink. More so for someone who like to real the labels before putting anything in their mouth. Among all the kombucha I have tasted I am yet to come across a product that doesn’t uses real fruits, herbs, spices or veggies in their flavourings. Almost non of the brands use shortcuts like artificial flavourings, preservatives, stabilisers in their product. A majority of kombucha also contains live-cultures. How many live-cultured products do we come across on supermarket shelves these days?
- Artisanal: Majority of commercially available kombucha are small-scale companies serving locally creating small-batches of delicious liquid. The focus remains on craftsmanship and bringing out unique brews with the highest regard to customer likability. Quite similar to the craft beer scene in your city and the passion the beer brewers bring to the table.
- Taste of terroir: In unflavoured classic original version of booch, you will notice the many variations, this happens because of a variety of reasons like the tea, the climate, the air, the water and the microbes native to the SCOBY influences the taste in the final product. No two kombucha will be the same. The difference in flavours gives brewers an opportunity to experiment and formulate a product with a unique personality while giving customers a chance to taste many versions of the classic. Truly, non-alcoholic fermentation at its finest!
- Less Sugary: Kombucha is touted to be low-calories, but that largely depends on how much residual sugars are left in the final product after it has been bottled. Ideally a typical kombucha contains way less sugar than a fruit concentrate tetra pack or a soft drink. Sometimes 5-8 times less than a serving of soft drink!
- Learn about fermentation: Honestly kombucha is your gateway to the world of fermentation. Once you have tasted the funk, chances are you would want to dive deep into the world of fermentation. Kombucha is a medium that teaches you the beauty of microbial ‘cooking’ in a fun and delicious way. So go ahead, take your first sip and explore the world of funky foods.