Kombucha or booch is fermented tea. Sweet tea brewed from Camellia sinensis (black, green, white, oolong, or pu-erh) is inoculated with a SCOBY: a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. The culture drives a double fermentation, yeast converts sugars to alcohol; bacteria convert that to organic acids.

Think of it the way curd is made. A live culture added to the base substrate kicks off fermentation. Mother Nature takes over from there, converting sweet tea into something light, tart, and biologically active. The result is a drink rich in organic acids, beneficial microbes, B-vitamins, antioxidants, and bioavailable nutrients.

Finest loose-leaf teas. Organic local produce. A SCOBY. Time. That's it. MBK is unpasteurized, unfiltered, and batch-fermented over 21+ days — long enough to break down residual sugar to its lowest possible level and develop a full spectrum of organic acids. No shelf-stable shortcuts. No soda-lookalike production.

Raw kombucha produces bacterial cellulose a thin, translucent-white pellicle as a metabolic by-product of active fermentation cultures. It's the single most reliable physical marker of an unpasteurized, live-culture brew.

A genuine kombucha contains: tea, sugar, water, SCOBY. What it never needs: added probiotic powders, artificial carbonation, or preservatives. MBK is unpasteurized, batch-fermented for 21+ days, and carbonated exclusively through fermentation.

No. The label "kombucha" covers a wide spectrum. Some products are pasteurized, heat-treating the brew kills microbial cultures and extends shelf life. Some are kombucha-inspired sodas: force-carbonated, artificially flavoured, with little to no actual fermentation. Others are tea and vinegar blended to mimic the taste, no SCOBY involved.

MBK operates on a strict batch-fermentation protocol: 21+ days, no dilution, no added probiotic powders, no artificial carbonation. Check labels for "raw," "unpasteurized," and refrigeration requirements. If a bottle sits unrefrigerated on a shelf for months — it's not raw kombucha. Still unsure? Write to us at we@mountainbeekombucha.in.

Never. Pasteurization is heat treatment that destroys microbial cultures and with them, the very probiotics that define kombucha. MBK retains the full complement of fermentation-native microbes, organic acids, and bioactive compounds. What "unpasteurized" means in practice: live cultures intact, enzymes intact, probiotic benefit intact.

Yes, but only when unpasteurized. In a properly batch-fermented kombucha, live cultures develop over the full fermentation cycle. Pasteurized versions may carry the label but not the biology; any post-pasteurization probiotic addition is supplementation, not fermentation.

MBK's probiotics are fermentation-native, produced organically during the brew, not added after.

Four ingredients: tea, sugar, water, SCOBY. Real produce for flavouring. Nothing else. No artificial additives, no synthetic flavours, no added probiotic powders.

Sugar is fermentation substrate, not sweetener. The SCOBY consumes it, converting sucrose into glucose and fructose, then into organic acids and probiotics. After MBK's 21+ day fermentation cycle, residual sugar ranges from 3.2g to 5g per 100ml placing it firmly in low-glycaemic index territory.

Brands marketing "zero-sugar kombucha" either use artificial sweeteners post-fermentation or skip genuine fermentation entirely substituting vinegar for the sour notes. Neither is kombucha. Dive deeper into the discussion.

Between 3.2g and 5g per 100ml, depending on the flavour. Our extended fermentation ensures maximum sugar breakdown. Original Booch, Flower 'N Spice, and Daily are among the lowest in residual sugar.

Yes, in trace amounts. Alcohol is a natural fermentation intermediate; yeast produces it before bacteria metabolize it further into organic acids. MBK maintains alcohol within India's legal non-alcoholic limits.

No. The carbonation in MBK builds entirely through fermentation, CO₂ produced by yeast activity during the brew cycle. We do not force-carbonate. The result: softer bubbles that vary naturally bottle to bottle. Our bottled range carries low-to-moderate natural carbonation; our on-tap kombucha (at dine-in partner locations) is livelier, perfect alongside a meal.

Batch-fermented kombucha is never static. Bacteria and yeast continue consuming residual sugars and nutrients even in the bottle acidity deepens over time. An open bottle left partly unconsumed will taste more tart the next day. That's the culture working, not spoilage.

Taste preference varies: some prefer the sweeter end of the spectrum, others want full tartness. Find yours and tell us.

The strands and sediment are bacterial cellulose and yeast by-products of active fermentation. MBK does not ultra-filter because doing so strips out the same beneficial microbes and organic compounds that make kombucha worth drinking. Drink them or pour them out either is fine.

Worth noting: clarity is not an authenticity guarantee. Some MBK batches produce a clear brew due to culture and fermentation variables. Clarity tells you nothing definitive; the pellicle test does.

Sourness is the taste profile of organic acids acetic, gluconic, lactic acid produced by bacterial activity during fermentation. In batch-fermented kombucha with a full 21+ day cycle, these acids develop depth and complexity. The tang you taste is the fermentation working as intended.

Start at 80–120ml and increase gradually as your system acclimates. Dilute with water or ice if you find the acidity sharp at first. Never heat it. Best served cold.

Timing is flexible, kombucha functions best as part of a diet with adequate prebiotic intake (leafy greens, roughage, fruit). Probiotics need prebiotics to work. A fermented drink paired with a fibre-rich meal outperforms a standalone shot on an empty plate.

Yes. Cold temperatures slow fermentation keeping microbial populations balanced, acidity stable, and carbonation intact. MBK is unpasteurized; the culture is still active in the bottle. Refrigerate immediately after purchase and after opening.

Not in the conventional sense. As the culture exhausts available nutrients, kombucha becomes progressively more acidic eventually approaching vinegar. Unpalatable, but not harmful, and useful in cooking. Refrigeration slows this process significantly. Follow the best-before date on the label for optimal flavour and microbial balance.

Kombucha has centuries of documented use, it didn't originate in a wellness trend. Renewed interest is driven by a broader shift toward fermented foods and gut-microbiome literacy. As a low-sugar, low-caffeine alternative to sodas, coffee, and commercial tea drinks brewed properly it earns its place. What's actually recent is poor-quality kombucha masquerading as the real thing.

No. Force-carbonation is standard in commercial beverage production CO₂ is injected under pressure, indistinguishable by feel from fermentation-derived fizz. Carbonation confirms the presence of gas, not the validity of a fermentation process. Use the pellicle test, not the fizz, as your authenticity cue.

No. Short fermentation cycles (3–7 days) produce a less developed acid profile, higher residual sugar levels and a narrower microbial diversity. The biochemical reactions that generate a full spectrum of organic acids and probiotic cultures require time. MBK's 21+ day batch-fermentation is not a marketing point — it's the minimum the process requires to do what kombucha is supposed to do.

"Clean label" is a floor, not a standard. A short ingredient list with no additives is the baseline expectation not a differentiator. MBK goes further: extended batch-fermentation amplifies the bioavailability of every ingredient, producing a microbiologically diverse drink that a clean-label soda cannot replicate. Ingredient integrity plus fermentation craft, not just a short list.

A guided tasting experience at our Indiranagar taproom in Bengaluru. You'll taste a curated flight of MBK brews while working through the science, sensory dimensions, craft process, and cultural history of kombucha fermentation. Designed for the curious — whether you're new to booch or already a regular. Know more here

Visit our Indiranagar taproom, order online, or find us at partner stores across Bengaluru. Details on our website.