What is kombucha?

Kombucha is a probiotic beverage usually made by fermenting green or black tea. Kombucha has been drunk by humans for thousands of years to help with digestion and overall health. Today it is often consumed as a low sugar, non-alcoholic alternative to soda, energy drinks, beer and wine.

How is Kombucha made?

Kombucha is made by fermenting green or black sweetened tea with kombucha types of bacteria and particular kombucha types of yeasts. At Seattle Kombucha, we brew tea 2 times to extract more flavor and benefits. Then we add organic, evaporated cane juice (organic sugar), mix it up, pump it up into our brewing tanks and here comes the most important part... we add special kombucha bacteria and special kombucha yeast that will eat the sugar and tea and transform it into kombucha.

The fermentation usually lasts for 7-30 days depending on the brewing temperature and how sour you want it to taste. The finished kombucha contains healthful ingredients from the tea (polyphenols and anti-oxidants), plus acetic acid, other beneficial acids including some that are unique to kombucha, B vitamins, and beneficial bacteria. Many of the benefits of the tea are present in the finished kombucha, plus other benefits related to the fermentation process.

If your doctor asks you to consume more fermented foods, kombucha is one of the foods she is talking about. Other fermented foods include kimchi, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, yogurt and kefir.

Would you like to try the World's Best Kombucha™?

Seattle Kombucha offers Variety Packs as a great way to try several great tasting styles and flavors of kombucha to see what kind you prefer. They are all quite unique and delicious.

To Get Started, you can try a 12 Can Variety Pack

This is another great web page that explains:
 What Is Kombucha?

 

Want to Make Your Own Kombucha?

You can also try making your own kombucha at home. We sell the starter SCOBY (live bacteria and yeast that you will add to the cooled tea and sugar that transforms the sweetened tea into kombucha), as well as online video training, brewer support, and brewing containers. You can find our information on brewing supplies and education here...

Visit our: Home Brewing Page

 

MORE...

How is Water Kefir made?

Water kefir is made by fermenting sweetened water with a particular type of kefir bacteria and yeast, usually for 1-3 days. Seattle Kombucha uses organic cane sugar, organic coconut palm sugar, organic molasses, organic figs, other dried fruits, lemons and sea salts to make our delicious water kefir.

During the fermentation, the water kefir bacteria and yeast transform the water and sugary mix into a unique tasting, probiotic beverage containing healthful ingredients, mostly lactic acid, acetic acid, various minerals, b vitamins, and beneficial bacteria.

How should I store Unpasteurized Kombucha and Water Kefir?

Most store bought kombucha is UNPASTEURIZED, meaning that it has not been heat treated or chemically treated to prevent the unwanted growth of harmful bacteria and pathogens. It Requires Refrigeration.

Unpasteurized kombucha and water kefir is a live, raw, probiotic product. It needs to stay refrigerated between 34-38 degrees Fahrenheit to slow fermentation until you are ready to drink it. You should generally drink unpasteurized kombucha within 3 - 6 months of the canning date. The flavor of most unpasteurized kombucha will change drastically over time and usually not for the better. So check those "best by" dates so that you don't waste your money on bad tasting kombucha.

Also, often what happens with older, unpasteurized kombucha is that the bacteria and yeast will continue to feed off the remaining sugars and sediment left at the bottom of the bottle and cause more carbonation and sometimes off-flavors and unpleasant odors.

Often when opening an older kombucha it can be over fizzy, smell awful and taste awful due to the continued fermentation of sediment. It may even fizz over quickly and overflow most of the kombucha out of the bottle and onto the floor when you open it! So be careful and check those dates!

If you are TRAVELING with UNPASTEURIZED kombucha... and unable to put it in a refrigerator, be very careful. It will usually be OK for several hours but you don't want to forget about it. 

Since it is unpasteurized, it will continue to ferment, causing the yeast and bacteria to be active, building pressure in the can or bottle, changing the flavor, and possibly bursting the can or bottle if it is left out of refrigeration too long, or stored at too high a temperature.

Keep the unpasteurized kombucha and water kefir as cool as possible using a cooler or cooler bag filled with ice or freezer packs if you can.

 

How should I store PASTEURIZED, or SHELF-STABLE Kombucha and Water Kefir?

Shelf Stable kombucha and water kefir DOES NOT require refrigeration.
If the kombucha has been pasteurized to prevent further fermentation and make it stable, you don't need to keep it in the refrigerator. You can keep it most anywhere - in the fridge, or you can keep it in your pantry, car, bag, or wherever until you are ready to drink it. It doesn't need to be kept cold, but a cool place is still usually better to store food than a warm/hot place.

Recommended shelf life is extended to up to 1 years after the packaging date marked on the bottom of the can but it may last much longer. Pasteurizing the kombucha allows us to ship it to you, and for you to travel with it. You still get the benefits of the beneficial acids and vitamins created during the fermentation process. The pasteurization kills the yeast that would otherwise continue to ferment if not pasteurized.

What happens if my kombucha/water kefir is NOT kept refrigerated?

Depends on whether it is pasteurized or not.

Pasteurized kombuchais pasteurized so that it can be shipped and stored at room temperature outside of refrigeration. You still get the benefits of the beneficial acids and vitamins created during the fermentation process. The pasteurization kills the yeast that would otherwise continue to ferment if not pasteurized.

Our Seattle Kombucha is one of the few kombucha companies that pasteurize their kombucha. If you have any questions, please Chat (below right) or Text Wayne at (425) 985-2364, or email wayne@seattlekombucha.com.

If your kombucha/water kefir is unpasteurized and is left out of refrigeration... if there is any sugar in the bottle/can, your kombucha/water kefir will begin to ferment again and become more sour and change flavor as any live yeast and bacteria will continue to consume the remaining sugars and create more CO2 gas and potentially more alcohol.

The pressure inside the container will increase and may increase so high that the bottle cap expands and may POP! or burst and fizz all over the place when opened. BE VERY CAREFUL IF THE CAN OR BOTTLE CAP IS TIGHT AND PUFFED OUT. If you are talking about canned kombucha, the can will get very tight and the top part may even BURST out or BURST open. 

IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHETHER THE KOMBUCHA IS PASTEURIZED OR NOT, ERR ON THE SAFE SIDE AND STORE IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

WARNING: Some cans or bottles of unpasteurized kombucha or water kefir could explode on its own if left out of refrigeration for too long. When kombucha is left out of the fridge and it continues to ferment, the flavor will also change to become more sour. Unpasteurized kombucha may also develop off-flavors as the bacteria eat the kombucha and any sediment that may be present in the can/bottle.

WARNING!
If unpasteurized kombucha is left out too long, (if there is enough sugar in the bottle) the carbonation and the pressure inside the bottle may become too high causing the bottle to fizz all over the place when you open it, or the bottle may even explode. SO... BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVE YOUR UNPASTEURIZED KOMBUCHA OUT OF THE FRIDGE! Or just keep it in the fridge until you are ready to drink it.

NOTE: Unpasteurized kombucha continues to ferment inside the refrigerator. Fermentation just happens at a slower rate in the cold of the refrigerator. The refrigerator is really just a fermentation slowing-down machine. Over time, even at refrigerator temperatures, the flavors will change, the CO2 will increase, and the level of alcohol may increase.

I accidentally left my kombucha or water kefir out of the fridge for a day. What should I do?

Again, depends whether or not it's pasteurized.

If pasteurized, no problem. Put it back in the fridge to get it cold for when you want to drink it.

Our Seattle Kombucha is one of the few kombucha companies that pasteurize their kombucha. TRY SOME TODAY! If you have any questions, please Chat (below right) or Text Wayne at (425) 985-2364, or email wayne@seattlekombucha.com.

If unpasteurized, and you leave it out for a day... DON'T OPEN IT right away. Even if it hasn't "gone too far" already, before opening it you should return it to the fridge or a cold cooler as soon as possible and leave it there for several hours until it cools the refrigerator temp (35-38F).

Cooling it will allow the gas to go back into the liquid and reduce any potential fizzing over when opening it. After it cools down, you can open it slowly, preferably over a clean bowl with a hand towel over the cap or top, just in case it is super carbonated and still "explodes over". That way, in case it fizzes over, you can save the beverage using the bowl and towel method below, then transfer it to a glass. If it doesn't fizz over when you open it, no big deal. Better safe, then sorry.

WARNING: Always take precaution when opening an unpasteurized bottle that has been left out of refrigeration and then re-chilled. You don't want to lose an eye or break something in the house over a can or bottle of kombucha.

Our Seattle Kombucha is one of the few kombucha companies that pasteurize their kombucha and you don't have to worry about leaving it out of the refrigerator. And, our Seattle Kombucha actually has MORE beneficial acids because of the way that we brew our kombucha.  TRY SOME TODAY! and taste the difference.

If you have any questions, please Chat (below right) or Text Wayne at (425) 985-2364, or email wayne@seattlekombucha.com.

Pro Tip: REDUCING LOSS WHEN OPENING A QUESTIONABLE BOTTLE/CAN
Place the bottle/can of unpasteurized kombucha/water kefir in a bowl larger than the bottle/can itself in order to capture any overspill in the case your kombucha fizzes over. You could also put a clean kitchen towel or rag over the top when you are opening it in case it does fizz over a bit to shield your face. This will minimize the mess and make sure your kombucha doesn't go totally to waste! 

Can I drink kombucha/water kefir warm?

Sure. Why not? Some flavors of kombucha/water kefir taste great when served warm, including our Lady Grey. You could, like a wine, take it out of the fridge and open it several minutes or hours before serving it to let it breathe and warm up. Feel free to experiment with drinking different flavors at different temperatures. You might like the taste better when it's allowed to warm up and 'open up'.

Also, sometimes people find cold, carbonated beverages tough on their temperature sensitive teeth, or difficult to drink cold and prefer their drinks a bit warmer. Warm or cold are both fine. Personal preference.

 

What is the kombucha is TOO carbonated?

If you think the carbonation is too high, you can pour it into a glass and mix with a spoon or fork to reduce the carbonation. Better to start mixing a little. If you do it too much, you won't be able to add the fizz back in unless you have a Soda Stream machine.

 

I like the taste of kombucha/water kefir, but sometimes it's too fizzy for me. What can I do to reduce the carbonation?

To reduce carbonation, we recommend transferring the bottle/can of kombucha/water kefir to a glass. If that doesn't reduce it enough, you can stir the kombucha/water kefir with a fork or spoon to reduce the level of carbonation.

You can also open the bottle/can and leave it open so that the carbonation reduces naturally.

Is there alcohol in Seattle Kombucha/water kefir?

Yes. But hardly any. Our canned, pasteurized kombucha and water kefir is close to ZERO %. Seattle Kombucha contains less than 0.5% alcohol, which categorizes it as a non-alcoholic beverage.

Because kombucha/water kefir is a fermented beverage, it naturally contains a trace amount of alcohol as the yeast converts sugar to alcohol, water, CO2 and acids.

One of the reasons that kombucha/water kefir has so little alcohol compared to beer or wine is that the BACTERIA present in kombucha/water kefir converts (eats) the alcohol in the brew and magically transforms it into beneficial acids like acetic acid, lactic acid (water kefir), gluconic acid and glucaronic acid which is part of what helps support digestion.

If you are avoiding ANY AMOUNT of alcohol due to pregnancy, allergies, sensitivities, or religious beliefs, then you should not drink kombucha/water kefir because there MAY BE trace amounts present.

I want to order a keg of Seattle Kombucha/water kefir. How many people will a keg serve?

Our kegs are 5 gallons each and serve 50 12oz servings. If you prefer cans, or don't have a kegerator, we can offer our 12oz cans at wholesale prices if you buy 48 or more at a time. Another benefit of buying cans instead of kegs is that you can mix and match the flavors. Here is the keg page.

If you have any questions, please Chat (below right) or Text Wayne at (425) 985-2364, or email wayne@seattlekombucha.com.

Order Processing, Delivery, and Shipping

Order Processing of Home Brewing Supplies:All orders are generally processed within 2 business days of receipt, and scheduled for delivery as soon as possible, if we have the product in stock and ready to go.

If we need to make more product, it make take a bit longer to process your order, and we will usually send you a message to let you know. You should also receive email notifications when your product is packaged and the shipping label is created, when it is scanned in at the carrier, and when it is out for delivery and delivered.

Return Policy for Kombucha/Water Kefir

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.
We want you to love our product 100%. If you are not completely satisfied, please use CHAT (below right) or Text Wayne at (425) 985-2364 or email orders@seattlekombucha.com and let us know what did meet your level of satisfaction so that we can address it. You are our TOP PRIORITY and we want to ensure that you have the best possible experience with Seattle Kombucha.

Since we can't take back returns of food and beverage products, if you have any difficulty with a product, or shipping, please take and send some photos of the items and packaging, including the damaged box or anything else that is relevant. If you are contacting us about a particular batch, please take a photo of the batch codes printed on the bottom of the cans. We will do our best to address your concerns.

 

Wholesale Inquiries - How Can I Become a Reseller?

If you would like to serve Seattle Kombucha to your customers, at your event, in your bar or restaurant, and you are interested in becoming a reseller, please Chat (below right) or Text Wayne Greenfield at (425) 985-2364 or email orders@seattlekombucha.com.  We look forward to working with you to provide Seattle Kombucha to your valued customers.