Did you know kombucha is fermented tea? Even if you are kombucha savvy, you may believe some of the kombucha tea myths. We think it’s time to dispel these myths because kombucha lovers deserve to know the truth.
Before we go any further, let’s first talk about the rise in popularity of kombucha and other fermented beverages. Retail sales of fermented beverages have skyrocketed in the U.S. in the past several years, 37.4 percent in 2017. That may not get your attention until you learn that U.S. retail sales of carbonated soft drinks are growing at only 0.6 percent over a 52-week period. Even with the surge in popularity of sparkling flavored water and bottled teas, those beverage types grew significantly less at under 30 percent. Overall, the non-alcoholic beverages market grew at only 1.2 percent in 2017.
Within the natural channel, Brew Dr. Kombucha saw double-digit growth in 2017. We like to think it’s because of our commitment to quality that begins with the tea leaves we ferment. Speaking of tea leaves, let’s look at some of the kombucha tea myths surrounding those tiny little leaves.
This tea myth is partly true because most kombucha is made from black or green tea leaves. These tea types are easier and less expensive to source and have a familiar taste profile, but why stop at two tea types when there are more to choose from? There are actually six categories of tea, including black, dark, oolong, yellow, green and white.
Brew Dr. Kombucha is the child of Brew Dr. Tea Company, a leading tea purveyor in the northwest. That means Brew Dr. has access to the best teas in the world. We could buy black and green teas from a vendor, but when your parent company is a renowned tea company, you have something no other kombucha manufacturer has.
Our kombuchas use a variety of teas from all over the world:
Tea is tea, right? Not even close. The differences between teas depend on where it’s grown, growing conditions, and how it’s harvested and processed. It’s really no different from wine, where the varietal, region, and processing gives it a distinct flavor profile.
Our teas are purchased by experienced tea buyers who have personal relationships with tea farmers in particular regions of the world. Because we source our teas direct from the growers, we can ensure our kombuchas start with the freshest, most flavorful tea leaves on the planet.
We all know organic is better - better for the environment and better for our health. Organic isn’t about what’s in the food, it’s about what isn’t. In order for a product to be considered organic, producers must be certified that their products were grown without the use of pesticides, added hormones and chemical fertilizers. That often makes the cost to grow and harvest organic produce, including tea leaves, more expensive. Those expenses are passed onto the customer who pays a premium to have peace of mind their organic purchase contains no harmful chemicals.
Brew Dr. not only cares about the quality and safety of our kombucha ingredients, we care about the environment. We wouldn’t dream of using tea leaves treated with synthetic pesticides, hormones or fertilizers because they’re bad for people and the environment. Every one of our kombucha flavors begins with organic tea leaves. Not every kombucha manufacturer can say the same. And no other kombucha manufacturer is a certified B Corporation.
Nope. This one’s a kombucha tea myth, too. As far as we know, no other kombucha manufacturer guarantees the tea producers who provide their tea leaves are treated fairly for their trade. Some manufacturers simply buy premade tea from vendors, not knowing how or where their tea was grown and harvested. Others buy tea leaves based on cost.
At Brew Dr., our tea comes directly from tea farmers via Brew Dr. Tea. Brew Dr. Tea's buyers only partner with Fair Trade growers and producers because we care about their well being as much as ours.
