Can you get drunk on kombucha? Can you drink kombucha when pregnant? Can kids drink kombucha? There’s so much mystery around kombucha because few people really understand what it is and how it’s made.
Yes, kombucha contains alcohol, but it’s not considered an alcoholic beverage. Now are you confused?
Kombucha contains alcohol because it is fermented. Vinegar is fermented, too, and also contains alcohol. Same goes with soy sauce, sauerkraut and kefir. Wait, what?
Don’t worry, none of these products contain much alcohol, but they can’t be considered alcohol-free. Here’s why - fermentation produces three end products: alcohol, carbon dioxide and lactic acid. It’s just nature being nature.
When it comes to how much alcohol is in kombucha, it really depends. If it’s homemade in a kitchen, the alcohol content can be much higher than commercially-manufactured kombucha. The length of fermentation time will directly impact the alcohol content. Commercial manufacturers must adhere to strict guidelines on how much alcohol can be in their kombucha. In order to be sold as a non-alcoholic beverage, the alcohol content in kombucha must be at or below 0.5 percent.
Here’s where the real difference among brands matters. Many kombucha manufacturers take the easy way out to remove excess alcohol by heating their brews to “burn off” the excess alcohol. It works, mind you, but it also causes collateral damage to the beneficial bacteria that is also produced during fermentation. It’s that beneficial bacteria that draws so many people to kombucha in the first place. Sure, you can replace it with probiotic supplements, but you’ve lost the charm and diversity of naturally-occurring cultures.
At Brew Dr. Kombucha, we do things differently on purpose. Our non-heat distillation method means we can remove excess alcohol without killing off the beneficial bacteria so many people love. We also keep our brew times at specific and constantly-monitored levels so no additional alcohol is produced. These extra steps mean our kombucha has less than 0.5 percent alcohol and all of the millions of live and active cultures.
For most people, the small amounts of remaining alcohol that remains in kombucha after fermentation is no cause for alarm. It’s a fraction of the alcohol content in an alcoholic beverage and you won’t feel any aftereffects of drinking it - no buzz, no fatigue, no warnings to avoid operating heavy machinery.
If, however, you have any medical condition that causes you to have a reaction to even small amounts of alcohol, you should avoid all fermented products, including kombucha. While we can’t offer you a similar alternative, as kombucha is in a class of its own, we can tell you there are wonderful teas you can safely enjoy. Why do we suggest teas? Because kombucha is fermented tea!
Brew Dr. Kombucha was founded by Townshend’s Tea Company as another option for people to enjoy tea. Since then, Townshend's Tea has evolved into Brew Dr. Tea Company. Every Brew Dr. Kombucha flavor starts with our incredible, expertly-crafted loose tea harvested from around the world by fair trade-certified producers. We sell and ship the world’s finest tea leaves and blends, including a wide variety of black, green, white, oolong, pu-erh, rooibos, yerba máte, chai and herbal tisanes.
So, whether you are a kombucha lover, a tea lover or both, we have you covered. Try all of our amazing kombucha and tea flavors. We promise you’ll never get bored! You can also use our kombucha in recipes. Visit our blog site to find all kinds of recipes that include magical kombucha. From cocktails to baked goods, you won’t be disappointed!
