FAQ
what kombucha is and how we make it
What is kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink - it’s a little fizzy, a little sweet, a little sour, and a whole lot of good for you. Fermented tea has been consumed around the world for centuries, with long brewing traditions in China, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
What’s in it?
All of our kombucha is made from black tea, green tea, organic cane sugar, and kombucha culture. Each flavour is brewed with additional high-quality, locally-grown berries and botanicals. Because we like to keep it simple, we don’t add anything besides what’s in the name - raspberries and lavender, blueberries and mint, blackberries and sumac, lemon and ginger, cherries and cedar. No secrets here - just good ingredients!
How is it made?
From start to finish, a batch of kombucha takes about two weeks. To begin, we steep a custom blend of black and green teas, sweetened with organic cane sugar.
When the tea has cooled, we add starter liquid from a previous batch of kombucha and a pellicle, sometimes called the mother or tea mushroom. That’s the gelatinous round blob at the heart of the kombucha brewing process. Together, the starter liquid and the pellicle are known as the SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast).
Once added to the new batch, the SCOBY will grow in a layer to cover the surface of the brew as the bacteria and yeast multiply. This layer, along with the acidity the bacteria generate, protects the kombucha from airborne microbes. We cover the brewing vessel with breathable cloth to provide additional protection from dust. Then, we leave the SCOBY to do its work.
This process has some common threads with the way wine is made. The yeasts feed off of the sugar in the tea, producing alcohols, which the bacteria then convert into organic acids, B vitamins, and carbon dioxide. Because each batch of kombucha picks up on different yeast microbes from the air, no two batches of kombucha are exactly alike! In about ten days, most of the sugar has been consumed. We then remove the SCOBY for use in our next batch.
To flavour, we only use whole, high-quality fruit and dried or fresh herbs, blended and steeped in hot water. This is one of the reasons why our kombucha is so delicious! We add the mixture to the tea, and let the juices infuse for another few days. After the kombucha passes our taste-test, we strain, lightly carbonate, and bottle!
Is it alcoholic?
This is the most frequently asked kombucha question. Kombucha’s fermentation process creates a trace amount of ethanol, less than 0.5% ABV, which acts as a natural preservative. Overfermentation could lead to higher percentages, which is why we time our fermentation and refrigerate our kombucha properly to halt the process!
Short answer: you would have to drink a lot of kombucha to feel a buzz, and it is considered a non-alcoholic beverage, but if you have concerns about consuming small amounts of alcohol (i.e. pregnancy, medications that don’t mix well with alcohol), you can ask your doctor what would be best for you.
Does it have caffeine?
Because it is brewed from black and green tea, our kombucha does contain caffeine - however, it’s a comparatively small amount to regular tea. The fermentation process cuts down on the natural caffeine content by about ⅓, and flavouring the kombucha dilutes that even further. It likely contains about the same amount of caffeine per serving as a cup of decaf coffee (4-6 mg). You probably won’t get an energy boost, but if you’re someone who’s sensitive to caffeine, or if you drink several servings in one go, you might notice it!
How much sugar does it have?
We’ve tested our kombucha for sugar content, and found that it contains 6-8 grams of sugar per serving (12-16 grams per bottle). That’s less sugar than the same serving of 1% milk! Because the sugar is what the SCOBY consumes, and every fermentation is slightly different, every batch will have very slightly different sugar levels.
How long is the shelf life?
We recommend drinking our kombucha within 8 weeks of bottling for the best flavour (there should be a sticker on the bottom of the bottom with the recommended date). As long as it is stored correctly in the refrigerator, kombucha doesn’t “go bad” like other foods, but it will taste more vinegar-y and have more sediment, possibly even forming it’s own tiny SCOBY in the bottle!
I heard that kombucha boosts immunity/eliminates toxins/cures illnesses. Is that true?
A lot of claims have been made regarding the health benefits of kombucha. Kombucha is a quality, proven source of beneficial probiotics, organic acids, B12, polyphenols, and C vitamins, thanks to both the magic of fermentation and the all-natural ingredients (organic tea & produce). HOWEVER, direct scientific evidence on kombucha’s effectiveness in combating illness, boosting immunity and benefiting general human health is not available. It’s simply not been studied extensively.
Why drink our kombucha?
It should come as no surprise to you that we LOVE kombucha. It’s lower-calorie and lower-sugar than soda, has less caffeine than coffee, and makes you feel like you’re treating yourself to something special without being alcoholic. It’s delicious, refreshing, and infinitely customizable. We get to experiment creatively with new ingredients and flavour combinations, and most importantly, share those creations with you!
We also believe in responsible, sustainable small business. We want to work with farmers, highlight Ontario ingredients, and connect with you! Each month, 10% our profits are redistributed to an organization doing good work close to home, whether that be empowering Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities or taking care of the environment. Since kombucha can be produced while generating little to no garbage, and we are already a low-waste company, it’s a goal of ours to be 100% zero waste by 2022. More information on that plan coming soon!
Bottom-line: we only want to make kombucha if it tastes good, makes you feel good, and fills a niche in our community.
So, again, why drink our kombucha? To support local food systems, reduce waste, and to treat yourself to something tasty. Every day at Escarpment Kombucha is a celebration, and you’re always invited.
