Traditional kombucha is a fermented drink made from sweetened tea and the colony of microorganisms known as SCOBY. Its flavour combines acidic and slightly sweet notes, with a natural effervescence generated during fermentation. Unlike a "kombucha soft drink" —which may be pasteurised, filtered, or diluted—, traditional kombucha retains all its probiotics and organic acids.
The 3 types of kombucha according to KBI
There is no specific European regulation governing what can be marketed under the term "kombucha". The Kombucha Brewers International (KBI), of which Mūn Ferments has been a member since 2017, has a code of good practice where its associates have detailed the different types:
- Traditional kombucha: a drink obtained from the fermentation of a sweetened tea infusion with SCOBY and starter liquid. Flavour between acidic and sweet, with bubbles and very low alcohol content, without post-fermentation processing. Natural flavourings (fruits, herbal teas, etc.) can be added. This kombucha can naturally create a SCOBY at room temperature and with oxygen.
- Kombucha: a drink obtained from the fermentation of a wider range of plants, SCOBY/starter, water, and fermentable sugar. It may contain flavourings. Depending on the process, it may or may not generate SCOBY.
- Kombucha soft drink: processed kombucha that has undergone pasteurisation, dealcoholisation, filtration to change aroma or appearance, sterilising filtration, or dilution.
As this information does not always appear visibly on the label, it is best to analyse several aspects: packaging, label, liquid, and production method. This will be useful when, in front of a fridge at Mercadona, Carrefour, or Lidl, you are unsure whether to take that kombucha home.
Kombucha packaging
Kombucha is found in 4 types of packaging. Each has advantages and disadvantages:
- Glass: the best material. Inert, does not transfer particles, and is absolutely recyclable and reusable. Kombucha in glass already offers a good first guarantee.
- Aluminium can: can be a good solution, but the interior has a plastic coating that can sometimes contain bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is an endocrine disruptor that behaves like a hormone and can have health consequences. Make sure the packaging clearly states BPA-free, as is the case with Mūn Kombucha in cans.
- Plastic: avoid. Kombucha is very acidic (pH ≈ 3), and plastic packaging cannot guarantee that particles will not migrate into the drink.
- Keg: stainless steel kegs are the best option. Sometimes, to avoid returns, single-use plastic kegs are used. Those used by Mūn Ferments have an inner BPA-free aluminium bag, so there is no particle migration.
How to read a kombucha bottle label
The label can provide a lot or a little information. By interpreting it carefully, we can tell if it is a good kombucha. You need to look at:
- The ingredient list
- The nutritional table
- The production method
- Claims and other notes
The ingredient list of a good kombucha
Ingredients on a label are always listed in descending order of quantity. It is mandatory for the % of those mentioned to appear.
A good kombucha must include at least: water, sugar, tea, and kombucha culture. To these, fruits, roots, or infusions can be added for flavouring: ginger, turmeric, lemon, pepper, etc.
Be wary of kombucha that contains ingredients that do not fit the traditional process. Sparkling water? What would be the point of heating sparkling water to prepare the tea infusion? It is a sign that it is more of a soft drink than a good traditional kombucha.
To make kombucha, it is necessary to use sugar: it is the fuel that yeasts and bacteria use to produce organic acids. If you see sweeteners such as steviol glycosides (E-960), erythritol, or sucralose in the list, these are additions to make it sweeter. It is not authentic kombucha; it is a sweetened soft drink.
The nutritional table
It is often alarming to see sugar in the composition. In kombucha, it is essential: microorganisms use it as fuel. The point is that the production process must have been rigorous so that these microorganisms consume almost all the sugar and convert it into organic acids.
A kombucha with more than 1 gram of sugar per 100 ml will already be less palatable for those not initiated, and it will be less healthy than it appears.
Additional tip: if a kombucha is artisanal and, furthermore, does not need refrigeration, you have found your kombucha. Provided you ensure it is not pasteurised. The less sugar it contains, the less cold it will need for preservation. Compare the sugar content of each Mūn with other drinks in our calculator.
Be very careful with nutritional tables where carbohydrates differ greatly from sugars. Sugar does not evaporate: if there is a very significant difference between the two figures, it is not a clean data point. In other foods, this would be explained by starches, but not in kombucha.
The production method
An authentic kombucha must have followed the traditional method: starting from a tea infusion (tannins are essential) and allowing it to ferment with a SCOBY.
Ingredients must be natural. Discard kombucha with concentrated ingredients, artificial flavourings, or colourings. It is also important that the origin is organic: the organic label guarantees that the product does not contain pesticides or GMOs.
Your palate will also help you discard. If it reminds you of that candy or chewing gum you remember from childhood, it is probably not as natural as they claim.
Unpasteurised, please
Heat and kombucha should only be together at the beginning of the production process (to prepare the tea infusion). Subjecting the final drink to pasteurisation eliminates the natural probiotics that have emerged during fermentation, and it is these that provide many of kombucha's properties.
If it is not filtered, you will also be able to see small fragments of SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) that have participated in the fermentation. It is a sign of authenticity.
The Mūn Kombucha case
Mūn Ferments meets all these conditions. 100% natural and organic ingredients, locally sourced when possible, and a production process based on research. With a long fermentation of up to one month, we achieve a maximum of 1.8 grams of sugar per 100 ml.
You can find it in over 8,000 physical points of sale: supermarkets, organic shops, health food stores, and restaurants. Also directly in our online store with 24-48h shipping on the peninsula.
Frequently asked questions
How do I distinguish authentic kombucha from a kombucha-flavoured soft drink?
Look at the label: ingredients (it must contain tea, sugar, and SCOBY culture; no sweeteners), nutritional table (low residual sugar), method (unpasteurised), and packaging (glass or BPA-free can). The taste also helps: real kombucha has a predominant acidity; a kombucha-flavoured soft drink tastes like a sweetened zero-calorie drink.
Is pasteurised kombucha still kombucha?
According to the KBI classification, pasteurised kombucha is considered a "kombucha soft drink" because it loses its live microorganisms. Probiotic properties disappear with heat.
Is glass or can better?
Glass is the most inert and safest material. Cans are acceptable if they guarantee to be BPA-free (like Mūn Kombucha's). Plastic is not recommended due to kombucha's acidity.
How much sugar should a good kombucha have?
A well-fermented kombucha has low residual sugar: ideally less than 1-2 g per 100 ml. Mūn Kombucha contains between 0.1 and 1.8 g/100 ml depending on the variety. More than 5 g/100 ml indicates short fermentation or added sugar.
Why doesn't good kombucha need refrigeration?
Because it has so little residual sugar that the yeasts do not have enough food to continue fermenting inside the bottle. Kombuchas that strictly require refrigeration are usually those with a lot of residual sugar: cold slows down fermentation.
What are steviol glycosides or erythritol on a label?
These are sweeteners that some brands add to make kombucha sweeter without adding calories. If they appear on the label, it is not authentic fermented kombucha; it is an artificially sweetened soft drink.
Are supermarket kombuchas authentic?
It depends. Some supermarket brands follow the traditional method; others sell kombucha-flavoured soft drinks. You need to read the label on a case-by-case basis. Mūn Kombucha is available at Mercadona, Lidl, Carrefour, and other chains, maintaining the same production standard as the direct sales version.
Where can I buy Mūn Kombucha?
In over 8,000 physical points of sale: Mercadona, Lidl, Carrefour, Veritas, Ametller Origen, health food stores, and restaurants. Also in our online store.
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The kombucha that meets all conditions
Mūn Kombucha: glass, organic, unpasteurised, one-month fermentation, maximum 1.8 g of sugar per 100 ml. Authentic since 2015.
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