Kombucha Wonder Drink gets our vote for the most wondrous discovery of the year—although it’s been a West Coast cult favorite since 2001 (and the Chinese have been drinking kombucha since 221 B.C.E.). Shown above, Himalayan Blend with a twist of orange. WHAT IT IS: Brewed, sweetened and fermented tea, drunk cold. WHY IT’S DIFFERENT: Kombucha Wonder Drink has created a line of flavors infusing different teas—green, oolong and rooibos—with different fruit flavors, turning the traditional sweet-and-tart drink into a carnival of complex, adult tastes. WHY WE LOVE IT: The matching of teas to fruits is inspired; the layers of flavors burst onto the palate in elaborate and unexpected ways. Kombucha Wonder Drink is not tea in any recognizable form, it’s not cider, it’s not a soft drink and it’s much more than plain kombucha. It’s an experience unto itself. BUY IT AT: Find a store locator at WonderDrink.com.

Kombucha Wonder Drink: Elixir Of Life? Page 4: How To Make Kombucha Click on the black links to visit other pages. INDEX Page 1: Overview Page 2: Kombucha Wonder Drink Organic Flavors Page 3: What Is Kombucha Page 3: The Kombucha “Mushroom” Page 3: The Health Benefits Of Kombucha Page 4: A Recipe To Make Your Own Kombucha Page 4: Buy Kombucha MORE TO DISCOVER Page 3: National Peach Month Product Picks Page 4: Other Top Pick Of The Week Beverages THE NIBBLE’s Beverages Section: Product Reviews & Articles Find reviews of more of our favorite specialty beverages. See the table of contents of the August issue of THE NIBBLE online magazine, plus the back issues archive and our most popular articles. All of the Top Pick Of The Week newsletters are permanently archived on TheNibble.com, in chronological order and by product category.

How To Make Kombucha

If you have time and space, you can buy the starter culture and brew kombucha at home. Here’s the recipe (and why you might prefer to buy Kombucha Wonder Drink instead):

• Boil 12 cups of water, add one cup of white sugar and let the mixture boil for about five minutes. Remove from the heat and add five tea bags.

• Traditionally kombucha was made with black tea, but many people prefer green tea because of the higher levels of antioxidants; and green tea tends to stimulate the fermentation process and yield a finished batch of kombucha quicker than black tea. Herbal blends are not recommended: the oil content of many varieties prohibits the growth of the yeast and bacteria cultures.

• Transfer the tea to a large glass jar (a gallon-size pickle jar works well) and cover until it has cooled to room temperature. Place the kombucha culture along with a small amount of kombucha from a previous batch onto the surface of the tea; cover with a cloth or towel and leave to ferment for 7 to 10 days. It’s a delicate process, depending on the temperature: left to ferment for too long, the malic and lactic acids of the brew can increase to unhealthy levels, causing digestive upset. Stringent sanitation is needed to keep foreign airborne yeast, bacteria and dust from contaminating the batch.

• During fermentation, most of the sugar and the caffeine in the tea is devoured by the yeast and bacteria cultures. The final kombucha tea is lightly carbonated with a tangy, apple cider flavor and a slightly acidic quality. 

• Home-brewed kombucha will keep for one month, refrigerated. Kombucha Wonder Drink has been pasteurized, and has a shelf life of one year.

Closing Thoughts

It has antioxidants. It energizes without a lot of caffeine. People who consume it regularly report a sense of well-being. It sounds like chocolate, but instead of the restorative drink of the ancient Maya, it’s the restorative drink of the ancient Chinese. If your taste buds crave the new and different, you don’t have to trek up the Himalayas: you can sally forth to your nearest specialty food store, Whole Foods Market or even purchase Kombucha Wonder Drink online. Let us know if you become one of the kombucha converts, as we are.

—Karen Hochman

Go To Page 1: An Overview Of Kombucha

Go To The Article Index Above

FORWARD THIS NIBBLE to anyone who loves new tastes and healthy foods.

KOMBUCHA WONDER DRINK Asian Pear Ginger, Jasmine Niagara Grape, Himalayan Blend, Orient Blend, Rooibos Red Peach USDA-Certified Organic 8.5-Ounce Bottle $1.99 Suggested Retail Price Four-Pack $7.89 Suggested Retail Price To purchase online,* click here. Available at fine retailers and specialty food stores nationwide, including Tree of Life, Whole Foods Markets and Wild Oats. For a retail store locator, click here. WonderDrink.com

A toast “to your health” is more meaningful with a glass of Kombucha Wonder Drink.

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