About 2 years ago I was watching my son's lacrosse game and a mom sitting next to me kept drinking this funny smelling liquid out of a glass bottle. I asked her what it was and she said "oh it's kombucha, it's not for everyone, it's an acquired taste, you probably won't like it." I watched her every time she took a sip... she would make a funny face and it seemed as if SHE wasn't enjoying it at all.
I decided right then and there that kombucha was not for me.
Fast forward about 2 years... all I see is kombucha at the grocery stores...everywhere! And kombucha making kits... I guess if people make wine & beer, they can make kombucha. Heck, I make my own almond milk, but I think the process is a little easier :)
So what exactly is kombucha? Well it's a fermented, slightly sparkling, sweetened black or green tea. The fermentation process takes about 2 weeks. It also contains less than 0.5% alcohol. It's a rich source or probiotics and antioxidants.
When shopping for kombucha, always look at the ingredients, making sure that there is less than 4 grams of sugar per serving.
So where am I going with this blog?
Well I just spent a few days up on the Sunshine Coast, working and relaxing with the dogue. Highly recommend doing this btw, without the teenager! I stumbled upon this very cool vegan eatery, Hooraw Sunshine Coast Vegan Market, and ofcourse they had kombucha. Why not?! Raincoast kombucha is locally made in Powell River (bonus #1), it's chai tea flavoured (bonus #2) and it's relatively low in sugar at 9 grams (bonus #3). I took it back home and absolutely loved it! It tastes ever so slightly acidic and has notes of ginger, cardamon and cinnamon. Would I drink it everyday? Probably not. But it definitely is a much better alternative to fruit juices and pop.
Another bonus to kombucha... it's excellent with beer. In fact, many craft breweries are embracing hard kombucha and creating a kombucha-beer hybrid.
Again, who would have thought?!
This was my first time trying kombucha and probably not my last. I highly recommend trying this brand out: Raincoast. It's delicious and it's local.
Do you drink kombucha? What are your favourites? Leave me a message ;)