Kombucha has grown so popular in the last couple of years that it’s one of the rare products that has a reputation that precedes it. Turning extreme apprehension into extreme appreciation is no easy feat; but learning about the health benefits, how to create your own home-brew, or simply, taking one sip of the fermented beverage has been enough to turn skeptics into full-on believers.
What is kombucha?
If you’ve never tried it yourself, let us first explain what it even is. Kombucha is a lightly-carbonated sweet and sour drink made with three basic ingredients: yeast, sugar and black tea. The mix is then set aside for a week or so to ferment, similarly to how milk turns into yogurt or cabbage into kimchi. Eventually, the bacteria and acid start to form a film atop the liquid called culture or SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), which can be repurposed to ferment even more kombucha. After the mix is nice and fermented, it can be enjoyed as is, or flavoured for an extra kick.
Four ways to use Kombucha beyond as a refreshing drink
With its recent popularity, you knew it was coming: other creative ways you can now enjoy Kombucha beyond as a refreshing beverage. Unsurprisingly, this versatile drink has worked its way into many different uses, and we want to share some of our favourites with you. If drinking kombucha the regular way has gotten too lacklustre for you, here are some ideas.
As a popsicle
There’s something about turning a drink into a popsicle that instantly makes it about 10x better. Not only does it become a great go-to on a hot summer day, but the process of perfecting your perfect kombucha-pop can be such a fun process. As a base, we recommend that you create a mix that is 1:1 of your favourite pureed frozen fruit to kombucha. From there, pour the mixture into popsicle molds, and in 6-7 hours, enjoy!
As a smoothie
Less frozen than a popsicle, but still kind of frozen, is the smoothie. Similar in ingredients, but drastically different in wait times, a kombucha fruit smoothie is your reliable friend on a blistering hot day. We have a super easy-to-make recipe using GT’s delish collection of Kombucha that is just simple enough to warrant a try in and of itself.
As a meat marinade
In the fermentation process, kombucha produces glucuronic and glucuronic acids, which gives the drink that slightly vinegary taste. Taste aside, when it comes to marinating meats, the acid is truly the star of the show, as it’s a great way to tenderize meat. If you already have a go-to base marinade for your proteins, we recommend that you try adding kombucha to the mix. It might just be the secret ingredient you were looking for.
As a dressing
With the aforementioned vinegary taste, it’s no wonder that kombucha can be worked into a delightful vinaigrette. If you’re keen on making your own kombucha, you can actually ferment your bevvy for longer to increase that sour-vinegary flavour; the more TLC, the more layered your dressing will taste. Combine the kombucha with your very own mixture of oils and spices, and prepare to never look back!
This list is just the tip of the iceberg for what you can do with your ‘booch; people are inventing new and creative ways to enjoy it everyday. To get an even result with any of the above repurposes, we recommend using a top-of-the-line kombucha, like GT’s. For over 25 years, GT has stayed true to their authentic brewing process, which is mirrored in their exemplary product. You can find their collection at The Sweet Potato and start inventing new ways to enjoy this drink yourself.