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Periodically we get questions or run across articles regarding alcohol in kombucha. So we wanted to share our answers to the most commonly asked questions regarding kombucha and alcohol.
Kombucha is a naturally fermented food. To make kombucha, you add a SCOBY (culture of bacteria and yeast) to sweet tea. The yeasts in the SCOBY consume a substantial amount of the sugar and in turn, produce ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide (those perfect little bubbles). The bacteria then consume the ethanol and produce healthy organic acids, such as acetic and gluconic acids. So alcohol is a natural byproduct of fermentation whenever there are yeasts and sugar present.
No. One of the cool things about kombucha is that the yeast and bacteria work in symbiosis, so as the yeast continue to produce ethanol, the bacteria continue to convert that ethanol into acid. It’s a constant cycle. So the alcohol content in kombucha is self-limiting. Unlike kombucha, beer and wine are fermenting often with a purpose to drive alcohol content, so efforts in those brews usually involve removing the self-limiting components of fermentation. That being said, because real kombucha is naturally fermented and not pasteurized to kill the beneficial yeast and bacteria, the trace amount of alcohol in kombucha varies from brew to brew.
Kombucha alcohol content is lower than 0.5% ABV because by law non-alcoholic beverages must be below this limit. Keeping your kombucha properly refrigerated until you drink it will help ensure the alcohol remains stable (because once the kombucha gets warm, those gut-friendly probiotics get active again and fermentation will continue).
There are some brands of kombucha who brew over-21 beverages (sometimes called kombucha beer) which are higher in alcohol than regular kombucha, but these are a different kind of product altogether and you must be 21 to purchase them. They often combine beer making techniques and ingredients to drive the production of ethanol.
Since raw, naturally fermented kombucha does contain a trace amount of alcohol, those who are sensitive to alcohol may choose to avoid it. Kombucha alcohol content is low, but as with any product, if you have questions or concerns, you can always consult with your healthcare provider before consuming kombucha.
Find this interesting? Learn more about kombucha or read more Health-Ade blog posts.
Daina is not just our Co-Founder, she is also a nutritionist that has spent her adult life dedicated to finding and sharing health and wellness through food. With 2 masters' degrees in nutritional biochemistry and public health, Daina has called upon her education often while leading the way at Health-Ade - from how we make every batch of kombucha, to how we talk about gut health to consumers, to even how healthy our employee workplace is! She even writes a few blogs here and there. Happy reading! :)
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