Taste Test: Kombucha

From historic artifact to fringe-market beverage to global phenomenon, kombucha has had quite a ride. The global kombucha tea market is now a $2 billion industry, with everyone from independent producers to mega retailers hopping on the probiotic bandwagon. Made from tea fermented with a special culture of yeast and bacteria, the result is a lightly fizzy beverage with a vinegary tang, now sold in a staggering number of flavors. Here are a handful of our staff favorites.

Brew Dr. Kombucha Clear Mind

Oregon-based Brew Dr. initially started as a tea company, using their same house teas to make their kombucha, adding organic herbs, fruits, and spices to their lineup of flavors. The Clear Mind is a fan favorite, combining green tea with rosemary, peppermint, and sage for a light and refreshing taste with just a hint of sweetness.

Health-Ade Kombucha Pink Lady Apple

Founded in 2012 by husband-and-wife team Justin and Daina Trout with best friend Vanessa Dew, Health-Ade was initially sold at a farmers market in Los Angeles. Now supplying 50,000 stores across the country, the company also offers a rainbow of unique flavors from Bubbly Rose to Pineapple Creamsicle. The Pink Lady Apple balances the sweet, crisp flavor of cold-pressed Pink Lady apple juice with the tangy snap of fermented tea.

Wonder Drink Asian Pear & Ginger

Stephen Lee, who co-founded tea companies Stash and Tazo, learned about kombucha on a trip to Russia. Enamored with the fizzy, probiotic beverage, he started Wonder Drink in 1999, and the brand has since spread internationally. The Asian Pear & Ginger is their bestseller and combines the sweet, aromatic flavors of pear with a subtle gingery spice.

Humm Kombucha Coconut Lime

What began in 2008 as a two-woman operation with gallon bottles delivered door-to-door in Bend, Oregon, Humm is now sold in all 50 states and abroad, as well as in their kombucha taproom in downtown Bend. Their proprietary fermentation process results in a milder vinegar taste, allowing more subtle flavors to shine. The Coconut Lime is a wallop of true coconut flavor balanced with a kick of tart lime.