Kefir and Kombucha - PaleoHacks.com

Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T14:43:50Z

I really want to try kombucha and water and/or coconut kefir but for some reason I have a hard time getting myself to try them. I think the idea of eating something fermented grosses me out. My other experiences with fermented foods are sauerkraut and kimchi - both of which I REALLY did not like.

So my question is - what do kombucha, coconut kefir and water kefir taste and smell like? Are there any store brands of any of those y'all would recommend to try before I spend the time and money making my own?

Thanks!

Answer by Dragonfly for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T14:57:28Z

Try some! You can buy GT's kombucha in most Whole Foods, Food Co-ops and health food stores. Try the "original" to keep the carbs low and get an idea of what home-brewed would taste like.

If you don't like it, you are only out 3 bucks.

Answer by Jessica G for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:08:46Z

They taste yeasty, kind of like beer. And if your alcohol tolerance is low (like mine), you'll even get a little buzzy. Kombucha got me through many a dull work day...

I've tried several brands and GTs is my favorite. Be careful opening it, though, esp. after transporting it home. Do it over the sink to be safe.

Answer by HA for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:09:17Z

The GT Ginger is pretty tasty, imho. I make my own kefir, and I add whatever flavorings make it yummy to me--current favorite is fresh squeezed citrus + mint leaves. I didn't much like the coconut water kefir-tasted too much like a vinegar to me.

Answer by Jessica for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:10:05Z

I've found Kombucha to be an acquired taste, and I like some flavors better than others. The smell still gets me sometimes, but I'm getting there.

Answer by KarenOH for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:18:53Z

I love Kombucha. I think it tastes a bit like hard apple cider or apple cider vinegar with an alcoholic twist.

Answer by Elle for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:20:47Z

I too, was wary of trying Kombucha... I started with GT's "Synergy" in Guava. These are 95% Kombucha with 5% Fruit Juice. I got guava, because it's one of my favorite flavors, period. They do have lots of others though (here)... To me, it tasted like Guava nectar, but thinner, and slightly sour. I LOVED it!! I moved on to try some other flavors. Some of the herbal combos I liked so much, I decided to make my own! I grew a SCOBY out of a plain GT's bottle, and started brewing!! I used Oolong tea, and tried different flavors. Some mixed with cranberry juice, some with pomegranate (both 100% juice, not sweetened, organic). Others I infused with roses, hibiscus, elderberry, vanilla, etc. My two favorites were vanilla rose, and hibiscus.

As far as water kefir, I tried making that too. It was good (I did blueberry), but I didn't care for it as much as kombucha, personally. And, my only experience with coconut kefir is 1 bottle of the "Provita" that I got at Whole Foods. It was better than water kefir, I think, but I still wasn't wild about it.

Answer by Christine M. for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:22:39Z

I think kombucha tastes like a tangy soda. It's fizzy and a little sweet. GT is a good brand.

I'm not a fan of kefir, though - I find it too sour.

Answer by JoAnna for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:23:38Z

I love the GT original, but im sure the others are fantastic too. None of the things you are looking to try are anything like kimchi or sauerkraut. I think when i tried coconut kefir it was like liquid yogurt.

Answer by eimearreclaimedhealth for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:23:47Z

I have an aversion to fermented things. I've made sauerkraut and kombucha before and had to chuck them. Yuck. I guess some people just don't like it. Weirdly though, I love sourdough bread. Haven't made it in over a year though.

Answer by MBS for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-12T15:50:40Z

I've tried 3 or so different brands, including GT's which is pretty good. But I've found Unity Vibrations to be the absolute best. Mostly their Blackberry-Grape, just fantastic. Had to hunt around a little for a store that carried it though. They make a pretty good Kombucha beer as well. I'm pretty new to the Paleo thing, so take it for what it's worth.

Answer by paleopanda for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-13T04:01:48Z

GT's Synergy Trilogy is by far my favorite! it's got raspberry juice, lemon juice and ginger juice and only 2g of sugar. I found it to be the least vinegar tasting. The Raspberry Chia is pretty good too. The chia seeds making drinking the kombucha fun =]

Answer by Dracil for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-13T05:33:15Z

I've found the Dr. Chao coconut kombucha to be my favorite. It's also slightly cheaper than the GT at my Whole Foods. The coconut kefir is really expensive so I don't get it that often. About 2x the price

Answer by Helz for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-13T11:52:44Z

Well, if you think about it, yoghurt is fermented too! I presume you've eaten yoghurt before. I do sympathise though..I find it hard to try new stuff. I am well up for kombucha ginger-ade..but offal is the one that is beyond me right now :O Good luck! :)

Answer by Josh M for Kefir and Kombucha

2012-04-13T16:08:26Z

I make my own kombucha - I can flavor it with anything I want, use different kinds of teas and vary the fermentation times so I can create a drink that is tailored to my tastes. I started with buying it in a health food store but very quickly began making my own. I make a nice cherry flavored kombucha using dried cherries for the second fermentation step, almost anyone who tries it says its great, kind of like a wine cooler. My 15 year old son drinks my kombucha daily and he has not touched soda in over 2 years, he says he can't stand soda now.