WHAT IS KOMBUCHA?
Kombucha is a fermented, lightly effervescent tea containing good bacteria and yeast. We start by brewing green or black tea and combine it with an organic, fair-trade sugar. We add the sweetened tea to a culture called a SCOBY - a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. The yeast of the SCOBY consume the sugar as it's nutrient and produce alcohol. The bacteria of the SCOBY then consume the alcohol to produce acetic acid. The end result is a non-alcoholic low-sugar beverage full of good bacteria, antioxidants, B Vitamins, and beneficial acids and is great for digestion. This raw kombucha undergoes a secondary fermentation with infusions such as herbs and fruit to produce various flavours and natural carbonation.
HOW DO I DRINK A BOTTLE OF KOMBUCHA?
We don't want to tell you how to drink from a bottle, pretty sure we don't need to reinvent the wheel. However we don’t want you to wear it. Kombucha is carbonated so don’t shake your bottle before opening. Simply take a few sips off the top and then give it a quick swirl to get the added flavour and benefit of the mother. Bottoms up!
I'M NEW TO KOMBUCHA, HOW MUCH SHOULD I DRINK?
We recommend starting with a 4-6 oz serving. Everyone's gut biome is different and introducing more good bacteria should be done gradually. Active bacteria cultures may cause a slight reaction so start slow to allow for your system to adjust. Once you've become accustomed to kombucha, then you can sip away up to 16 oz per day. Bottoms up!
DOES KOMBUCHA HAVE TO BE REFRIGERATED?
Yes, it's a living cultured drink and will continue to self-carbonate especially at room temperature. Keep it in the fridge. Do not shake the bottle, simply swirl or turn upside-down to mix it up... unless you want to wear it.
WHAT'S THAT FLOATING IN MY BOTTLE?
Likely it's just some residual sediment from the fruit or herb infusion. Have no fear, it could also be the good bacteria and yeast and they are completely safe to consume. Kombucha is a living drink, and each one is unique. If your brew has "floaties" not to worry, you can mix it, drink it, avoid it, or discard it. If you notice some sediment in the bottom it may also be bits of fruit and herbs that snuck past our filtration and again, are completely safe. Our Mango Lassi and Strawberry Mint flavours tend to have more fruit pieces remaining in the final product. This is completely normal and natural, is not harmful and does not mean your kombucha is bad. During and after fermentation, the bacteria will continue to work its magic.
DOES KOMBUCHA GO BAD?
Although we do put a best before date on our 500 ml bottles, kombucha does not actually go "bad". We like to guarantee the taste and beneficial properties of our kombucha will be the same as when we bottled it if consumed before the date indicated. We've had kombucha older than 12 months and we're still alive. ;)
WHY IS KOMBUCHA SO SOUR?
Like any fermented product, the acidity lends a certain sour taste that's recognizable in fermented products like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, apple cider vinegar, cider, beer, wine. The sourness comes from acetic acid and is beneficial to your health.
WHY DO YOU USE SUGAR?
Kombucha requires a nutrient to "feed" the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast - AKA the culture). The brewed green tea and organic, fair trade, unrefined cane sugar is mixed together and added to the culture. The yeasts of the culture consume the sugar and ferment into alcohol. Then the bacteria consume the alcohol and convert it into healthy acids including acetic acid. We try to keep our batches at the same acidity in order to have a consistently low sugar content, but any more acidic and it might be too much like vinegar for the average consumer. Our fruity kombucha flavours have slightly more sugar due to the natural sugars in the fruit.
DOES YOUR KOMBUCHA CONTAIN ALCOHOL?
Our kombucha has less than 0.5% alcohol. So yes, it has trace amounts, but sorry to say, you can't get a buzz off drinking our kombucha but go ahead and mix up your own drink!
IS KOMBUCHA SAFE TO DRINK WHILE PREGNANT? CAN CHILDREN DRINK IT?
Given the above information, drinking kombucha is safe for children and expectant mothers. If you are pregnant and have never had kombucha before, we recommend trying a small amount to start and as always, consult with your doctor.
I'M NOT PREGNANT, CAN I MIX MY KOMBUCHA WITH ALCOHOL?
We're not stopping you! In fact, we've made many a cocktail using kombucha. Kombucha is used to seeing alcohol around and mixing the two does not destroy any of the beneficial properties of the kombucha. It is delicious, drink responsibly.
HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS IN YOUR KOMBUCHA?
We use sencha green tea which tends to be lower in caffeine than other camellia sinensis teas. The kombucha fermentation process also consumes some of the caffeine. We estimate that a 250 ml serving of our tea would contain less than 10 mg of caffeine. In comparison, 250 ml of coffee has over 100 mg of caffeine. Most people we've encountered with a caffeine sensitivity seem to tolerate kombucha pretty well. If you're concerned, we suggest first trying kombucha with food and before 2 p.m.
I HAVE FOOD ALLERGIES, CAN I DRINK KOMBUCHA?
Well that depends. If you're allergic to fruit or certain herbs, read the ingredients first, but our kombucha is GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, NUT-FREE, SOY-FREE, EGG-FREE, VEGAN and made with all organic ingredients.
SHOULD I DRINK KOMBUCHA IF I HAVE HEALTH ISSUES?
Although kombucha can offer a variety of benefits to help you achieve optimal health, anyone with a compromised immune system should first talk to their health care professional before adding kombucha to their diet.
WHY IS MY 1L BOTTLE OF KOMBUCHA MORE CARBONATED THAN MY 500 ml BOTTLE OF KOMBUCHA?
Our 1L bottles are filled using an on-tap system that force carbonates the kombucha using a tank of CO2. With our 500 ml bottles, we allow the kombucha to carbonate naturally using a traditional kombucha brewing method. As with any natural process, there is variation. Self-carbonation occurs when the yeast present in the kombucha continue to consume the sugar and produce CO2 naturally.
DO YOU TAKE THE EMPTY BOTTLES BACK FOR A REFUND?
We have a 1L exchange program with our on-tap system at The Olive Tree in Deep River as well as at our sister store, rĒCo Refillery at the front of our brewery. With this "refill" program, you bring your bottle back and we give you a "new" sanitized bottle to fill up. This way we can fully wash and sanitize the bottles so that we can assure that our kombucha is going into a clean bottle and no cross-contamination has occurred. We do not currently offer a refund for our 500 ml bottles. We strongly recommend recycling or repurposing, or if you feel so inclined, drop off your rinsed bottles to our shop and we'll put 'em to use! Thanks for thinking of the planet!
WHY DOES YOUR KOMBUCHA HAVE A PREMIUM PRICE?
There is a wide variation of prices in the kombucha market that are largely due to scale, process and quality. We are a craft, small batch brewery brewing kombucha the traditional way. We are a manual operation in a small location and purchase everything in smaller quantities. We pride ourselves in using high-quality ingredients from start to finish because we believe it makes a better tasting kombucha.
WHY AM I PAYING TAX ON KOMBUCHA?
Canada Revenue Agency has ruled that all carbonated beverages sold in Canada are taxable. This was brought to our attention by our Canadian Sub-Committee of our international trade association, Kombucha Brewers International. Although we feel that kombucha should be exempt from this category and we will continue to lobby the government to change the law, as it stands today we must charge tax.
WHY DO YOU CALL IT LAURENTIAN BREW?
We live right across from the Laurentian Mountains and the surrounding area is called Laurentian Hills or Laurentian Valley. You can see the Laurentian Mountains from our brewery. We met in front of the mountains, climbed them together, and were engaged to be married by the mountains. Really we just love the view of them on the Ottawa River and wanted to represent the area we love and call home.
WHAT IS YOUR LOGO?
Ok, it might look like a bird, and you can pretend it is, but our logo is actually of the two mountains directly across from the Ottawa River waterfront of the Town of Deep River.
Kombucha is a fermented, lightly effervescent tea containing good bacteria and yeast. We start by brewing green or black tea and combine it with an organic, fair-trade sugar. We add the sweetened tea to a culture called a SCOBY - a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. The yeast of the SCOBY consume the sugar as it's nutrient and produce alcohol. The bacteria of the SCOBY then consume the alcohol to produce acetic acid. The end result is a non-alcoholic low-sugar beverage full of good bacteria, antioxidants, B Vitamins, and beneficial acids and is great for digestion. This raw kombucha undergoes a secondary fermentation with infusions such as herbs and fruit to produce various flavours and natural carbonation.
HOW DO I DRINK A BOTTLE OF KOMBUCHA?
We don't want to tell you how to drink from a bottle, pretty sure we don't need to reinvent the wheel. However we don’t want you to wear it. Kombucha is carbonated so don’t shake your bottle before opening. Simply take a few sips off the top and then give it a quick swirl to get the added flavour and benefit of the mother. Bottoms up!
I'M NEW TO KOMBUCHA, HOW MUCH SHOULD I DRINK?
We recommend starting with a 4-6 oz serving. Everyone's gut biome is different and introducing more good bacteria should be done gradually. Active bacteria cultures may cause a slight reaction so start slow to allow for your system to adjust. Once you've become accustomed to kombucha, then you can sip away up to 16 oz per day. Bottoms up!
DOES KOMBUCHA HAVE TO BE REFRIGERATED?
Yes, it's a living cultured drink and will continue to self-carbonate especially at room temperature. Keep it in the fridge. Do not shake the bottle, simply swirl or turn upside-down to mix it up... unless you want to wear it.
WHAT'S THAT FLOATING IN MY BOTTLE?
Likely it's just some residual sediment from the fruit or herb infusion. Have no fear, it could also be the good bacteria and yeast and they are completely safe to consume. Kombucha is a living drink, and each one is unique. If your brew has "floaties" not to worry, you can mix it, drink it, avoid it, or discard it. If you notice some sediment in the bottom it may also be bits of fruit and herbs that snuck past our filtration and again, are completely safe. Our Mango Lassi and Strawberry Mint flavours tend to have more fruit pieces remaining in the final product. This is completely normal and natural, is not harmful and does not mean your kombucha is bad. During and after fermentation, the bacteria will continue to work its magic.
DOES KOMBUCHA GO BAD?
Although we do put a best before date on our 500 ml bottles, kombucha does not actually go "bad". We like to guarantee the taste and beneficial properties of our kombucha will be the same as when we bottled it if consumed before the date indicated. We've had kombucha older than 12 months and we're still alive. ;)
WHY IS KOMBUCHA SO SOUR?
Like any fermented product, the acidity lends a certain sour taste that's recognizable in fermented products like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, apple cider vinegar, cider, beer, wine. The sourness comes from acetic acid and is beneficial to your health.
WHY DO YOU USE SUGAR?
Kombucha requires a nutrient to "feed" the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast - AKA the culture). The brewed green tea and organic, fair trade, unrefined cane sugar is mixed together and added to the culture. The yeasts of the culture consume the sugar and ferment into alcohol. Then the bacteria consume the alcohol and convert it into healthy acids including acetic acid. We try to keep our batches at the same acidity in order to have a consistently low sugar content, but any more acidic and it might be too much like vinegar for the average consumer. Our fruity kombucha flavours have slightly more sugar due to the natural sugars in the fruit.
DOES YOUR KOMBUCHA CONTAIN ALCOHOL?
Our kombucha has less than 0.5% alcohol. So yes, it has trace amounts, but sorry to say, you can't get a buzz off drinking our kombucha but go ahead and mix up your own drink!
IS KOMBUCHA SAFE TO DRINK WHILE PREGNANT? CAN CHILDREN DRINK IT?
Given the above information, drinking kombucha is safe for children and expectant mothers. If you are pregnant and have never had kombucha before, we recommend trying a small amount to start and as always, consult with your doctor.
I'M NOT PREGNANT, CAN I MIX MY KOMBUCHA WITH ALCOHOL?
We're not stopping you! In fact, we've made many a cocktail using kombucha. Kombucha is used to seeing alcohol around and mixing the two does not destroy any of the beneficial properties of the kombucha. It is delicious, drink responsibly.
HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS IN YOUR KOMBUCHA?
We use sencha green tea which tends to be lower in caffeine than other camellia sinensis teas. The kombucha fermentation process also consumes some of the caffeine. We estimate that a 250 ml serving of our tea would contain less than 10 mg of caffeine. In comparison, 250 ml of coffee has over 100 mg of caffeine. Most people we've encountered with a caffeine sensitivity seem to tolerate kombucha pretty well. If you're concerned, we suggest first trying kombucha with food and before 2 p.m.
I HAVE FOOD ALLERGIES, CAN I DRINK KOMBUCHA?
Well that depends. If you're allergic to fruit or certain herbs, read the ingredients first, but our kombucha is GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, NUT-FREE, SOY-FREE, EGG-FREE, VEGAN and made with all organic ingredients.
SHOULD I DRINK KOMBUCHA IF I HAVE HEALTH ISSUES?
Although kombucha can offer a variety of benefits to help you achieve optimal health, anyone with a compromised immune system should first talk to their health care professional before adding kombucha to their diet.
WHY IS MY 1L BOTTLE OF KOMBUCHA MORE CARBONATED THAN MY 500 ml BOTTLE OF KOMBUCHA?
Our 1L bottles are filled using an on-tap system that force carbonates the kombucha using a tank of CO2. With our 500 ml bottles, we allow the kombucha to carbonate naturally using a traditional kombucha brewing method. As with any natural process, there is variation. Self-carbonation occurs when the yeast present in the kombucha continue to consume the sugar and produce CO2 naturally.
DO YOU TAKE THE EMPTY BOTTLES BACK FOR A REFUND?
We have a 1L exchange program with our on-tap system at The Olive Tree in Deep River as well as at our sister store, rĒCo Refillery at the front of our brewery. With this "refill" program, you bring your bottle back and we give you a "new" sanitized bottle to fill up. This way we can fully wash and sanitize the bottles so that we can assure that our kombucha is going into a clean bottle and no cross-contamination has occurred. We do not currently offer a refund for our 500 ml bottles. We strongly recommend recycling or repurposing, or if you feel so inclined, drop off your rinsed bottles to our shop and we'll put 'em to use! Thanks for thinking of the planet!
WHY DOES YOUR KOMBUCHA HAVE A PREMIUM PRICE?
There is a wide variation of prices in the kombucha market that are largely due to scale, process and quality. We are a craft, small batch brewery brewing kombucha the traditional way. We are a manual operation in a small location and purchase everything in smaller quantities. We pride ourselves in using high-quality ingredients from start to finish because we believe it makes a better tasting kombucha.
WHY AM I PAYING TAX ON KOMBUCHA?
Canada Revenue Agency has ruled that all carbonated beverages sold in Canada are taxable. This was brought to our attention by our Canadian Sub-Committee of our international trade association, Kombucha Brewers International. Although we feel that kombucha should be exempt from this category and we will continue to lobby the government to change the law, as it stands today we must charge tax.
WHY DO YOU CALL IT LAURENTIAN BREW?
We live right across from the Laurentian Mountains and the surrounding area is called Laurentian Hills or Laurentian Valley. You can see the Laurentian Mountains from our brewery. We met in front of the mountains, climbed them together, and were engaged to be married by the mountains. Really we just love the view of them on the Ottawa River and wanted to represent the area we love and call home.
WHAT IS YOUR LOGO?
Ok, it might look like a bird, and you can pretend it is, but our logo is actually of the two mountains directly across from the Ottawa River waterfront of the Town of Deep River.