Is Your Kombucha the Real Deal? 5 Ways to Spot the Fakes
Let’s get one thing straight — not all kombucha is created equal. In a world where “natural” can mean almost anything and “probiotic” gets slapped on sugary soda wannabes, it’s getting harder to know what’s real.
So how do you tell if the bottle in your hand is actually legit booch?
Here are 5 simple ways to check — no science degree required.
1. Check the Label for “Unpasteurized”
Real kombucha is alive. Literally. It’s got good bacteria and yeast doing their thing — and pasteurizing it kills all of that. So if your bottle says “pasteurized,” you’re drinking a glorified soda with maybe a kombucha vibe.
✅ Look for “raw” or “unpasteurized”
🚫 Avoid anything with a 6+ month shelf life — that’s your first red flag.
2. How’s It Packaged?
Kombucha that’s alive is also... a little volatile (in a good way). It keeps fermenting slowly over time, so it needs to stay chilled. If you’re picking up a bottle off a warm shelf at a supermarket, that’s a no-go.
Real kombucha is always stored cold. If it’s not in the fridge, don’t bother.
3. Can You Pronounce the Ingredients?
What’s inside should sound like something you’d find in a kitchen — not a lab. Think cold-pressed fruit, tea, botanicals. If you see “natural flavoring” or stabilizers, it’s probably masking what the drink lacks in actual fermentation.
✅ Tea, sugar, fruit, spices
🚫 “Flavour enhancers,” “Stevia,” “preservatives”
4. What’s It Look Like?
Crystal clear kombucha might look pretty — but that’s not a good sign. Real booch has some cloudiness. You might see sediment at the bottom or a thin SCOBY film floating inside. That’s the good stuff.
Kombucha should look alive, not filtered to death.
5. Taste Test: Is It Just Sweet?
The beauty of real kombucha is in its balance — tangy, slightly fizzy, with layered flavors. If it just tastes like sweet juice or soda, chances are the fermentation was rushed, faked, or skipped altogether.
Kombucha isn’t meant to be just sweet.
It's funky. It's punchy. It’s got character.
TL;DR? Trust Your Gut.
Literally.
Real kombucha does more than taste good — it feels good. And if you’re drinking Hydra, you already know we don’t mess around.
Raw. Unpasteurized. Brewed in small batches with real fruit and real flavor.
Because what’s the point of kombucha without the kombucha?