Cultured Beverages
One of the most refreshing sources of active probiotics and herbal nutrition is an artisanal, lactofermented beverage. From slightly sweet and fruity, to salty and slightly sour, our Kombuchas, Kefirs, Juns, Kvasses and Cabbage Tonics offer something for every palate. To support a healthy microbiome, drink at least 4 ounces a day.
For this colorful shrub, we infused Bernie's Best raw apple cider vinegar with zest from local grapefruits and blood oranges. We added fresh juice from those same fruits along with raw local honey for a delicious take on the traditional tang of the oxymel (vinegar-infused medicinal tonic). Our version includes raw honey for sweetness and nutrition, rather than refined sugars.
A shrub is a traditional fruit concentrate, like a syrup, preserved with vinegar and used to make or flavor beverages. A few ounces with bubbly water makes a fabulous drink all on its own, and there's no reason you couldn't use it as a cocktail mixer if that's your thing! Shrubs can also add zing to jam or salad dressing, and make a wonderful glaze for grilled meats.
Ingredients: grapefruits,* blood oranges,* raw unfiltered honey, Bernie's Best raw apple cider vinegar* (* = organic)
Recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free, black pepper-free and GAPS Diet-friendly.
Beets are sliced and cultured in water with yogurt whey and Celtic sea salt to make this traditional tonic drink. Sally Fallon Morell describes this drink as being "valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments..." (Nourishing Traditions, page 608)
Ingredients: beets,* yogurt whey,* Celtic sea salt (* = organic)
Recipe is gluten-free.
Recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free, and GAPS & Paleo Diets-friendly.
This delicious seasonal offering of cabbage tonic features anti-inflammatory turmeric and ginger to keep us limber in the cooler seasons.
Ingredients: filtered water, green cabbage*, turmeric root*, ginger root*, Celtic sea salt (* = organic)
Recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and GAPS Diet-friendly.
Perfect mixer for a summer evening cocktail! In our impromptu tasting panel, TSH worker-owner Linda Kallenberger recommended gin or white rum. This refreshing kombucha has lovely, aromatic notes over a subtle sweetness. Organic green Earl Grey tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and that probiotic base is flavored with an infusion of cardamom and fresh mint.
Ingredients: green Earl Grey tea,* cane sugar,* fresh mint,* cardamom pods* (* = organic)
Organic darjeeling tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with cherry and ginger juice to produce a mildly tart, not too sweet drink. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, darjeeling tea*, cane sugar*, cherry juice*, ginger* (* = organic)
Organic white tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with fresh ginger and lime to produce a slightly tart and bold flavor. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, white tea*, cane sugar*, ginger root*, lime juice*, lime zest* (* = organic)
Organic white tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with grapefruit juice and sage. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body. The healing properties of sage and the beneficial antioxidants from grapefruit make for a refreshing and healthful drink.
Ingredients: filtered water, white tea, organic grapefruits, organic sage, organic cane sugar
Organic white tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with a cold infusion of hibiscus flowers for a slightly tart, slightly effervescent cultured beverage. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, white tea*, cane sugar*, hibiscus* (* = organic)
Organic white tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with lavender flowers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to produce a delicately floral, cultured twist on lemonade. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Organic gunpowder green tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with an infusion of nettle leaves for an unusual, delicious, and nourishing fermented drink. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, gunpowder green tea*, cane sugar*, nettle leaves* (* = organic)
This kombucha is brewed almost 3 times as long as our other beverages, resulting in a distinct flavor profile. English Breakfast tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and that probiotic base is balanced by the addition of sweet apple juice and finished with a gentle kick of freshly juiced ginger. Sour apple with a punch!
Ingredients: filtered water, Darjeeling tea,* cane sugar,* Bernie's Best gravenstein cider,* ginger* (* = organic)
A delicately citrus flavored dairy-free water kefir with notes of cardamom and vanilla. Water kefir grains, also called tibicos, are used to ferment a base of filtered water with unrefined cane sugar and just a touch of molasses. The sugars are metabolized by the kefir grains to produce a light but rich effervescent base.
Ingredients: filtered water, cane sugar*, blood orange zest*, molasses*, cardamom*, vanilla bean* (*=organic)
Dairy-free water kefir. Water kefir grains, also called tibicos, are used to ferment a base of filtered water with unrefined cane sugar and just a touch of molasses. The sugars are metabolized by the kefir grains to produce a light but rich effervescent base. The brew is then flavored with blueberry juice to produce a bubbly probiotic "soda." Fresh juniper berries lend this fizzy beverage a rich and complex flavor, balancing the unrepentant deep sweetness of blueberry juice.
Ingredients: filtered water, blueberry juice*, juniper berries* vanilla bean*, cane sugar*, molasses*, lemon juice* (* = organic)
A very floral and citrusy dairy-free water kefir. Water kefir grains, also called tibicos, are used to ferment a base of filtered water with unrefined cane sugar and just a touch of molasses. The sugars are metabolized by the kefir grains to produce a light but rich effervescent base. The brew is then flavored with meyer lemon zest and rose petals to produce a bubbly probiotic “soda.”
Ingredients: filtered water, cane sugar*, molasses*, raw unfiltered honey, rose petals*, Meyer lemon zest* (*=organic)
THIS PRODUCT IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH BULK SALES TO BERKELEY AND EL CERRITO NATURAL GROCERY -- IF YOU SEE IT ON OUR WEBSITE, PLEASE DON'T ORDER IT. THANK YOU.