Kombucha was originally popularized in the U.S. during the environmental movement of the ’60s, when people learned about all of its plant-based health effects. It wasn’t until 1995 that the first bottled kombucha ever appeared on American store shelves. Since then, the fizzy fermented tea beverage has resurged into the health food scene, bringing even more store-bought options than previously imaginable. But, GT’s Synergy kombucha will always be the first, and according to our taste testers, the best flavor also comes in the cutest color. In Tasting Table’s ranking of 9 Synergy kombucha flavors, we found that the rosy pink Guava Goddess kombucha tasted the most like the fruit after which it takes its name.
If you like the flavor of guava, this kombucha comes highly recommended. Made from actual guava puree and no juice, our taste testers likened sipping this juice to taking a bite out of a fresh, farmer’s market guava during peak season. But, even if you’re not necessarily a guava goddess (or god) yourself, this kombucha is sure to win you over. It’s even been known to convert kombucha haters, thanks to its lightly sweet and not-too-vinegary flavor. This flavor from GT’s Synergy is tropical, fizzy, bold, and not too sweet while still achieving a good balance of fermented funkiness. Most importantly, it stays true to its name and doesn’t skimp on the guava.
Fruit puree over fruit juice
Seeing as both the first- and second-ranked picks were made with fruit puree, it’s safe to assume that it makes a real difference when it comes to the flavor of your kombucha. That’s a great thing to note should you ever decide to make your own kombucha from scratch at home but also a helpful tip to consider when you’re shopping. Kombucha is not cheap, after all, and it’s fun to try new flavors or brands every once in a while. What’s not so fun, however, is twisting the top and to finding the flavor is much more funky than it is fruity. Fruit puree is one ingredient to look for to ensure you get a balance of the two, but it’s not the only one.
In our round up of 11 different kombucha brands to try, we outlined some of the guidelines to follow when shopping for different kombucha brands and flavors. As far as red flags, avoid kombuchas made from herbal teas (that is, unless you really can’t handle caffeine). Instead, reach for brands and flavors that use black, oolong, green tea, or a blend of each. Green flags you can look for include signs of fermentation, and you’ll be able to tell a healthy kombucha by simply looking for that cloudy pool of bacteria sitting on the bottom. You’ll find that the guava goddess flavor rom GT’s Synergy ticks all the boxes.
