Trying Kombucha for the First Time

When a lot of people think of Kombucha, I think they associate it with yoga, tree-hugging, vegans, and hippie type of individuals. 

Many people see Kombucha as one of those drinks that only a particular type of person would drink as it is too strong or acidic for them. Because of these stereotypes of Kombucha, I stayed away from it for a long time, because I believed it would be gross and like drinking vinegar, and I was sure I wouldn’t like it. 

But towards the end of the fall semester, I was working on a group project for a class and the company we were researching was experiencing the adverse effects of competing with Kombucha. I wanted to know what all the hype was about surrounding the drink and so I decided to try it, thinking the worst thing that could happen would be that I didn’t like it and if so, I could just stop drinking it. 

The flavor I chose to go with was a lime mint coconut one as these were ingredients I enjoyed individually. The first thing I noticed when I opened the bottle was the fizzing sound it made. I didn’t realize just how much of a soda-like pop the drink had and the first few sips of it was actually very enjoyable. 

Next, I noticed the drink contained a strong flavor, but that flavor was not of the infused water type, nor was it quite like juice. It did taste different from anything I have had before, but to describe it to someone who has never experienced it, I would say it was reminiscent of a soda, maybe like Mountain Dew, but without the sugar. 

That brings me to the next thing I liked a lot about the drink. I had been keeping track of everything I ate and drank and realized how the sugar in everything added up. Kombucha contained only about 8g of sugar for a 15-ounce bottle, which was a sharp turn away from the 24g in the iced coffee and tea drinks I’d been getting of the same size.   

As I continued to drink it, I realized that every sip was just as enjoyable as the last and that I wasn’t getting bored with it as I sometimes did with iced coffee. But, I also realized that this wasn’t the type of drink I would get when I just wanted to chug something down quickly. Kombucha was fun to sip, but I wouldn’t drink the whole bottle in one sitting. 

The mix of flavor, fizz, and limited quantities of sugar made Kombucha interesting to drink and converted it from something I initially avoided and, became one of my favorite drinks. It isn’t necessarily a drink I would get everyday, but it is a great alternative to iced coffees and teas, and I highly recommend everyone try it at least once before shunning it for needing an “acquired taste.” 

• tcnj