Kombucha in the Metro: What Is It and Where to Find It?

Sweet-sour with an effervescent mouthfeel. This is what characterizes kombucha, a fermented drink that has been around for about 2,000 years. It was first brewed in China, and then later spread to Japan and Russia.

To make it, black or green tea, yeast, and sugar are mixed in water, with the mixture being left for at least a week for it to ferment. As kombucha ferments and bacteria and acids begin to form, a film on top of the liquid called a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) develops.

The purported health benefits of kombucha vary. While some claim it could help manage conditions like blood pressure, others would go on and say it offers benefits similar to probiotics that strengthen one's immune system. Although medical studies about kombucha's benefits to health remain limited, the fuzzy drink still has found a legion of fans, with sales in the United States reaching US$1.8 billion in 2019.

Curious to sample this bubbly, refreshing drink and its different flavors? You can find it from these local businesses that brew and sell their own kombucha.

Camsbucha

When Camille founded Camsbucha, her mission was to create hand-crafted kombucha that was sustainably sourced, mindfully brewed, and environmentally conscious. Camsbucha's kombucha teas are made of all-natural ingredients, from organic tea leaves and superfoods to spices, fruits, and herbs that have all been carefully selected. Its kombucha has original flavors like Blueberry Lavender and Strawberry Hibiscus (P170 for a 350-milliliter bottle; P480 for one liter), to name a few, and limited-edition flavors like Passionfruit Carnation Collagen, Cranberry Rose, and Raspberry Garcinia Cambogia (P200 for a 350-ml bottle, P560 for a liter, and P560 for a bundle of three 350-ml bottles).

Happy Brew Kombucha

Gabriela Atienza founded Happy Brew Kombucha after noticing that the Philippines had yet to catch up on this fermented tea drink. Having fallen in love with the kombucha trends she experienced in the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, she went on to found Happy Brew to make kombucha more accessible to Filipinos. Happy Brew's kombucha flavors come in fun names like Green Goddess (a triple blend green tea kombucha), Jazz Notes (classic jasmine green tea kombucha), and Midnight Lychee (blueberry lychee flavored kombucha), among others. A can of Happy Brew's kombucha costs P150 and can be purchased through its website!

Boochamama Kombucha Manila

Founded in 2018, Boochamama aims to help Filipinos heal their gut one sip at a time with "nature's natural soda." This San Juan-based kombucha seller takes pride in brewing low sugar kombucha, with delicious flavors like Berries and Apple, Cucumber Lychee, French Rose, Lavender and Hibiscus, Blue Spirulina and Pineapple, and its bestseller Peach Acai.

A 750-ml bottle costs P480, whereas a gift box set of three 750-ml bottles is priced at P1,350.

Boochamama also offers monthly kombucha subscriptions. If interested, feel free to send them a direct message.

Kombucha Klub

We love small, homegrown businesses not just because of their dedication to deliver quality products or services but also because their purpose is almost always in the hopes of improving experiences and lives, along with a lot of love and heart thrown in the mix. Kombucha Klub is one of those businesses and it sure knows how to reach out to its audience with its delightful flavors and hip product design and packaging.

We recommend you check out its main flavors, namely Basil Primeapple and Sweet Manilla for P150 per 350-ml bottle and premium flavors Captivating Cranapple and Skinny Moscow Mule for P180 a bottle.