Kombucha taste

[grrickar]

Let me start out by saying I LOVE tea (mostly black teas). I have about 30-40 tins of different loose stuff and I drink about 4-8 cups daily. I have never had kombucha, nor had I really heard of it until reading about it here.

Can someone describe the flavor? I have heard it called 'vinegary', and while I have no objections to vinegar (I love malt vinegar), it wouldn't be my drink of choice...

How much of the tea character does it retain? I know there are commercial ones on the market - what should I try for my first?

 

[Dragon]

I don't think it has an overtly tea flavor. It's a bit vinegary but the carbonation and sweetness makes it seem much less so. I've made it at home and that can turn out much, much more vinegar-like than the commercial stuff usually is. I really like the GT Synergy drinks. Strawberry or original (no fruit added) are my favorites, and several other flavors are great as well (gingerade and trilogy are next on my list).

 

[maffew222]

You're going to have a slight acetic (vinegar) flavor, and a slight lactic (pickled) flavor, as well as some sweetness and mild tea flavor. When I use jasmine tea, the remaining flavor is VERY apparent. Whereas it's milder when I use a black tea. Depending on how long it is fermented, the acidic flavors can be soft (and Kombucha still sweet) or really acidic if you let it go too long. I would suggest buying a ginger/fruit Kombucha from GTs or something from the grocery to get an idea of what it can be. Plain Kombucha can be a bit of a turnoff to some people for the first time