By: Brew Your Bucha Posted: January 19, 2018 in Health

Is kombucha alcoholic? and if so, what is kombucha alcohol content?  This is a common question we receive here at Brew Your Bucha.  There is always mystery when it comes to fermented drinks and it is important to know what you are consuming.

Does kombucha contain alcohol?

Yes, there certainly is trace amounts of alcohol in kombucha which is a byproduct of the fermentation process.  The yeasts in the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) consume the sugars in the sweet tea and convert them to ethanol (alcohol) and carbon dioxide.  However, unlike beer and wine, the bacteria in the SCOBY feeds on ethanol and converts it to acids.  Since the culture in kombucha is a symbiotic relationship, there needs to be yeast to create food for the bacteria.  If this balance of yeast and bacteria is out of proportion, you will end up with kombucha that is higher in alcohol or higher in acids.

So how much alcohol is in kombucha?

This is a difficult question to answer since everybody brews their kombucha differently.  If the SCOBY and starter liquid you are using contains more yeast and outnumbers the bacteria in your brew, the balance of alcohol to acids may swing higher to alcohol and create a higher alcohol by volume (ABV).  In this case, your kombucha may have an ABV as high as 1% which is not much higher than your typical apple cider or non-alcoholic beer.

In other cases, where your SCOBY is low in yeast and high in bacteria, you will have a higher volume of acids and can have a brew with an ABV as low as 0.25% which is similar to an over ripened banana.

Since kombucha can be purchased in your typical grocery store.  Food regulations do not allow commercial kombucha brewers to have a ABV higher than 0.50%.  Take a look at the label of your store bought bottle and it should indicate the kombucha alcohol content that they have measured.

The beauty of brewing your own kombucha is that you can control this process as well.  Follow our blog as we will look to post about how to increase or decrease the alcohol content in your kombucha with a few basic techniques take a look here.  Want that information right away? send us a quick email and we can have that to you right away!

Is there a way for me to monitor the alcohol content?

Yes, there is simple tool that you can use to measure the kombucha alcohol content.  A hydrometer is an easy to source item which you can use for this purpose.  The way this works is it measures the specific gravity (relative density) of liquids—the ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water best garage door repair services.  We have had a few people ask where they can buy a hydrometer and we are looking in to adding this item to our shop.  Keep an eye out for it as we agree it is a useful tool!

Still interested in learning more?

Please comment below with your thoughts and questions! We are always happy to help.

Disclaimer: If you are concerned about alcohol content due to alcohol allergies or pregnancy, please consult your doctor before drinking kombucha.

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