For those of you that don’t already know, Kombucha (“kom-BOO-cha”) is a sparkling fermented blend of teas loaded with probiotics and other health benefits like anxiety relief, headache relief, mood stability, detox and more. Unfortunately, the East Coast just caught wind of the miracle elixir that is kombucha so finding it locally can sometimes be tough. Lucky for you, I have found, taste-tested, and ranked the kombucha native to Chester County.
Baba’s Brew is a local nano-brewery that uses the finest fair trade organic ingredients to handcraft small batches of tea. Although Baba’s Brew is new in town, their recipes are passed down from many generations. Let’s be real; if it’s one of great-grandmom’s recipes, you know it’s going to be good. Still, they manage to keep their flavors fresh and updated depending on what seasonal produce they can get their hands on. I haven’t tried all of their seasonal teas (yet), but I have come to love the four indispensable flavors of kombucha that remain staples of Baba’s Brew. Here is an ultimate ranking of those four teas:
First Place Champ: Chamomile Honey Kombucha
Photo courtesy of @babasbucha on Instagram
Kombucha is meant to make you feel good, and the Chamomile Honey brew flavor does just that. It’s simply made with chamomile, raw honey, filtered water, tea, sugar, and kombucha culture. That’s it. The beauty of kombucha is that I can pronounce each ingredient on the label. The beauty of this particular flavor of kombucha is its soothing effects. It’s not overly sweet from the honey, and the bubbles add to the lightness of the chamomile. Ultimately I chose this flavor as the champ because it made me feel like a freaking sun goddess.
First Runner Up: Hibiscus Kombucha
Photo courtesy of @babasbucha on Instagram
I got more of a cranberry flavor than hibiscus in this tea, but that only added to its deliciousness. This tea was packed with flavor and punch. The taste and carbonation kind of reminded me of mixing soda with fruit punch as a kid, but way healthier and with less of a sugar crash. It’s so tasty, it’s hard to believe that there are only 5 grams of sugar in each bottle. This is definitely a good choice for anyone who is still a little scared of kombucha.
Second Runner Up: Flower Power Kombucha
Photo courtesy of @babasbucha on Instagram
As soon as I opened this bottle, I understood why they named it Flower Power. The strong aroma of lavender and rose petals hit me first; but as I kept drinking, I noticed hints of hibiscus and basil. I’m a huge supporter of combining basil with sweets, so this was a pleasant surprise. Even though this drink tasted great, it was hard for me to get past its strong scent. I think this tea would make a much better mixer in other drinks (did someone say rosé?) than to stand on its own.
Honorable Mention: Blueberry Kombucha
Photo courtesy of @babasbucha on Instagram
Don’t get me wrong, I love each and every one of these drinks. The blueberry tea landed in fourth place simply because it’s a little bland compared to its comrades. My favorite part of this drink is the hint of ginger, which provides its own slew of health benefits. It also adds a necessary bite to the drink without taking over too much of the flavor. This one also comes jam-packed with antioxidants if you feel like you need a boost.
There you have it: a definitive ranking of the four main flavors of Baba’s Brew kombucha. You can take my word for it, but I highly suggest going out and trying each flavor for yourself (even if it’s just to see what all the hipsters are bragging about). You can find Baba’s Brew at La Baguette Magique on W. Market St and Malvern Buttery on E. King St.
Quick Tip:
Don’t shake the ‘bucha. Remember, it’s a fermented drink so too much shaking will make it pop open like a champagne bottle but less fun.