Updated on Apr. 11, 2025
Whether enjoyed for its benefits or flavors, the best kombucha delivers high marks in both categories. Our team tested 6 brands and 17 different flavors to find the best options available.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Learn more.
Healthy foods don’t get a very good reputation when it comes to flavor. However, that doesn’t mean beneficial beverages are boring. Enter: Kombucha. Like prebiotic soda, the best kombucha contains vitamins and gut-cleaning bacteria (the good kind!) that aids with digestion and tastes pretty darn good to boot. The tangy-yet-sweet beverage’s unique, zippy flavor makes it a favorite among foodies and casual sippers alike.
Despite its reputation of tasting like apple cider vinegar, good kombucha is more akin to a fruity, tart tea. In order to find the best kombucha options, I made it my mission to find different, easily-accessible brands and try six new ones (over 17 flavors total) in order to discern which options are truly tasty, and which you should skip.
Pros:
Cons:
In our tests of the best kombucha options, one brand consistently outperformed the others in terms of taste, fizziness, benefits and flavor: Health-Ade. Whether it’s a replacement for canned alcoholic drinks or a healthful option for those looking to boost their gut flora, Health Ade’s impressive catalogue of 15 different flavors offern options for every mood. Cayenne Cleanse, Bubbly Rose, Mint Limeade or Guava Dragon Fruit, anyone? It’s the closest we found to traditional kombucha in terms of taste, too—though the zippy, tart flavor may be too acidic for newbie booch heads.
Health Ade is incredibly transparent about their brewing process, and they let each batch ferment for several weeks. That gives plenty of time for good bacteria (which averages at about 1 million per bottle) to feed, grow and release tons of tongue-tickling carbonation. At under 0.5% alcohol per bottle, it’s also safe for most folks to enjoy. Even better, it contains only around 70 calories per bottle, making it a much more waistband-friendly option than traditional soda. That said, with 13 grams of added sugar, it’s best to limit intake to one bottle a day.
Editor’s Favorite Flavor: Pomegranate
Pros:
Cons:
Wanna take your taste buds on a flavor journey akin to a non-alcoholic canned cocktail, but with added benefits? The GT’s Synergy catalogue of over 29 flavors means there’s surely something for any palate—they’ve been refining their selections since 1995! Flavors range from traditional mango to marine greens and even a few chia seed options. There are also seasonal releases that include other beneficial ingredients, like turmeric and carrot juice. Each small batch of brew ferments for over 30 days, meaning that each bottle boasts a whopping 9 billion living probiotics—nearly 10 times the amount of other brands!
While not organic and on the pricier end, GT’s Synergy kombucha uses a mix of green and black teas and other all-natural ingredients. Every type of culture they use comes listed on the bottle, and each bottle also offers additional beneficial ingredients like lactic acid, acetic acid and gluconic acid. It’s also the fizziest of the bunch—not surprising given the large number of cultures and the longer fermentation time. GT’s myriad options are a bit less acidic than Health-Ade’s offerings, making them more approachable for folks not accustomed to the signature tart kombucha tang.
Editor’s Favorite Flavor: Trilogy
Pros:
Cons:
While kombucha contains gut-boosting probiotics, acids and vitamins, it’s not exactly light on sugar. The best kombucha for weight loss thanks to varieties that contain zero added sugar, Humm kombucha boasts the addition of B12 vitamins. Bodies need B12 not only to keep blood and nerve cells healthy, but also because it helps make DNA. What makes Humm better for the waistband is the addition of five sugar-free options on top of their existing 12 flavors. At only 35 calories per can, Humm’s sugar free kombucha remains raw and unpasteurized throughout the brewing process. This keeps probiotics intact and nurtures additional effervescence and flavors.
While fewer discernible particles means fewer probiotics than GT’s Synergy (though twice the number as Health-Ade), each batch boasts only around 14 milligrams of caffeine, or less than half the amount in a cup of green tea. It’s also far less acidic and sweet than the other options we tried, making it a healthful and hydrating option that tastes more like a sparkling CBD drink rather than a fermented beverage. These are also certified vegan and organic.
Editor’s Favorite Flavor: Zero Sugar Raspberry Lemonade
Pros:
Cons:
Better booch doesn’t mean a lighter wallet. Brew Dr. kombucha brings together robust flavors and different types of tea in a wallet-friendly package at only around $2.50 per bottle in grocery stores. Each bottle of raw, unpasteurized booch contains less than 15 mg caffeine. In addition, one area where Brew Dr. excels is accessibility. They use a proprietary non-heat distillation process that removes any trace alcohol content, making them completely safe for folks of any age.
Unlike the other brands which use a blend of green and black tea for every flavor, Brew Dr. actually rotates between white, black and green teas for the majority of their 15 flavors, with only a few options containing tea blends. This is actually something I really liked, as each inclusion is clearly labeled for those who prefer one type of tea over others. That said, this brand also includes more carbs than the other options on this list, so it’s worth keeping that in mind if you’re choosing non-alcoholic drinks instead of cocktails due to the high carb count.
Editor’s Favorite Flavor: Clear Mind
When looking for the best kombucha, it’s important to first identify what you’re looking for in a beverage. Those hunting for brews that offer the best benefits rather than better flavors should stick with brands that include additional vitamins and little added sugar, like Humm. For folks who prefer this zippy beverage for the fruity taste, GT’s Synergy or Health-Ade offer incredible blends and exotic pairings.
One big consideration is caffeine, according to Certified Nutrition Consultant Lila Volkas. “The amount of caffeine in a bottle of kombucha can vary between different companies and even different batches,” she says. “The caffeine content in kombucha will depend on the type of tea used, how long it’s steeped and the length of fermentation.” Those sensitive to caffeine should always check the caffeine content prior to enjoying a glass.
In addition, we only included non-pasteurized options on this list. While some of the beverages we tested secured top scores in taste, they add cultures after pasteurization to make up for those lost in filtering. Because of that, it’s difficult to discern exactly how many live cultures each bottle has (and whether they’re as effective as cultures from fermentation). In addition, we didn’t include options that add sparkling water to boost effervescence.
A longtime fan of the bright, tart beverage, I began brewing my own kombucha back in 2019. Over the years I’ve tested dozens of brands, from local brews to gourmet blends to bottled beverages available in the grocery store. While brewing my own makes for a fulfilling hobby, there’s no shortage of options out there that taste just as good (and sometimes better!) than the ones I ferment in my home kitchen.
Since my experience with commercially available kombucha goes back at least six years, I began my research by sourcing the brands I already know and enjoy, taking care to exclude any I already know aren’t very good. Then, I researched the best kombucha brands on the market.
We compiled 17 flavors from 6 brands, in addition to all the additional brands and flavors I’ve tried over the years. At that point came the fun part: sipping and enjoying. We evaluated each flavor individually and then came up with an overall ranking for each brand. The top performers stood out for their unique flavors, variety, exceptional health benefits, price and availability.
According to Kombucha Kamp creator Hannah Crum, kombucha is an ancient Chinese fermented brew that has been consumed for more than 2,000 years, dating back as early as 221 B.C.
“Kombucha is made by adding a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) to a solution of tea and sugar,” she says. “During the course of the week- to month-long fermentation process, the cultures metabolize the sugar and tea components to render a naturally effervescent beverage with a slightly sweet-tart flavor, full of healthy components like B vitamins, organic acids and antioxidants.”
Kombucha has less than one third of the sugar commonly found in soft drinks and numerous healthful properties, making it a popular pick for the health-conscious individual. Plus, it’s pretty darn tasty!
Heather notes that, “just like eating blueberries or spinach, Kombucha is a nutrient dense food.” Therefore, it’s safe to drink daily. However, she suggests starting with smaller portions.
“If your body isn’t used to consuming fermented foods, it can experience immediate benefits and immediate need to use the bathroom,” she warns. “A good rule of thumb is to mix in an equal amount of water for every glass of Kombucha consumed. Because it supports the body’s detoxification process, drinking water in between ensures that your body has the liquid it needs to flush the released toxins from the body so they aren’t simply reabsorbed.”
That said, Certified Nutrition Consultant Lila Volkas notes that it may not be the right beverage choice for everyone. “Kombucha does contain sugar and caffeine, so if you’re sensitive to caffeine or monitoring your sugar intake that is something to be aware of,” she says.
“The primary health benefit of kombucha is its probiotics, says Certified Nutrition Consultant Lila Volkas. “The fermentation process not only gives kombucha its distinctive taste, but also transforms it into a drink rich with beneficial bacteria. Consuming fermented foods, like kombucha, has been studied to support digestion and enhance immune system health.”
Aside from being the Taste Recipes shopping team’s resident food and beverage expert, I have more than five years of experience brewing kombucha in my home. I know that the best kombucha offers effervescence (indicative of a good number of bubbly bacteria) and tastes bright and zippy—never flat and dull or acidic, like vinegar. For this piece, I also spoke with two kombucha experts, one of which is a certified nutrition consultant, who discussed the benefits and brewing methods of the drink.
Hannah Crum, aka “The Kombucha Mamma”, pioneered her educational workshop Kombucha Kamp in 2004 out of her small Los Angeles kitchen. Along with husband Alex LaGory, they created the Kombucha Kamp website, the world’s leading educational kombucha site, with a mission to “Change the world, one gut at a time” by providing quality information, quality cultures, and quality customer support. A popular speaker about Kombucha, fermentation and bacteriosapiens, Hannah frequently tours and can be found speaking at corporate and health conferences, fermentation festivals and events throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Lila Volkas is a certified nutrition consultant and workshop facilitator based in Oakland, California. Lila has been hosting food events and classes since 2012 with thousands of participants all around the world, and she works with companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon to bring team-bonding and wellness into the workplace.
