Best kombucha in Australia reviewed
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review some of the Australia’s best and most popular kombuchas, including ones from Good Brew, Buchi, Good Culture Society (ie Aldi), Remedy, Lo Bros and Nexba.
Kombucha has become popular for gut health and general health because of the probiotics, postbiotics and tea, usually green tea, that it contains.
Types of kombucha
Commercial kombuchas often (but not always) fit into two categories:
Real-ingredient kombuchas: This means that if the kombucha is a raspberry flavour that real raspberries in some form (eg juice, concentrate or puree) have been used rather than just raspberry flavouring (natural or otherwise). I tend to see these as more authentic and natural, and more similar to traditional homemade kombucha. The downside is that they usually have more calories due to their natural fruit sugars
Low-calorie kombuchas: These tend to use natural flavourings rather than real ingredients and often rely on using sweeteners for taste. I find they have a flavour with less depth and I prefer not to consume sweeteners, whether natural or not. However, the advantage is that these kombuchas are very low in calories
And of course some kombuchas use a combination of real ingredients, flavourings and sweeteners.
A word on sweeteners
Regular readers will know that I don’t love sweeteners - whether they are natural or artificial. This is because artificial sweeteners have been shown to negatively affect gut microbe composition - and so it could be that natural sweeteners also have a negative affect on your gut. There are other potential side effects of these natural sweeteners, but more research is needed.
In any case, I’d prefer to avoid sweeteners altogether to be on the safe side. This is a personal choice though and essentially a trade off between some sugar (which is not good) and natural sweeteners (which may or may not be shown to be unhealthy in future).
Read more about the current research done on stevia and erythritol - the two most common natural sweeteners.
Good Brew kombucha
Good Brew kombucha is a high-quality, real-ingredient kombucha.
It is organic and contains lavender, acai, maqui, purple corn, blueberry and monk fruit.
The main benefit of this kombucha is the diversity of probiotics (ie live beneficial bacteria) it contains. They claim that there is ‘200 thriving bacterial strains’ in this kombucha. This is seriously impressive diversity which will benefit your gut much more than mass produced kombuchas which often only have one strain!
The aroma is mainly of lavender with red berry and citrus also coming through.
The taste is very complex - not surprising given the long list of ingredients. The lavender certainly comes through and there’s a multi-layered fruity background which is hard to describe. The acidity is relatively high, but not excessively.
The carbonation is moderate and perfect in my opinion.
In summary, the flavour is great and reflects the authenticity of the ingredients and the brewing process.
I paid $4.50 for a 330ml bottle in a health food store. You can also find it on their website.
Summary
5 stars out of 5.
A great tasting, high-quality, authentic kombucha with great bacterial diversity. It is the real deal and sits head and shoulders above many supermarket kombuchas.
Pros
over 200 probiotic strains
great taste
uses real ingredients and no flavourings
28-day brewed
made from spring water
low calories
Cons
the only con is that it’s not in supermarkets unfortunately and may be hard to find
Buchi kombucha
Buchi is an organic, real-ingredient kombucha with fresh ginger and turmeric juice - which are both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
It is a simple and high quality kombucha with nothing questionable added.
However, the live cultures are perhaps this kombucha’s weakest point - there just isn’t enough information provided to know for sure. There’s no indication of which strains are included or the amount of them.
The aroma is mainly of ginger with an earthy background.
The taste is quite layered with the zing of the ginger followed by the turmeric earthiness. The acidity is moderate and makes the drink refreshing.
The carbonation is perfect - moderate and fine bubbled.
In summary, the flavour is fantastic and testament to the ingredients used.
I paid $4.90 for a 375ml can in a health food store. It can also be found on their website.
Summary
4.5 stars out of 5.
A great tasting and high-quality kombucha which uses real and organic ingredients. But more information on the live cultures is needed.
Pros
great taste
uses real ingredients and no flavourings
health benefits of the ginger and turmeric juice
brewed in oak barrels
fairly low in calories (especially compared to soft drink)
Cons
no information on cultures included
may be hard to find outside of their website
Good Culture Society kombucha
Good Culture Society kombucha is an Aldi own-brand product. It is a very low-calorie kombucha which largely relies on natural flavourings and sweeteners for taste. However, it does also include some real ingredients in lemon juice and hibiscus tea - both of which are antioxidants.
This kombucha contains various live cultures but there might be less 'probiotics’ than you might expect. More on this in our full review.
This kombucha has only 2 calories per 100ml - making it very healthy by this measure.
The aroma is strongly of indistinct mixed berry.
The taste is a general berry fruitiness which is hard to describe in specific terms. It has a moderate acidity and thankfully it isn’t too sweet. The flavour doesn’t have much depth, but it is approachable and refreshing.
You can buy a 4-pack in Aldi in Australia for $6.20 - which is really great value for the lower end of the kombucha market.
Summary
3.5 stars out of 5.
A great value, low-calorie kombucha with a refreshing taste. It isn’t a premium kombucha, but if you are looking for a budget option this compares well to other supermarket kombuchas - especially on price.
Pros
very low calories
great value
rich in antioxidants
Cons
contains sweeteners (if that bothers you)
largely relies of natural flavourings for taste
no (or few) actual probiotics
Lo Bros kombucha
Lo Bros is a low-calorie kombucha which contains under 3 calories per 100ml. However it contains natural flavourings and sweeteners for taste.
The aroma is like bubblegum, with a sort of fake fruit vibe.
The taste is nice and of blueberry. However, considering these is no real fruit ingredients (just natural flavours) there is little depth to the flavour.
The carbonation is a little high and the burps build up a bit.
There is no information given on the live cultures included.
The kombucha also includes a prebiotic in the form of acacia fibre - this is essentially food for the microbes in your gut.
It also includes apple cider vinegar which has various health benefits.
You can buy a 330ml bottle for $4 in Australian supermarkets.
Summary
3.5 stars out of 5.
A low-calorie kombucha with a nice enough taste which includes prebiotics and apple cider vinegar. It does include natural sweeteners though which may put off some people.
Pros
low calories
prebiotics
apple cider vinegar
Cons
taste is lacking depth
slightly overly carbonated
includes natural sweeteners (if that bothers you)
no information on the live cultures included
Remedy kombucha
This is a low-calorie kombucha which contains a mixture of real ingredients, as well as natural flavourings and sweeteners. It contains 2% ginger juice, but also natural ginger flavouring. It also contains lemon juice.
The aroma is a strong mix of ginger and lemon with a slight unappealing funkiness.
The taste is rather weak and underwhelming with only a little ginger and lemon coming through.
The carbonation is slightly too high with burbs building up.
It doesn’t specify what live cultures are included.
On the plus side, it only has 3 calories per 100ml.
You can buy a 330ml bottle for around $4.30 in Australian supermarkets.
Summary
2.5 stars out of 5.
A low-calorie kombucha with some real ingredients, but not much to write home about.
Pros
low calories
some real ingredients
Cons
no information on the live cultures included
weak taste
carbonation is too high
contains natural sweeteners (if that bothers you)
Nexba kombucha
Nexba is a sugar-free, low-calorie kombucha which relies on natural flavourings and sweeteners for taste. There’s no actual apple, pear or ginger in the drink (eg juice or puree).
This kombucha has zero sugar and only 2 calories per 100ml - making it exceptionally healthy in this regard.
The other main benefit of this kombucha is the probiotics (ie live beneficial bacteria) it contains. However, there is one strain present, bacillus coagulans.
The aroma is very strongly of pear - almost too strong. It makes the drink seem artificial to be honest (even though the added flavourings are natural).
The taste is generic apple and pear - with no real depth. The ginger doesn’t really come through at all - which is not surprising as no proper ginger ingredient was used.
But the carbonation is at a good level and not too extreme like competitors can be.
Overall the taste is not bad, it’s just a bit bland, lacking depth and overly sweet. However, by the end of the bottle (over a few days), I was finding the sweetness and seemingly artificial taste quite unpleasant.
In Australia a 1-litre bottle sells for $6.35 in Coles.
Summary
2.5 stars out of 5.
A low-calorie kombucha which won’t set your tastebuds alight. One to choose if you’d like to prioritise zero sugar above flavour.
Pros
very low calorie
source of probiotics
Cons
bland flavour compared to real-ingredient kombuchas
too sweet
contains sweeteners (if that bothers you)
Health benefits of kombucha
The main health benefits of kombucha come from the probiotics, postbiotics and the green tea in the drink.
Probiotics
These are the beneficial living microbes you are ingesting with every sip!
Probiotics offer many health benefits including:
better digestive health
better immune function
reduced inflammation
reduced allergies
better nutrient absorption
Postbiotics
In simple terms, postbiotics are essentially things probiotics produce. These include short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Personally, I find that kombucha calms my gut which I (rightly or wrongly!) put down to the presence of postbiotics.
Green tea
Green tea contains polyphenols which are strong antioxidants.
Studies have shown green tea may also:
increase the amount of calories you burn
improve cholesterol levels
help control blood sugar levels
Read more about the evidence-based benefits of green tea and kombucha.
Health benefits of some potential ingredients
Ginger
Digestive health: Ginger can alleviate nausea and vomiting, making it useful for motion sickness, morning sickness during pregnancy and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects: Contains gingerol, a substance with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Pain relief: Studies have shown it may help reduce muscle pain and soreness due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Lowering blood sugar levels: Studies show ginger can help in managing blood sugar levels.
Read more about ginger’s proven benefits.
Turmeric
Anti-inflammatory: Studies have shown curcumin has strong anti-inflammatory properties, which may help with arthritis.
Antioxidant: Antioxidants can neutralise free radicals.
Gut health: Polyphenols in turmeric can promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut and inhibit harmful bacteria.
Brain function: May boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor, linked to improved brain function and a lower risk of brain diseases.
Heart Disease: May help protect against heart disease.
Read more about the evidence supporting turmeric’s health benefits.
Apple cider vinegar
Blood sugar control: May improve insulin sensitivity and help lower blood sugar responses after meals.
Weight loss: Can increase feelings of fullness, leading to eating fewer calories and potentially losing weight.
Heart health: May help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, although more research is needed.
Read more about the evidence supporting apple cider vinegar’s health benefits.
Make your own kombucha
Want to save money? Try making it yourself at home and save a fortune!
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis - learn more about me!
Or learn more about the basics of gut health.
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