FAQs
Kombucha is a fermented tea that is known to contain beneficial bacteria, yeast, and enzymes that support human health. It’s made by dissolving sugar into tea and adding a bacterial culture that consumes and metabolizes that sugar. The kombucha ferments until we’re left with a drink that’s full of helpful bacteria to support your immune system and gut health.
Provided it is refrigerated, Loon Kombucha is good for up to 6 months after being bottled. We label our bottles with a best before date, not an expiry date, because kombucha doesn’t really expire; it simply becomes very tart over time as the remaining sugar is consumed by the bacteria. With time, kombucha becomes so tart that you may not enjoy drinking it – it depends on your taste buds!
We brew using organic cane sugar. At the time of bottling, our bottles have 8-9 grams of sugar per 250ml. As the kombucha ages, the bacteria consume that sugar, and the sugar content decreases. By the time the bottle reaches its best before date, there is almost no sugar left in the bottle.
Sugar plays an important role for kombucha. It’s food for the bacteria and keeps the colony alive. Once the sugar is completely consumed, the bacteria content disappears. Without the bacteria helping your gut-health, there’s really no point in drinking kombucha. While it’s important to limit sugar intake, having some sugar in your kombucha is actually important if you want the bacteria that go along with it.
SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. It is placed on top of each batch of kombucha to stimulate fermentation and is removed before bottling. This is the traditional way to brew kombucha. While some commercial kombuchas now skip this step, Loon Kombucha is brewed using a scoby because it creates the healthiest bacterial colony possible.
No, we do not currently sell scobies. We need them! It is very easy to grow your own and a quick google search will provide you with some instructions.
That’s just sediment, it’s the by-product of sugar being consumed by yeast and bacteria. It’s an indication that fermentation happened, so you can be sure the kombucha you’re drinking is authentic. Sediment is totally edible, and you can gently turn the bottle to mix it into the liquid before you drink. Do not shake the bottle - unless you want a kombucha shower.
Loon Kombucha contains natural carbonation that builds over time, which means very fresh batches are only lightly carbonated. If the bottle is less carbonated than you prefer, you can leave it out of the fridge for the night, with the cap on (closed). When you leave kombucha out of the fridge, it speeds up the fermentation process. This initiates additional natural carbonation through a process called bottle conditioning. There’s a possibility it could make the kombucha more tart or it could more severely impact the taste if you leave it out for too long – so always remember to put the bottle back in the fridge in the morning.
Loon Kombucha contains natural carbonation that builds over time. Some of our flavours, like Sour Apple, can REALLY increase in carbonation after bottling. Loon Kombucha bacteria are deeply in love with the Granny Smith apples that we juice. The bacteria become super active in the bottle and this can result in over-carbonation. In this case, the kombucha can burst out of the bottle if you open it too fast. A process called burping can help. To burp your bottle, open it very slowly, allowing some CO2 to escape, and then close it again. Repeat this process until you release enough pressure to open the bottle without the kombucha bursting out.
You can order Loon Kombucha cases online and we ship to anywhere in Canada. You can also order kegs if you live in the Kingston-Ottawa region. To refill your bottles find the closest refill station to you and bring your clean, empty Loon bottles to be refilled. Loon Kombucha bottles are extra strong to manage the effervescence of draft kombucha. In addition to filling at our refill stations, you can also refill at an event or the local farmer’s markets we attend. Follow us on social media to find out which markets and events we are attending!
Yes, all of our kombucha is gluten-free.
Yes, all of our kombucha is 100% vegan.
Yes! Kombucha doesn’t become dangerous if you leave it out of the fridge for a few days. However, the longer you leave it out the more acidic it will become and there is a chance alcohol could develop if you leave it out for weeks. Our customers love the smooth, gentle taste of Loon Kombucha. We recommend keeping your bottle nice and chilled.
Loon kombucha is made with all-natural ingredients and flavoured using organic fruits and vegetables. The ingredients of each kombucha flavour are listed in product descriptions. See our products.
You can drink kombucha whenever you want! It’s not necessarily a morning, afternoon, or night drink. Our only advice is that when you start getting into kombucha, consume no more than a cup per a day and increase your consumption slowly after that. You don’t want to overwhelm your gut with too many bacteria on day one – you might get a sore stomach.
Many research studies have demonstrated the benefits of gut bacteria. We’ve listed a few below. Happy reading.
How Gut Bacteria Are Linked to Mental Health, Feb 11, 2021
Gut bacteria linked to disease severity, immune response; high mental health toll seen in ICUs, January 13 2021
What are the health benefits of kombucha? September 29, 2020.
What is fermentation? The lowdown on Fermented Foods. August 20, 2020.
Supporting Canadian businesses means the dollars you spend are not sent overseas. Instead, they remain in the country fostering local change and local jobs. This is more important than ever. Loon Kombucha is proudly Canadian at heart. We employ our neighbours and source from nearby farmers as much as possible.
Talk to your doctor about drinking kombucha if you’re pregnant.
Talk to your doctor about drinking kombucha is you have a health-related concern or condition.
(We’ve actually received this question, more than once, three times actually). No, we do not harvest loons and use them as an ingredient. Loon Kombucha is a vegan product.