Storing Kombucha: Does Kombucha Need to Be Refrigerated? (2024)

FAQs

Storing Kombucha: Does Kombucha Need to Be Refrigerated? ›

Yes, it needs to be refrigerated and kept cold even before opening. Treat it with the same respect we give milk.

When you refrigerate your kombucha, the fermentation process essentially stops. Alcohol and acidity levels stay the same, and the beverage will taste the same as when you first put it in the fridge, but if you leave it out, you risk getting a mouthful of vinegar-tasting kombucha that's overly fermented.

It's safe to drink pretty much indefinitely as long as it's properly brewed and stored, but that doesn't mean you'll necessarily want to drink it after it's been stored for more than a year. That's because even if it's refrigerated, it'll likely taste like vinegar at that point.

It's best to refrigerate hard kombucha whenever possible.

Do you Need to Store Bottled Kombucha in the Fridge? Yes. While you ferment your kombucha at room temperature and let it carbonate in the bottle for 1-3 days at room temperature, once carbonation is established you want to store your finished kombucha in the fridge.

Does non carbonated Kombucha Have Fewer Benefits? Kombucha does not need to be carbonated to be safe or delicious to drink. And flat Kombucha has the same nutritional components, carbonated is not healthier. Some people don't like their Kombucha too fizzy, finding that the carbon dioxide bothers their system.

Storing Your Kombucha Scoby at Room Temperature. You can store your kombucha scoby at room temperature in a jar covered with a cloth. However, you'll need to feed it regularly. This is a slightly more laborious method of storage than refrigeration, but it makes the culture more active faster.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that drinking approximately 4 ounces (oz) of kombucha per day “may not cause adverse effects in healthy persons.” Note that most kombucha bottles sold at the store are more than 4 oz. Check recommended serving sizes before chugging down a whole container.

This means it can safely be stored in the refrigerator for many months – generally 6 to 8 months. (Even the fruit in kombucha should stay good!) Note that if you store the kombucha outside of the refrigerator, the fermentation will continue to make the kombucha more acidic, to the point where it becomes vinegar.

Can I drink kombucha warm? ›

We'd recommend it preferably at room temperature or cool; that way the good bacteria in the drink will be active and alive. There are nutritional benefits with hot kombucha, but you'll miss out on its main upside: those good bacteria. Many people actually like the sour taste, or develop a taste for it.

The kombucha that is brewed while you are away may be too vinegary to be palatable but can still be used as starter tea to start off you next batch. Kombucha can be left for up to 6 weeks before it needs to be fed again.

After opening, if kept in the fridge, store-bought kombucha will last for up to a week. Over time, the live cultures in the bottle interact with the air and the fizziness fades. After a week, your kombucha still might technically be safe to drink, but its quality and probiotic properties will have diminished.

Please Note: Since Nova Kombucha contains live cultures and should be kept refrigerated, this item can be ordered over the phone for in-store pick-up only.