GT's Kombucha Synergy Organic & Raw

So, I got lucky yesterday. And by that I mean I happened to be wandering around Whole Foods during a period of taste-testing. Woohoo!! I quickly found the Kombucha Synergy table (out of recent curiosity and a not so favorable experience) and decided to give it a whirl.

My mom and stepdad have been drinking this stuff for a long time now. I think they get a whole case of it from Costco and they really do drink it almost daily. I keep seeing it around and hearing about it here and there and so I asked to try a sip of my mom's one night that I was visiting - the Mango flavor.

YUCK! BLEH! PLEGH! (<< It didn't go so well.)

I think this initial response was due to some preconceptions on my part and a lack of warning on her part. I really had no idea what this stuff was... and in all its colorful glory, I had anticipated something juice-like. Read: sweet(*ish). Not in the least. Oh, and she didn't really warn on the vinegar aroma. Holy super surprise! Why would anyone want to drink this stuff???

There are many acquired tastes in life... coffee, alcohol, etc. and my mom claimed this was just another to add to the list. I, however, could not fathom the day that I would *enjoy* drinking something like this.

Yesterday was that day. The woman at the tasting table encouraged me to reuse my little cup and taste a variety of the flavors. She was certain I would like it by the time I finished my sampling. I was still skeptical, but really wanting to join the Kombucha club. So, I tried a few (citrus, strawberry, guava, passionberry and the trilogy one) and MAN! She was right. I listened to all the health benefits and ph-balancing properties of the drink and immediately walked over and returned my Honest Tea (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE) for a Strawberry Kombucha Synergy. No joke.

I'm looking forward to trying out some other brands of Kombucha, but I am pretty happy with the Synergy variety right now. I'm also interested to see if I notice a difference in my skin, hair, immune system, appetite, etc.

Moral of the story: Be patient with yourself and your taste buds. You'll come around.

The bottle claims that the Kombucha has offered such benefits as, "increased energy levels and decreased appetite, to improved digestion, healthier skin and hair, and even a stronger immune system.* then notes that these claims have not been evaluated by the FDA.

That said, I like the story that the founder started the business after his mother had success with Kombucha in her battle with breast cancer. The tea goes through a rigorous process of preparation including fermentation that gives it a refreshing fizziness.

I can't say I love the smell of the kind I had, but the taste was good and if the health claims are even 1% true than it's better than crackin open a Snapple.

At $2.99 (Whole Foods) the price is steep though.

Yes, I did say that the effervescence of this drink is both a pro and a con.  Explain, you say?  Okay.  I will explain...I wouldn't exactly call the drink bubbly.  And it's not effervescent in the same way that your average carbonated beverage is effervescent...it's kind of....tingly, you might say.  And I haven't quite decided if I like it.  I think I do.  But it takes a little getting used to.

Beyond that, it's definitely a different kind of drink.  Kombucha is a tea, but the Synergy drinks are mixed with 5% juice...and it's just unlike any other iced tea I've had before.  It's raw, first of all.  There's also some fermentation that happens so they do warn you on the back of the bottle that there may be trace amounts of alcohol in it (less than 0.5%).  Honestly, I'm not quite sure how to describe the flavor.  The guava kind has a guava flavor.  But it's not overwhelming and it's definitely not too sweet (which I like).

I can't speak to all of the health claims of Kombucha (i.e. digestion, metabolism, immune, etc etc support)...but I certainly like the idea.

My main con for this drink is that, goodness, it is not what you'd call cheap.  One 16 ounce bottle at Whole Foods set me back $2.99...so no, not something that I can justify drinking every day (even though the bottle does say GT Dave's mom drank it and had "success from drinking it during her battle with breast cancer").  But for the occasional change of pace...I enjoy it for the most part. 

I'll let you know if I make my mind up about the whole effervescent thing...

UPDATE: Okay, so...it's been a few days and I've had a few more of these Synergy drinks.  First of all, the Strawberry kind is way less effervescent than the Guava kind.  It's more along the lines of a lightly carbonated drink.  Pretty typical in fact, in its effervescent quality.  I was shocked.  And I actually thought maybe I was crazy, that the Guava kind wasn't super different...but I just picked up another Guava (after also trying the Citrus kombucha which also wasn't particularly effervescent).  And lo and behold, it is very effervescent.  It must have something to do with the Guava kind...

In any case, I've decided that I do like it.  Quite a bit in fact.  But it's still $2.99 a bottle (or $3.19 if you happen to pick up a bottle at an independent grocery store).