Kombucha Brands Ranked Worst To Best

Kombucha is a trendy health drink that has boomed in popularity with its reputation for providing gut health benefits and general wellness. The fermented tea drink is full of bubbly probiotics that some people claim can help a range of ailments, from gastrointestinal issues to blood pressure. However, any avid kombucha drinker will be quick to tell you that no two brands taste exactly the same, even if they propose to be a rendition of the same flavor profile. It's part of the process of fermentation — it's hard for anyone to perfect, from a home brewer to a professional. 

The range of probiotic-fueled drinks on the market has exploded in recent years. There are also different expressions of kombucha to accommodate different dietary restrictions and lifestyles, from zero sugar to alcoholic options. Even in the category of regular kombucha, there's an overwhelming amount of options. 

We decided to do some digging into how some of the most popular kombucha brands stack up against one another. Here's a list of 15 popular kombucha brands, ranked from worst to best, to help you narrow down your decision next time you're looking to try something new in the drink aisle. 

From Madison, Wisconsin, comes Forage Kombucha, an aesthetically pleasing canned variety that's sold in stores nationwide. The cans are prime for taking photos, with a floral design that looks great in a well-organized refrigerator or a photo on your Instagram feed. However, the brand has some downsides. 

One negative aspect of Forage Kombucha is its limited flavors. The brand has a lineup of about seven flavors, but none of them is particularly unique. With names like "Tropical" or "Lemon Ginger," the cans are not as enticingly named as some other brands on the list. In addition, when it comes to flavor, customers believe Forage doesn't stack up to some other popular brands of kombucha. "It's from Wisconsin and I want to love it, but the tropical flavor is probably the worst kombucha I've ever had," one Facebook review of Forage reads. "You get a floral flavor, it gets sweet, and then it leaves a bland, sweet aftertaste."

Bear's Fruit is an organic fair-trade kombucha brand from Brooklyn, New York, that isn't a bad drink by any means, but it's far from the best kombucha on the market. Similarly to Forage's lineup, Bear's Fruit has a limited selection for customers to choose from. The kombucha comes in four flavors — ginger lemon rosemary, strawberry jalapeño, pineapple mint, and blueberry lavender. The brand also makes four different flavors of sparkling water with probiotics that expand its offerings a bit, but the lineup is as slim as the cans. 

Some customer reviews also remark on the high price tag of Bear's Fruit cans in addition to the lack of flavorings inside the drinks. "It should have more blueberry. The can is much smaller than others for the price. It tastes good but for the price, there are others that are natural and [with] more flavor," one Amazon user wrote in a review of Bear's Fruit kombucha. 

Holy Kombucha is a brand with a message. Started in 2011, the Dallas-based company is independently owned by a family who also works to promote suicide prevention awareness, a topic close to their hearts. Holy Kombucha starts with organic tea fermented in small batches that has just the right amount of funk. The flavor lineup includes nearly 10 flavors, which is pretty solid. In 2021, the brand unveiled a line of Holy Tepache, a probiotic drink similar to kombucha that's native to Central Mexico and described as a bubbly drink with a more mild taste. The flavors of its flagship kombucha include more unique options like prickly pear, hibiscus sangria, and strawberry yuzu.

Despite Holy Kombucha's flavor options and undeniable charitable efforts, the taste isn't always a hit among customers. "This is [a] wonderful company dedicated to helping people. I just [do] not care for the taste," one Amazon user wrote in a review of Holy Kombucha's Prickly Pear flavor. 

Brew Dr. is a bit more of a tea-forward kombucha than some others on the list, which was the company's approach when it was started in 2006. One of the major draws to the Brew Dr. organic drinks is its extensive lineup of flavors. Whether you want something herbal, like the Clear Mind kombucha made with rosemary, mint, and sage, or a fruity delight like the raspberry llmeade, the options run the gamut. 

Despite the brand's flavor lineup and focus on the environmental impacts on its products. the drink's taste isn't always a hit. Some kombucha customers claim the flavor is lacking — bottles advertised as spicy have little to no kick at all. Other customers have remarked that some flavor mashups are unbalanced, thus making the taste suffer. "I've tried a few different Kombucha brands but this one has got to be the worst," one Influenster user wrote in a review. "The flavors are very 'dull' and generic, and they all taste the same to me." 

Humm is a female-founded kombucha brand from Bend, Oregon, that got its start in a kitchen workshop and through door-to-door delivery. Now, it's a major drink brand available in all 50 states that offers not just regular kombucha, but probiotic sodas and seltzers as well. Even its kombucha lineup is varied, with zero-sugar options and caffeinated versions. It also offers several Whole30 approved drinks for the clean-eating program. The flavor lineup is notably diverse, with options like magical lemon cupcake, cherry cola, and pomegranate lemonade being a few standouts. 

While Humm's lineup is good, its flavors do tend to be overly sweet. Some customers have commented that the recipe could be improved with more fruity and/or funky notes to make it taste more like a typical kombucha. "A kombucha fan. A decent product, but not the best for those who don't have sweet tooth," one Amazon customer wrote in a review of Humm. "Must say that I have tried better ones."

To be fair, Culture Pop is not technically kombucha, so we couldn't justify putting it any higher on the list. It is, however, an organic probiotic soda that boasts similar benefits to kombucha without a vinegary taste. Culture Pop uses real fruit juices, spices, and herbs in its recipes. Those ingredients are key to all the flavor elements in every can, especially the sweetness as Culture Pop doesn't add any sugar besides what's present in the juices. 

Culture Pop has a solid flavor lineup that includes about seven core options, with notable flavor profiles like strawberry rhubarb or ginger, lemon, and turmeric. Some customers have complained that Culture Pop's packaging could be improved, as some people who ordered drink delivery received a few bent cans in the mail. Other than the logistical aspects, the taste is as solid as can be. "Great refreshing bevie that is low in sugar and good for your belly. Most of the flavors were a fav," one review on Culture Pop's website reads. 

Another women-owned brand of kombucha is Wild Tonic, which has a base that's inherently unlike so many kombuchas on the market. Wild Tonic is Jun, a cousin of kombucha that is made with honey instead of cane sugar. The honey adds a pleasant floral nature to the drink that can ease the funky bite from fermentation. The founder pivoted from working with beeswax to kombucha, so bee conservation efforts are a huge part of the brand. 

Wild Tonic Jun kombucha uses green tea as its base for both its bottled and canned varieties. The brand also sells hard kombucha that contains notable levels of alcohol in a few of its fan-favorite flavors. Some standouts from the regular kombucha line include raspberry goji rose and Lavender Love, two options that many customers declare to be their favorite from the lineup. Some criticism of the brand is that some of the drinks are diluted too much and lack a punch, but those negative reviews seem to be in the minority. 

Pilot Kombucha made its way to shelves from its base in Brooklyn, New York, in 2015 and has been soaring across the U.S. ever since. It's another women-owned kombucha brand that is named to honor of the founder's family history in aviation and to showcase the ingenuity of the brand. Pilot's flavor lineup includes options you likely won't find from another kombucha company. A few of the more adventurous flavors are turmeric aloe and celery juniper, but there are also fruity cans like pomegranate rose and blueberry lemongrass. 

As with any drink brand with more eccentric flavors, they aren't a hit for everyone. Some customers warn to stay away from flavors like grapefruit mint, while others in the line fare much better in the flavor department. But those with a palate for drinks with depth will appreciate Pilot's craftsmanship, especially as the kombucha brand makes everything in small batches.

Aqua ViTea is a drinks brand that's been making healthy alternatives to soda since it was launched in Vermont in 2007. The brand's kombucha line is made with a mix of green and black tea. The lineup includes eight core flavors for kombucha, including elderberry, hibiscus ginger lime, and strawberry sage. The company also has four seltzer flavors: raspberry lime, grapefruit thyme, cucumber mint, and pomegranate cherry.

Aqua ViTea isn't everyone's favorite kombucha. Some critics think it tastes like a watered-down version of herbal tea, while others praise all of Aqua ViTea's beverage lineup. "Aqua ViTea Kombucha has a great variety of flavors, all of which taste great," one Facebook user wrote in a review of Aqua ViTea's drinks. "Their kombucha contains less sugar than most other brands." The praise for the brand seems to outweigh the negative comments, making it well worth trying out once to make your own decision.

Remember the tepache we mentioned before? Well, it's so close to kombucha that we felt it was worthy enough to include De La Calle's products on the list. Tepache is an ancient Mexican beverage that is commonly made out of fermented pineapples rather than cane sugar. The possibilities for flavor combinations are endless, but a funky pineapple is at the core of every can. 

De La Calle has helped to introduce the U.S. to tepache in a major way with its canned drinks. The flavors are authentically delicious, with options like watermelon jalapeño, ginger manzana, chamoy, and tamarind citrus. The flavors can be hit or miss depending on your palate, but most of them are a well-balanced execution of sweet, savory, and often spicy. "One of the best sparkling beverages," one Thingtesting review of the brand reads. "De La Calle offers such a unique flavor profile and the fermented drink isn't too strong for those who are not big kombucha fans." 

Better Booch got its start by wanting to make people feel better. The owner started brewing kombucha at home for his sister who was diagnosed with cancer. Once she recovered and they understood the impact of the kombucha they created, the pair teamed up to take Better Booch national. Now, it's a common brand to see in gas station refrigerated sections or grocery store drink aisles. 

Better Booch also has the gift of options on its side. The brand's lineup includes about a dozen distinct flavors, such as golden pear, citrus sunrise, and guava cooler. The kombucha comes in cans that make drinking it feel more refreshing and bubbly. It's a solid kombucha brand that you usually can't go wrong with regardless of the flavor you pick. "My favorite kombucha brand, which says a ton as I used to be a kombucha hater," one Thingtesting review of Better Booch reads. 

GT's Living Foods has been a major presence in the kombucha space since 1995. Despite growing to mainstream success with its Synergy kombucha, the folks at the company still craft each batch in a 5-gallon jar so there is no compromising on quality. GT's also does things differently by adding kiwi juice to its raw kombucha to up the probiotic content even more. 

GT's Synergy kombucha lineup is long and includes more than two dozen options for customers to choose from, which is one of the major draws. A few fan-favorite bottles are the Trilogy, Guava Goddess, and Gingerberry drinks. "It literally is the best brand I've had so far. And I've tried countless kinds and flavors," one Influenster user wrote in a review of the brand. The only downside is that some customers have criticized the flavors for being too sweet, which other people say is a draw to the healthy soda alternative. 

Koe is a canned kombucha drink that tastes more like sparkling water than funky kombucha but in a good way. The 25-calorie cans are the perfect entryway into the world of fermented drinks for someone who isn't keen on the idea of drinking something that tastes like straight vinegar. Koe was invented in California in 2017 but got a revamped look in 2022 that only makes the cans more appealing to grab off of the shelf. 

Koe comes in six flavors — strawberry lemonade, tropical, watermelon, mango, raspberry dragonfruit, and blueberry ginger. Each one is packed with healthy stuff like probiotics and vitamin C without tasting like a fermented beverage. It might not be the best pick for advanced kombucha drinkers who prefer something stronger, but it tastes downright refreshing and delicious regardless.  "Most members of my family do not like kombuchas because of the flavor. Everyone loved the flavor of this kombucha," one Home Tester Club review of Koe reads. 

KeVita kombucha just narrowly misses the mark for the No. 1 spot in our ranking for the sole reason being that our top pick has better packaging. Both brands are equally delicious, offer a large variety for customers, and are always expanding their drink lines. KeVita is a women-owned brand born in 2008 that has grown beyond kombucha to include a line of different drinks like herbal spritzers, apple cider vinegar tonics, sparkling probiotic drinks, and more. 

KeVita has seven flavors of its plain kombucha that include unique mashups like lavender melon and pineapple peach. The other probiotic drinks that don't necessarily classify as kombucha are offered in alternative flavors, thus making the line feel more expansive. A few favorite flavors are ginger and tart cherry, which are anchors in the lineup. "I love this brand of kombucha, this flavor is great, gingery and refreshing," one Influenster user wrote in a review. "I purchased several flavors and have never had a bad one."

Coming in at the top spot in our ranking is Health-Ade, which is probably a familiar kombucha brand to anyone with a basic knowledge of the drink, and that's for good reason. The company, which was founded by a husband, wife, and best friend in 2012, is the gold standard for mass-market kombucha. It was among the fastest-growing functional beverage brands in 2018, so it's garnered a loyal following. The brewers at Health-Ade use organic cold-pressed juice in every small batch of booch they make to give it a fresh flavor with the added benefits of probiotics. Plus, the adorable brown bottles were made for photographing and posting to Instagram. 

Health-Ade's lineup is also pretty long. The list includes flavors like Pink Lady Apple, Cayenne Cleanse, and Passionfruit Tangerine. It also has "Glow-Up" kombucha flavors that it states have added benefits such as an immune system boost or a reset for your stomach. "My favorite Kombucha brand. Can't go wrong with most of the flavors and I'm always looking forward to trying the new ones," a Thingtesting review of Health-Ade Kombucha reads.