OUR FLAVOURS
Here at Zak’s, we like to do things a little differently.
We use forest-friendly Thai tea and the best produce we can find. All our seasonal ingredients are harvested fresh from friends’ farms and gardens, or locally foraged when at peak season. Our herbal brews also use no tea in the blend, meaning they are caffeine-free! AND we celebrate the underdog by using overlooked or ‘waste’ ingredients.
The Core Flavours
Sparkling Oolong
Using only premium forest-friendly oolong tea with organic raw and unrefined cane sugars, this is a beautifully complex kombucha. Authentically fermented, this is kombucha at its most refined. We treat this as an alternative to sparkling wine or cider.
Our tea is sourced from small farmers in rural mountain locations in Northern Thailand who grow symbiotically and sustainably with nature, to produce amazing tea in unison with the forest. This means they don’t rely on using fertilisers and pesticides, and they also sustain natural biodiversity within the forests where the tea is being grown.
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane and panela sugars (transformed during fermentation), Thai forest-friendly oolong tea.
Ginger and Turmeric + black peppercorn
An infusion of the Sparkling Oolong with a generous dose of organic ginger, turmeric and black peppercorns. Like ginger beer, but earthier and more elegant. Not too sweet, nice tart finish, with a healthy kick of spice.
The holy pairing of ginger and turmeric is widely known for it’s immune-boosting effects. Whilst we don’t claim to cure anything - the addition of spicy black pepper will definitely make you feel alive!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), Thai forest-friendly oolong tea, organic cold-pressed ginger root, organic cold-pressed turmeric root, organic black peppercorns.
Citrus Hops
This kombucha-meets-pale-ale is a masterful hybrid of oolong tea and local hops. Utilising our craft beer brewing techniques, this naturally fermented brew hits the same spot without the hangover!
It features 3 different varieties of Kentish grown hops, all of which were bred and developed only 2 miles down the road from us at the old Wye Agricultural College.
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), Thai forest-friendly oolong tea, Hops: Challenger, Ernest, Bramley Cross
Lavender (herbal*)
Inspired by sweet memories of childhood with my green-fingered grandma, this one evokes nostalgia and comfort. Perfectly capturing the beautiful, heady aroma of freshly cut lavender blossoms, this one is perfectly balanced. It’s gently floral, not overly perfumed, with hints of honey and citrus and lingering herbal notes. We think it’s kind of like a very grown up Sprite!
We source our lavender from Castle Farm in Sevenoaks, Kent.
*This flavour is ‘herbal’, which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), Castle Farm lavendin
The Seasonal Flavours
Magnolia Flower (herbal*) - mid to late April
Raw magnolia flowers have a slightly bitter, gingery flavour with a hint of spice. We steep and ferment them to create a booch that has a wonderful fusion of vanilla, umami, rose and delicately smoked sage flavours. It is deliciously creamy, almost like a dessert wine!
As one of our yearly foraging and harvesting traditions, we spend an afternoon gathering beautiful blossoms from the incredible Great Comp Gardens near Sevenoaks, where they have over 80 different varieties of magnolia! P.S. Did you know…the history of the magnolia tree dates back millions and millions of years, all the way back to the prehistoric age, and one of its closest relations is actually the buttercup?!
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), fresh magnolia flowers
Foraged Nettle (herbal*) - early May
Consuming nettles is often regarded as an excellent hay-fever aid, making this kombucha a delicious way to prepare for Spring! When prepared as a fresh tea, nettles have a sweet earthy flavour with a rounded herbal green-ness. Our nettle kombucha comes out with exactly those notes plus added layers of cucumber and a hint of lemon.
Another foraging tradition, we gather fresh nettle tops whilst the plants are still young and at their peak for flavour and nutrition. A lot of people don’t realise that not only are stinging nettles edible, but they are actually one of the most densely nutritious wild plants in existence, surpassing even cultivated greens, such as spinach!
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane and panela sugar (transformed during fermentation), fresh wild nettle tops
Elderflower (herbal*) - mid-June
This quintessentially British flavour has a gentle honey-like body with sweet floral aromatics and balanced citrus acidity. Evocative of summers spent outdoors.
It is made from only the creamiest of yellow blossoms, foraged from several abundant special spots within a three mile radius of the brewery. Processed straight away, this perfectly captures the sweet nectar flavours that are so well-loved of elderflower from the fresh flavour-carrying pollen.
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), wild elderflowers
Strawberry (herbal*) - early July
Liquid strawberry jam - only more delicious! All the freshness of a strawberry with all the wonderful nuance this glorious fruit has to offer.
We partnered with Myatts Of Mockbeggar farm to rescue these incredible strawberries! Despite being deemed “class 2”, these were the most delicious strawberries any of us had ever tasted. Too “ugly” and “imperfect” for the supermarkets’ strict cosmetic standards, we think they’re perfect. We’re delighted to be able to save them (can you believe around 22% of the produce grown is subject to this superficial criteria?!).
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), fresh strawberries
Tomato Leaf (herbal*) - July/August
We did the impossible and bottled up the smell of summer! Notes of cucumber and lime with a herbaceous body, this kombucha is so fresh you will be transported straight into a luscious greenhouse with every sip.
We use Rebel Farmer Ed’s heirloom tomato leaf cuttings - which would otherwise go on the compost heap - to make a drink that captures the deep, lingering smell of tomatoes warmed by the sun.
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), Rebel Farmer tomato leaf cuttings
Peruvian Black Mint aka Huacatay - July/August
Also known as Mexican Marigold, the Huacatay plant is herbaceous, tropical and heady. Tasting notes of pineapple, passionfruit and peppermint - this one is a must try if you can get your hands on it!
Grown by our very good friends at School of Belonging alongside their basil and tomatoes, the fresh leaves are then blended into our Sparkling Oolong kombucha to take it to new tropical heights!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), beyond-organic Thai forest-friendly oolong tea, huacatay
Blueberry (herbal*) - August/September
Dark fruit notes upfront and a subtle salinity. It finishes with the tart, citric freshness of blueberry. One of the more wine-like seasonal flavours, it's comparable to a light rosé.
We’ve collaborated with our good friends Matt and Will at Taywell Farm (Acre Group) for this extra-special blueberry kombucha. For the moment this is a limited edition but, if you like it, we might well do it again!
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), blueberries, celtic sea salt
Elderberry (herbal*) - September/October
Elderberries are a well-known for being nutritional powerhouse, used in many old folk remedies. With dark berry notes and a crisp acidity, it tastes like a grown-up Ribena on its way to a chilled red. Its unusually deep colour makes this one really stand out.
Elder produces it’s much adorned flowers in May/June. We then revisit our local spots in August/September to forage their next delights: elderberries. After foraging, the berries are processed straight away.
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), wild elderberries
Garden Fig Leaf (herbal*) - late October
A cult classic. Coconut with a hint of fig, this delicately flavoured brew has the perfect blend of fresh and creamy.
A product of our annual tradition pruning our friends’ Charlotte and Donald Molesworth glorious fig tree, in their magical garden in Benenden. Done at the end of the season just before the leaves are about to begin falling… we step in! We save all the leaves to repurpose in our kombucha. If you’re lucky, we sometimes harvest the green figs to make a special lacto-fermented fig brew too!
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), fig leaves
Fig Leaf w/ Lacto-Fermented Green Fig (herbal*) - November
Affectionately referred to as ‘Magic Salty Unicorn Rainbow Juice’, this blend has a funky, almost smokey salinity. For this VIP booch, we ferment green figs in Celtic sea salt to create a funky and complex fig brine. This is then added back into the fig leaf kombucha, transforming it into an absolute flavour bomb.
Collected when Charlotte and Duncan’s glorious fig tree is no longer productive, we save the remaining green figs for a very special kombucha!
*Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), fig leaves, green figs, Celtic sea salt
Quince (herbal*) - mid-November
An antiquated fruit - the quince is thought to be over 5000 years old, originating from the Mediterranean. It has since fallen out of fashion after the Middle Ages, and in our option is due a renaissance!
A zingy pink apple feast for the palate, with tropical aromatics and a sherbert finish, our quince flavour is a delight to behold.
Using quince from the non-commerical Moat Farm in Shadoxhurst, the fruit is found growing naturally alongside 300 acres of ancient woodland and wildflower meadows, completely spray free and no intervention.
Like most of our seasonal brews, it is ‘herbal’ which means it is brewed with no additional tea and thus more or less caffeine free!
INGREDIENTS: live kombucha cultures (SCOBY), carbon filtered water, organic cane sugar (transformed during fermentation), quince
BUY ZAK’S KOMBUCHA ONLINE
We offer two different bottle sizes, many flavours and box sizes for all occasions.
Sign up for a Zak’s Kombucha Subscription to save 10% off every order - on top of bulk order discounts!
Please note we have temporarily changed bottle closure since these photographs from the screw cap to a crown cap. See last picture!
This is due to supply issues but we are returning to the screw caps in the near future.
Choose from a single core flavour or mix up the core flavours and seasonals with one of our mixed boxes. See below the ‘add to cart’ button for further information on flavours and deliveries.
Available in boxes of 6, 12 or 24 bottles with bulk discounts!
Sign up for a subscription to get a further 10% off every delivery!
Please note we have changed bottles since these photographs (new photos coming) from the swingtop bottle to a crown cap champagne style bottle. See last picture!
These are temporarily resealable by pushing the caps back on or will require a champagne stopper to more securely reseal.
Choose from a single core flavour or mix up the core flavours and seasonal’s with one of our mixed boxes. See below the ‘add to cart’ button for further information on flavours and deliveries.
Available in boxes of 3, 6 or 12 bottles with bulk discounts!
If you are a local delivery customer that would like to order custom quantities (above 3) then please get in contact!
Sign up for a subscription to get a further 10% off every delivery!