The key ingredient to kombucha, and the greatest indication of flavor, is which tea you choose. Don't overlook this detail! There are so many teas out there, and picking just one for your kombucha might seem intimidating. While we won't tell you how to brew your kombucha, we can give you solid advice on how to choose which teas to use.

Consider these tips to make the best kombucha tea selection:

Pick a tea you like. Tea establishes the base flavor for your kombucha. Whether you do a second ferment or not, starting with a tea you like is important.

Choose a tea you're comfortable brewing. When you make your kombucha base tea, it should taste good. Don't over-brew or make it too strong. The tea should taste good enough to drink, whether you ferment it or not. Choose a tea you know how to brew—especially considering water temperature and steeping time. We recommend 5g of loose leaf per 16 ounces of tea (or 40g per one gallon).

Quality tea gives a "cleaner" taste. Brewing with a quality tea improves your kombucha flavor. We have even found that some teas are flavorful enough on their own, with no need for a second ferment.

Here are a few suggestions from our tea selection we've enjoyed brewing with:

Black - Birdsong Black, Big Sky Black, Sangamon Sunset
Green - Heritage Green, Dragonwell
White - Pai Mu Tan
Puerh - Shou Puerh
Oolong - Roasted Tie Guan Yin, Black Pearl

Keep in mind, there is no right or wrong tea, and some might taste better to you than others. The tea you like is always the best one to choose for kombucha.

Note that wholesale discounts are available to kombucha companies. Get in touch if you're interested!

written by Tashina and Heather Kreilick