The fermented black tea phenomenon that is kombucha has been an incredibly popular non-alcoholic beverage since its rise to prominence in the ’90s. Today, you can get your buzz on while you booch, with a ton of companies getting in on the hard kombucha action. Though it’s not a zero-carb beverage like a seltzer, it’s still a healthier option than most beer, offering antioxidants and helping with digestion. So where should you begin your kombucha journey? Here are eight hard kombucha brands to try.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Related: The 7 Best Fruit Smash Hard Seltzers, Ranked
Flying Embers
$17 for a six-pack from Instacart
Flying Embers is all over the market, slinging canned cocktails and hard seltzer in addition to hard kombucha. The brand offers flavors with an ABV that ranges from 4.5% to more than 7%, including a mango flavor that seems to be a collab with Massachusetts-born reggae band Stick Figure. That feels worth mentioning.
Related: 12 Wild Basin Seltzer Flavors, Ranked
JuneShine
$21 for an eight-pack from Instacart
They’re not lazing around in the flavor department at JuneShine, offering hard kombucha flavors that include (*sharp inward breath*) Ocean Squeeze, Booberry, Black Cherry Breeze, Mango Daydream, Midnight Painkiller, Grapefruit Paloma, Coco Rico, Acai Berry, Honey Ginger Lemon, Blood Orange Mint, and Hopical Citrus. There’s got to be at least one winner in there somewhere.
For more great beverage guides, please sign up for our free newsletters.
Strainge Beast
$14 for a six-pack from Instacart
What can I say? I’m a sucker for branding, and the branding for Strainge Beast is on point. I’m not sure when hard kombucha variety packs started having storylines, but leave it to Sierra Nevada, the brewery behind Strainge Beast, to kick off the trend. Four Audrey II-like monsters have apparently broken free and, according to the website, we are urged to “escape their sly vines and hidden eyes.” Seems to me the easiest way to do that would be to not purchase any Strainge Beast hard kombucha, but I can’t imagine that’s what they want us to do.
Kombucha Cocktails
$14 for a four-pack from Total Wine & More
The nearly un-Googleable Kombucha Cocktails is chasing a canned cocktail vibe more than a typical hard kombucha. Available in Sunshine State and Mindful Mule, Kombucha Cocktails feature all-natural ingredients and a moderate buzz at 4.7% ABV.
Boochcraft
$20 for an eight-pack from Total Wine & More
Boochcraft, which is something I would like to name a dog one day, is probably a hard kombucha you’ve seen before. It seems like it’s doing everything right. Killer branding: check. B-Corp certified: check. A wide array of classic and seasonal flavors: check, check, check.
Trending on Cheapism
Walker Brothers
$15 for a six-pack from Instacart
The Walker Brothers Beverage Company website has a pretty cool build-your-own variety pack for High Gravity, its hard kombucha, as well as for several other seasonal favorites. I love that. Do not confuse Walker Brothers for the 60s pop group of the same name. Or the infamous 50-plus-years-old Chicago pancake spot. Or the high-end Arkansas men’s clothing retailer.
Jiant
$12 for a six-pack from Instacart
Brewing both hard tea and hard kombucha, Jiant has taken the Silicon Valley approach by spelling something wrong in a cutesy way. Luckily, Jiant has also stated that fake sweeteners are nowhere to be found in its beverages, so there’s something to be thankful for. Look for flavors inspired by grapefruit, ginger, Mai Tais, and even jungle juice.
Dr. Hops
Available from Instacart
Starting with fermented black tea and yerba mate, Dr. Hops uses brewers’ yeasts, hops, fruit, herbs and more in order to reach 8% ABV. Dr. Hops is available in tall boys, too, so a few of these should be more than effective. I don’t love that “Donnie Darko” nightmare on the front of the can, but I can look past it.
Sign up for our newsletter
Meet the Writer
