Lady Guava (Limited Edition) by Cultur'd MNL

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

The Lady Guava by local kombucha company, Cultur’d MNL is a limited-edition drink. It has aromas of pink guava. It’s delicately sweet on the palate, with notes of passion fruit, papaya, ripe pear, melon, and freshly-squeezed calamansi. It’s a refreshing tropical treat.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

You might find bits of fruit in your kombucha; these are edible. Because kombucha is fermented, these fruit bits are essentially preserved, and have a softer texture, and a slightly more acidic taste.

You can drink the Lady Guava on its own, but it’s also great to pair with fruits. A good rule of thumb is to pair “like with like.” Kombucha goes great with fermented and pickled foods—try it with kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, or atchara. Spicy food, and tart, sour foods are also good. And fruity kombucha is great to enjoy with salads and sandwiches.

Don’t drink kombucha with highly acidic foods. Never consume it after coffee; drink it in place of coffee, instead.

WHAT IS KOMBUCHA?

Thought to have originated in China, kombucha is a drink that has been consumed for hundreds of years. It’s fermented and lightly effervescent, and usually made with sweetened green or black tea. The tea is fermented using a “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast” or SCOBY. The SCOBY forms a gelatinous, mushroom-like disc, known as a “mother.” The mother is also why kombucha is also sometimes called “mushroom tea.”

Kombucha is now known as a super drink, popular in health and wellness circles for its probiotic functions, which provide your gut with healthy bacteria, which, in turn, aids in digestion, reduces inflammation, and aids weight loss. It also has many antioxidants, as well as properties that improve cholesterol levels, and help reduce heart risk.

Storage Instructions

Because kombucha is a living drink, it technically does not expire, but the taste will alter. Cultur’d MNL kombucha has the dispatch date on their bottles, and are best drunk within 1 month from dispatch. Store it in the refrigerator, and keep it cold; it will last 6 months. If kept at room temperature, it will keep fermenting, and the flavor and alcohol will mature. Keeping it refrigerated is the best way to slow down the fermentation process.