Cultured Beverages
One of the most refreshing sources of active probiotics and herbal nutrition is an artisanal, lactofermented beverage. From slightly sweet and fruity, to salty and slightly sour, our Kombuchas, Kefirs, Juns, Kvasses and Cabbage Tonics offer something for every palate. To support a healthy microbiome, drink at least 4 ounces a day.
A shrub is an old fashioned traditional fruit concentrate, like a syrup, preserved with vinegar and used to make or flavor beverages. A few ounces with bubbly water and a makes a fabulous drink all on its own, and there's no reason you couldn't use it as a cocktail mixer if that's your thing! Shrubs can also add zing to jam or salad dressing, and make a wonderful glaze for grilled meats. We use raw, unfiltered honey and raw apple cider vinegar for an extra-vital cultured beverage!
Ingredients: grapefruits,* blood oranges,* raw unfiltered honey, Bernie's Best raw apple cider vinegar* infused with foraged or local herbs (dandelion,* parsley,* nettles,* cleavers, horsetail) (* = organic)
Recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free, black pepper-free and GAPS Diet-friendly.
Beets are sliced and cultured in water with yogurt whey and Celtic sea salt to make this traditional tonic drink. Sally Fallon Morell describes this drink as being "valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments..." (Nourishing Traditions, page 608)
Ingredients: beets,* yogurt whey,* Celtic sea salt (* = organic)
Recipe is gluten-free.
Recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free, and GAPS & Paleo Diets-friendly.
Organic white tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with fresh ginger and lime to produce a slightly tart and bold flavor. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, white tea*, cane sugar*, ginger root*, lime juice*, lime zest* (* = organic)
Organic gunpowder green tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with organic grape juice for a delicious fermented kombucha drink. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, gunpowder green tea*, cane sugar*, Concord grape juice* (* = organic)
Organic white tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with grapefruit juice and sage. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body. The healing properties of sage and the beneficial antioxidants from grapefruit make for a refreshing and healthful drink.
Ingredients: filtered water, white tea, organic grapefruits, organic sage, organic cane sugar
Organic white tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with a cold infusion of hibiscus flowers for a slightly tart, slightly effervescent cultured beverage. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, white tea*, cane sugar*, hibiscus* (* = organic)
Organic jasmine green tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with lemongrass to produce a very crisp, floral taste. The locally forgaged makrut lime lends a strong, distinct aroma. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, jasmine green tea*, cane sugar*, dried lemongrass*, locally foraged makrut lime zest (* = organic)
Organic gunpowder green tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with an infusion of nettle leaves for an unusual, delicious, and nourishing fermented drink. Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, gunpowder green tea*, cane sugar*, nettle leaves* (* = organic)
Organic yerba mate and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and then flavored with pomegranate juice. Refreshing and crisp, a bit smoky and herbacious, with just the right level of tartness, this drink has quickly become a staff favorite! Kombucha is considered by many to have a detoxifying effect on the body.
Ingredients: filtered water, yerba mate, organic cane sugar, pomegranate juice, lime zest
Dairy-free water kefir. Water kefir grains, also called tibicos, are used to ferment a base of filtered water with unrefined cane sugar and just a touch of molasses. The sugars are metabolized by the kefir grains to produce a light but rich effervescent base. The brew is then flavored with blueberry juice to produce a bubbly probiotic "soda." Fresh juniper berries lend this fizzy beverage a rich and complex flavor, balancing the unrepentant deep sweetness of blueberry juice.
Ingredients: filtered water, blueberry juice*, juniper berries* vanilla bean*, cane sugar*, molasses*, lemon juice* (* = organic)
Cherry and Chocolate marry beautifully for this Valentines' Day special beverage! Forgot to buy that box of chocolates? Raise your glasses with that special someone and toast to a healthy microbiome. Nothing says romance like vigorous gut flora! Rich and balanced with a vanilla bean background and a sophisticated cherry finish, you'll both fall in love with this combo.
Ingredients: filtered water, cane sugar, cherry juice, cacao nibs, vanilla bean, molasses, water kefir grains
Recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
This kombucha is brewed almost 3 times as long as our other beverages, resulting in a distinct flavor profile. English Breakfast tea and unrefined sugar are cultured with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and that probiotic base is balanced by the addition of sweet apple juice and finished with a gentle kick of freshly juiced ginger. Sour apple with a punch!
Ingredients: filtered water, Darjeeling tea*, cane sugar*, apple juice (apples,* ascorbic acid), ginger* (* = organic)
For this very special shrub, we infused calcium-rich herbs in vinegar for several weeks to extract their bone-building minerals. Then we strained the vinegar and mixed it with nectar from local pears and raw honey. This shrub can be used to make a delicious beverage by diluting it 4:1 with bubbly or still water, a sprig of mint or a squeeze of lime (or both).
Ingredients: pears*, raw unfiltered honey, Bernie's Best raw apple cider vinegar* infused with herbs (dandelion*, elderflower*, parsley*, nettles*, mustard greens*) (* = organic)
Recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and GAPS-diet friendly.
THIS PRODUCT IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH BULK SALES TO BERKELEY AND EL CERRITO NATURAL GROCERY -- IF YOU SEE IT ON OUR WEBSITE, PLEASE DON'T ORDER IT. THANK YOU.