Known to be a great source of probiotics, Malaysians hopped onto the kombucha waggon years ago, which has contributed to many a home brewer. Typically made out of tea flavoured with fruits, vegetables, or herbs and spices, the drink is fermented with a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria called SCOBY. A touch of sugar kickstarts the fermentation, and gives the ‘booch that carbon dioxide-rich fizz that makes this drink so enjoyable in the especially hot and humid climate of Malaysia.
Despite many food and drink trends that have come and gone over the past few years, kombucha is still going strong. For more brew-tiful days ahead, swap out your high-in-sugar sodas for these Malaysian-made kombucha brands to help keep your gut healthy and happy:
Belly Good Kombucha
Sharing an interest in healthy bowel movements and yoga, Belly Good Kombucha was founded in 2017 by two friends who hoped to nourish the mind, body, and spirit. A small batch kombucha producer, the brand offers four distinct flavours that are Golden Goddess (Ginger, Lemongrass, Turmeric, and Pu Er Tea), Lululemonade (Lemon, Ginger, and Green Tea), First Love (Lychee and Pu Er Tea), and Piña Colada (Pineapple, Coconut, and Green Tea).
Brewed and bottled locally, Belly Good uses premium tea biscuits and organic evaporated cane juice for their concoctions. The end product is bottled goodness full of beneficial acids, enzymes, and probiotics by the kombucha culture of bacteria and yeast. DM them for more info on how to order, or look out for them at Happy Pharmacy in KL, Cheras, Ampang, and also a few yoga studios around KL.
WonderBrew Kombucha
While struggling with indigestion issues, Joseph stumbled upon kombucha, and with business partners Adam and Boon, the trio started WonderBrew in 2018. Fast forward three years later, the brand now offers 11 flavours including bestsellers like the Original, Beet it, Ipoh Mali, and Purple Pari Pari — localised flavours that are fit for every palate and occasion!
The Original Flavour consists of the signature blend of oolong and premium black tea, Beet It with (you guessed it) beetroot, Ipoh Mali is made with sweet pomelo, while Purple Pari Pari utilises butterfly pea and lemongrass.
Aiming to protect the environment and support local farmers, WonderBrew utilises organic and natural ingredients from sustainable sources. Raw material waste in making the beverages is also sent to a local farm that will turn it into compost. The company encourages its customers to recycle their glass bottles, and with every 12 bottles returned, they will send customers a complimentary beverage.
Zenboocha
This new homemade kombucha brand started with three interesting flavours — Ginger Honey, Lychee Rose, and Passion Potion (a crowd favourite that’s heavily-laced with the fresh zing of passionfruit). Expanding their repertoire as the demand increased, there’s also the Figgin’ Dreamy, a limited release and a special collaboration with Figara11, one of Malaysia’s foremost organic fig farms.
Zenboocha’s funky label is designed by Petra, a tattoo artist in Prague, and completed by Jamie Hendricks. Apart from encouraging customers to return empty bottles, the brand actively collaborates with other local SMEs for their sustainability efforts, with raw materials like used tea leaves and rosebuds sent to TwoFrens to make natural fabric dye.
Wild Kombucha
Suffering from eczema in his youth, Jason Tan came to the realisation that gut health greatly improved his skin condition and thus began his mission to educate the masses of kombucha’s benefits with authentic and quality brews. Creating the right balance of tang and tart, the Malaysian artisanal kombucha brand uses fruits and floral notes in its drinks.
Brewed in small batches, Wild Kombucha is concocted the traditional way, with flavours that include White Tea, Peach Blossoms, Lavender Lemonade, Chrysanthemum Goji, Blueberry Acai, Black Tea, and Apple Aid.
Retailers today include Babel TTDI, Oxygen Cycle, and Botanica+Co Alila Bangsar. But if you’re planning to have them delivered, you can also return empty bottles to them to get a cash rebate of RM1 per bottle. Simply exchange your new bottles with old ones through their logistics partner who will bring it back to the brand’s headquarters.
Slō Kombucha
A micro batch brewer, Slō Kombucha is made using blends of flavoured tea with no additional flavourings added. Fermented for a minimum of 14 days, the process balances the yeast to bacteria ratio to maximise the growth of beneficial bacteria without turning overly sour. In other words, if you prefer a kombucha that’s mild on acidity, low in sugar, yet still packs an energising punch, Slō is the way to go.
Not too acidic and not too sweet, each of the brews are tested prior to bottling, and only those with pH values of 3 – 3.5 and 4 – 4.5% brix will move onto consumer hands.
Unique flavours include the N1 (flavoured with apple, lavender, rose, thyme, and rosemary) and N3 (flavoured with roselle, blueberry, rose petals, and lavender). Tea enthusiasts can also find a more refreshing fix with the Fukamushi-cha and Houjicha-flavoured options.
SHEAbrew
This adorable home brewer first started out with two flavours: Apple & Elderflower and Original Oolong. Over time, they’ve expanded to include many other bold flavours with their seasonal brews that use fresh fruits and herbs.
The wide range of flavours available include Pineapple Asam Boi, Raspberry Pear, Pomegranate & Cranberry, as well as Guava Blueberry, demonstrating the versatility of kombucha, which can be tart, slightly sweet, fruity, floral, or even spicy.
If you need a serious thirst quencher, SHEAbrew Pineapple Asam Boi ‘booch is a great pick-me-up especially on more scorching days.
ChaCha Kombucha
Made with 100% natural ingredients for guilt-free drinking pleasure, ChaCha Kombucha was born from the idea that healthy alternatives should be available for more Malaysians. Founded by Brewmeister Matthieu Morisset, a plant-based chef, and Ishaq Vadillo, a Health and Fitness Trainer, the duo felt that kombucha was a drink truly missing from the world.
Brewed right here in Malaysia, ChaCha has something for everyone. Expect lots of vegetables, fruits, and even roots used to flavour the kombucha to help make healthy eating and living much easier and enjoyable. Favourites include The Original— or Basic Bucha — made with dark ripe Pu-Er Tea and Buzz Bucha which is concocted using vanilla beans. You can even customise your own 12 pack box, or opt for a 60-bottle family pack to share with their loved ones. Perfect for gatherings and celebrations!
Order your bottles of kombucha online for next day delivery, or you can find them in major supermarkets including Ben’s Independent Grocers, Village Grocer, and more.
Boocha
Founder Gillian Chen first turned to kombucha as an alternative to sugary soft drinks. After experimenting to get the flavour profiles just right, Boocha debuted at farmers’ markets and pop-up events and has since evolved into a micro-brewer of kombucha.
A labour of love and pride, Boocha uses on only premium tea and fresh fruits to brew its kombucha. Among its many crowd favourite flavours are Passionfruit, Pink Grapefruit, and Bentong Ginger-Lemon. Source for some Boocha bottles for your gut health over at Nature Miners, The Hive Bulk Foods, Runchit or order them by reaching out through WhatsApp.
