Gwynedd Stuart
Hard kombucha is kind of genius, right? Everyone wants to feel a little better about drinking alcohol, and kombucha is a health beverage that often contains trace amounts of alcohol as it is, so it’s a perfect candidate for “hard”ening. The best hard kombucha is truly the best of two worlds.
But what is hard kombucha? How do they make it hard? It’s basically kombucha—aka a fermented tea beverage—that was brewed with additional sugar and yeast to up the alcohol content. When we set out to find the best hard kombucha brands and hard kombucha flavors, we were looking for drinks with that signature kombucha vinegary tartness, creative (and identifiable) flavor combos—and bonus points if we could actually detect tea in the flavor profile. Here are the seven best hard kombucha brands we tasted, just in time for a not-so-dry January.
- Boochcraft Sparkling Apple
-
This new flavor from Boochcraft is very good. It suggests apple sweetness, like apple pie filling, but it’s not actually super sweet. It’s tart and tangy, but it has undertones of sweet apples and a little bit of cinnamon and ginger, too. Seriously, it has all the makings of apple pie filling, but in a probiotic beverage. I believe this is a seasonal flavor, but they should consider making it a year-round offering. It’s so lovely!
Credit: Merc / Boochcraft
- Boochcraft Ginger Lime
-
Boochcraft is the best hard kombucha brand for people who don’t want to be slapped in the face with vinegary tang. Like, when I first took a sip of this, I immediately felt a little let down by its subdued flavor—but I’m a person who likes a big, bold, vinegary kombucha. Basically, this is the best hard kombucha for hard kombucha beginners. And what it lacks in kombucha vibes it makes up for with a bold ginger flavor that burns as it goes down (in a good way). The fizz level is excellent, too. If you like ginger beer, you’ll like this—plus it’s packing 7% ABV!
Credit: Merc / Boochcraft
- JuneShine Pineapple Orange
-
JuneShine hard kombucha is one of the bigger and more available hard kombucha brands, so it pleases me to report that their hard kombucha tastes good, particularly this Pineapple Orange flavor. I love what they did with the orange flavor; there’s definitely tartness to it, but it reminds me more of a floral orange blossom flavor than a straight-up fruit flavor. And at just 4.2% ABV, this is an excellent slow summer sipper. It’s the best hard kombucha if you grew up in Florida and have fond memories of the smell of orange blossoms wafting through the air.
Credit: Merc / Drizly
- Nova Easy Kombucha Variety Pack (Cactus Fruit, Agave, Jalapeño; Strawberry Coconut; and Peachy Lychee)
-
This Nova Easy hard kombucha variety pack includes three flavors: Cactus Fruit, Agave, Jalapeño; Strawberry Coconut; and Peachy Lychee. The Peachy Lychee flavor is just okay, but the other two flavors are delicious enough that I think you should go ahead and buy the whole pack. The Cactus Fruit flavor has a really prominent and tasty jalapeño essence, but my favorite is the Strawberry Coconut. It’s one of the best hard kombucha flavors I’ve ever tasted; it’s certainly the most interesting. Coconut has a roundness that sort of smooths out the rougher edges of that signature hard kombucha tang. If you see Nova at your liquor store, buy it.
Credit: Merc / DoorDash
- Kyla Lavender Lemonade
-
If you like your canned hard bevs on the sweeter side, this Lavender Lemonade from Kyla is the best hard kombucha for you. Don’t get me wrong—this isn’t all sweetness. The lemon adds some tartness and tang that pairs well with the natural astringency of the kombucha, and the lavender adds just a touch of floral herbaceousness. These are all nice, mild flavors, but don’t be fooled. This kombucha has 6.5% ABV, which puts this closer to IPA territory than light beer territory, where many hard kombuchas dwell.
Credit: Merc / Total Wine
- Jiant The Original
-
Jiant makes two appearances on our list of the best hard kombucha. The brand’s “original” flavor is “passion fruit & elderflower,” which seems way more exciting than most “original” flavored things. Honestly, I probably couldn’t identify elderflower flavor in the wild, but here it adds a floral note to the fruitiness of the passion fruit and the earthiness of the green tea. It’s not perfumey; promise. In my notes I wrote, “This is just so motherf*cking pleasant,” and I love when something is so pleasant it makes me curse.
Credit: Merc / Drizly
- Strainge Beast Ginger Lemon & Hibiscus
-
Strainge Beast hard kombucha is made by beloved beer brewer Sierra Nevada, so naturally a lot of people have been seeking out Strainge Beast Hard Kombucha reviews. Here’s mine: It’s really good! It comes in a few flavors, but we tried the Ginger Lemon & Hibiscus, which is very citrusy and very gingery in a very positive way. You definitely get more tartness and tang from lemon than from the kombucha itself—and I mean that in a good way. It’s more citrusy than vinegary. And the ginger really has a nice bite. It’s very soothing for being so aggressive. This is one of those drinks that feels good for you, as kombucha should (even an alcoholic one). It’s 7% ABV, which is nice, too. Who knew Sierra Nevada could also pull off being one of the best hard kombucha brands?
Credit: Merc / Total Wine
- Jiant Taco Tuesday
-
I lost my mind when I took a sip of this hard kombucha flavor. Jiant hard kombucha wound up really winning us over with its unique and sophisticated line-up of jun-style hard kombuchas (they’re brewed with green tea and honey rather than black tea and cane sugar). Taco Tuesday is the best hard kombucha they make. It’s flavored with jalapeño and pineapple, so it’s a little sweet, a little savory, and a lot delicious. For real, I can’t imagine a better bev to go with a plate of al pastor tacos (if you’re in the L.A. area, try Leo’s!). At 5% ABV, it’s pretty sessionable, too. I know it’s chilly outside, but I’ll be over here pining for the day I can crack open a can of this on the beach on a sweaty Saturday afternoon.
Credit: Merc / Total Wine
Best Seasonal
Best Spicy
Best Citrus
Best Variety Pack
Best Sweet
Best Floral
Best High ABV
Best of the Best
Other products we tried: Boochcraft Apple Jasmine, Flying Embers Passionfruit Simcoe, Flying Embers Guava Citra, JuneShine Blueberry Lemonade, JuneShine Hibiscus Lime, JuneShine Strawberry Watermelon, Golden Road Kombucha + Passion Fruit, Jiant Guavamente, Jiant Mai Tai, Jiant Hicamaya, Luna Bay Variety Pack
Jordan Myrick
Ariana Losch
Matt Crowley
