When it comes to refreshing drinks with unique savor, fermented drinks are hard to beat. Fermented drinks are a mixture of ingredients such as sugar, juices, herbal infusions, grains, tea, and more. These ingredients are fermented for a couple of days up to years and often result in a sour beverage with traces of alcohol. Nowadays, fermented drinks have seen an unstoppable increase in their popularity and have become more widely available at an affordable serving price than ever before. If you still have no idea what fermented drink to try, here is our list of the top 7 fermented drinks that are definitely worth trying first.
Our top 7 fermented drinks include Kombucha, Kefir, Sima, Ginger beer, Makgeolli, Kvass, and Hangjiu. These drinks are not just refreshing but also contain noteworthy health benefits. Moreover, some of them hold an important part in their country’s culture. Continue reading as we cover more details about these delicious thirst quenchers in the next part.
Table of Contents
Top 7 Fermented Drinks
Kombucha
Whether you’re starting a new diet plan to lose weight or just looking for ways to improve your general health and wellness, you’ve got to try Kombucha. Kombucha is a probiotics-enriched fermented beverage. It is made by fermenting tea and sugar with the Kombucha culture or popularly known as the SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). It mainly undergoes two fermentation processes namely first fermentation (F1) and second fermentation (F2). The overall fermentation of Kombucha takes 7 days and more depending on the desired taste.
Kombucha has a distinct tart flavor and subtle sweetness. It is also fizzy and comes with different flavors making it a tasty snack perfect for all ages. In addition to that, Kombucha offers many health benefits, particularly for the gut.
Some of our favorite Kombucha health benefits are:
- Probiotics content
- Antioxidant properties
- Antibacterial capabilities
- Reduced risks of heart disease and cancer
Kefir
Looking for a fermented drink with a tart, smooth, and creamy taste like liquid yogurt? If yes, then kefir is for you. Kefir is made by fermenting milk with kefir grains. Kefir grains are a live culture of bacteria and yeast that converts milk to Kefir. They look like small white balls with a gelatinous texture. Traditionally, Kefir is only fermented with cow’s milk or goat’s milk but nowadays some people like to use water and sugar to avoid dairy due to their health or diet.
Unlike other fermented drinks, Kefir only takes 24 hours to complete fermentation. At present, there are many wellness brands that offer Kefir as a commercial beverage. However, if you want to make Kefir by yourself, you can simply buy kefir grains and brew your own at home.
Apart from being tasty and convenient to buy and make, drinking Kefir also helps the body in many ways. These ways include
- Serves as a low-fat and low in lactose refreshment
- Contains health-boosting nutrients and probiotics that are more powerful than yogurt
- Antibacterial properties
- Improves bone health and lowers the risk of osteoporosis
- May protect against cancer
- May help with various digestive issues
- May improve allergy and asthma symptoms
Sima
From probiotics-enriched fermented drinks, we go to traditional sweet and sparkling fermented drink that is made and served during the Finnish Vappu Festival. Sima, a kind of Mead beverage, is a low-alcoholic drink that is traditionally made by fermenting honey and water. It is fermented for only 2 to 5 days and only contains 0.5% to 0.8% alcohol. Due to the low alcohol level, many kids, 5 years old and above, enjoy drinking Sima along with adults.
Nowadays, Sima is fermented with different kinds of sugar and yeast. It is also flavored by adding lemon flesh and rind and is often served with Vappu funnel cake, or a rosette.
Ginger Beer
You might know ginger beer as an ingredient in drinks like Moscow Mule, but did you know that you can drink this beverage on its own and enjoy its amazing health benefits? Ginger beer traces its history back to 1800 in England. It was originally an alcoholic beverage but at present, it is produced as a non-alcoholic refreshment.
Ginger beer is made by fermenting ginger, water, and sugar with yeast. The result is a strong and spicy beverage with a distinct aromatic flavor. Over the years, ginger beer is also associated with different health benefits such as
- Preventing heart and bones diseases symptoms
- Reducing inflammation
- Preventing cancer and diabetes
Ginger beer is sometimes thought to be ginger ale because they both use ginger and are carbonated and fermented. However, ginger beer is fermented with yeast while ginger ale is fermented with whey. In addition, ginger ale has a less spicy flavor than ginger beer.
Makgeolli
From fermented drinks that originated in Europe, we introduce a fermented drink from Asia. Makgeolli is a fermented drink that was originally called poor man’s alcohol. Despite having its roots as a peasant tradition. Makgeolli is now a well-known fermented drink, especially for the young people of South Korea. It has a sweet, sour, and slightly bitter taste with some hints of fruity and floral aroma. Moreover, it has a chalky and fizzy texture. Many say that Makgeolli tastes like Kombucha and sake, a Japanese alcoholic drink, mixed together.
To make Makgeolli, rice is fermented using nuruk. Nuruk is a traditional Korean fermentation starter used in making makgeolli and other Korean fermented drinks like soju and cheogju. Makgeolli is fermented for up to 14 days and usually contains 6% to 9% alcohol.
Although Makgeolli has a relatively high alcohol content than other fermented drinks, it is considered healthier than alcoholic beverages. Some of the potential health benefits of Magkgeolli are:
- Improved cellular function
- Probiotics content that is 100 to 500 times more than yogurt
- Antioxidants properties that help destroy free radicals
- Anti-cancer properties help kill cancer cells and reduce tumor size.
- Anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties
- Increased procollagen in the skin
- Lower cholesterol levels
- Stronger immune system
- Increase in metabolism
Kvass
Kvass is a fermented low-alcoholic drink from Russia. It is made with dry rye bread soaked in water and yeast and sometimes sweetened or flavored with fruit, raisins, honey, or mint. It has a bubbly and malty flavor with a slight sweetness and unique sour taste. Aside from Russia, it is also popular in Slavic countries like Poland and Baltic countries.
Like other fermented beverages, Kvass also has alcohol content however it is not that high and is only the same amount in Kombucha. Kvass is not just an ordinary drink because it also has significant health benefits like
- Improved overall nutrient intake and metabolic activity
- Better gastrointestinal tract health
- Stronger immune system
- Reduced toxicity in the blood
Huangjiu
Another well-loved fermented drink from Asia is the Huangju. Originating in China, Huangju is known as one of the world’s oldest fermented beverages. This fermented Chinese yellow rice wine is made with cereal grain, yeast, and Qu which is a saccharification starter.
Huangju has a soft and slightly sour, sweet, and bitter taste and contains 13% to 16% alcohol. Traditionally, people heat a pot of Huangju in hot water or heat it directly on the fire for a few minutes to release its rich flavor.
Huangju is not just a refreshing treat from China but also a health-boosting drink that can help
- Relax the muscles and stimulate the blood circulation
- Help prevent aging with its anti-aging properties
- Promote appetite
- Protect the heart
What Is The Best Fermented Drink?
We all have different preferences when it comes to fermented beverages. Each has a specific desired taste and health benefits. The availability and cost of the product can also affect one’s choice of which fermented drink is best for them.
However, if you’re going to ask us, we believe that Kombucha is the best fermented drink to try especially if you are looking for a drink that will boost your energy and health. Kombucha is known for its probiotics content that enriches the gut. In addition to that, Kombucha is also known to boost the immune system, prevent diseases, and many more. Apart from its health benefits, it is also low maintenance and easy to brew at home.
Moreover, Kombucha comes in various delicious flavors so even if you are a long-term or new Kombucha drinker, there is surely a Kombucha flavor for you. In addition to that, Kombucha is now widely available in many retailers, online shops, and even cafes making it a highly accessible drink for everyone. Its purchase price is relatively cheap as well.
What Are Most Common Fermented Drinks?
The most common fermented drinks are wine and beer. Vinegar is also a common fermented drink. Despite being used in cooking, some people also drink vinegar shots for their health.
When it comes to unique fermented beverages, the most common ones mainly depend on where you live. For instance, if you live in western countries like the US, Kombucha is a common fermented beverage. On the other hand, if you live in Russia, kefir and kvass are very common. If you live in Korea, Makgeolli is easy to find.
What Are Examples Of Fermented Drinks?
There are many fermented drinks to choose from nowadays. Below we’ve rounded up a list of some examples of fermented drinks all over the world.
- Kombucha (China)
- Kefir (Russia)
- Tibicos / water kefir (Mexico)
- Rejuvelac (Lithuania)
- Boza (Turkey)
- Sweet Potato Fly (Guyana)
- Chicha (Peru)
- Kanji (India)
- Sima (Finland)
- Amazake (Japan)
- Basi (Philippines)
- Ginger Beer (England)
- Huangjiu (China)
