Making Each Day Count

The first time I’ve had kombucha was during my trip to the US, when I visited a cousin in Los Angeles earlier this year. I knew that kombucha is a good source of probiotics, so I have been keen on having a taste. Unfortunately it’s not yet readily available in the Philippines (and I’d have to go to weekend markets or drive far from home to be able to get a bottle). I was positively overwhelmed by its availability in the US (and eventually in Australia, which I discovered when I visited my sister a few months ago).

My first impression of kombucha was that it was definitely an acquired taste. I defaulted to ‘liking’ it immediately, because of benefits I’ve read about. It tasted vinegary but depending on the blend, it could be sweet too. Most of the brews I bought from the stores were sour with a tad bit of sweet. Needless to say I haven’t found my favorite brand that I would go to again, within the first weeks of discovering kombucha. My cousin from LA was into a healthy lifestyle and she shared with me a scoby that she bought from Whole Foods. The scoby looked like a mushroom, and it came sealed in a bag. At the time, I didn’t know what the scoby was for so I did a bit of research on Google and YouTube as to how I could brew my own kombucha at home. I was a bit intimidated by the seemingly complicated methods of brewing. So I held off on brewing and even asked my sister in Australia to take the first step in brewing so I could follow suit.

When I flew from the west coast to the mid west, my friend from the university who was also into healthy living was home-brewing her kombucha, and even shared with me her favorite blend: black tea with lots of berries. Now this was by far the best that I’ve tasted – I wish I had more than 1 bottle! My friend taught me how to brew kombucha (I will write about my brewing experience soon!), and showed me what equipment to use.

Back in the Philippines, I’ve been fortunate to have stumbled upon the Instagram page of Diwa Brew. The brand is new to the market, and I had a chance to meet Air, the founder, when she personally met up with me so I can get my 1 purchased bottle. She recommended the bestseller: Pineapple+Turmeric+Ginger. I was pleased with the taste of Diwa Brew’s kombucha – not too sour, and I liked the combination of the flavors I got. As far as I know, Diwa Brew offers the lowest selling price in the Manila market now. They also provide discounts on next purchases for every bottle returned to them – an automatic thumbs up from the environmental-conscious in me. I’m looking forward to seeing Air again in the Vegan Fest that I’ll go to this weekend. I’m gonna return my bottle and try out the other flavors.

I really hope kombucha will be more widely sold in Metro Manila. Hopefully the market will be more aware of its benefits so there will be more demand and it can be sold in more cafes and convenience stores.

I purchased Diwa Brew for my own consumption and just wanted to share with you how I enjoyed it.