FAQ's
How does Flying Embers make its hard kombucha?
Our proprietary process centers around a unique dry fermentation so that our champagne yeast consumes all of the sugar.
How do Flying Embers products have only 1G sugar & carb if sugar is used as part of the fermentation process?
We dry ferment, which means the yeast eats the sugar and turns it into alcohol. Our champagne yeast consumes the majority of the sugar, leaving only 1G left from the natural fruit juice we add for flavor. All of our ingredients are part of the dry fermentation process so that we infuse the flavor but ferment out the residual sugar.
How is that Flying Embers products are shelf stable with a 365-day shelf life?
Our proprietary process centers around a unique dry fermentation so that our champagne yeast consumes all of the sugar. Because our finished products have no sugar, there is nothing for the live cultures to consume. Therefore, there is no active fermentation process after canning so our finished products are shelf stable.
The culture is still “live” after canning, it just does not continue to ferment. Like a bear in hibernation, it doesn’t need to eat but it’s still alive. Also, our proprietary culture is uniquely designed to have a consistent, stable flavor over time.
What makes Flying Embers flavor different than other hard kombuchas?
Four components make us different!
- Yeast: Most hard kombuchas use beer yeast instead of champagne yeast, which is why our products taste cleaner and brighter.
- Bacteria: Our team has spent over 15 years analyzing dozens of different scobys, identifying the exact organisms that give the perfect blend of acidity and flavor, and re-assembling these specific organisms together in our proprietary scoby. Our scoby produces a clean, subtlety sweet, and refreshing flavor.
- Tea: Because our founders are wine makers, we use specific black tea varietals that have subtle sweetness and tannins (like wine) to give more structure and body in the flavor. In contrast, other hard kombuchas use green tea which is more earthy, sour and grassy.
- Adaptogens & Botanicals: We use turmeric, ginger and other botanicals in our core kombucha ferment to create more complexity and body.
What is the difference between the fermentation process for Flying Embers kombuchas vs. Flying Embers seltzer?
Our core kombuchas and seltzers are both dry fermented to have 0 sugar and 0 carbs. Both seltzer and kombucha use champagne yeast and sugar to ferment.
However, our kombucha fermentation also uses unique bacteria (part of the the scoby) and organic tea. In contrast, our seltzer process ferments only sugar and superfruits into alcohol (without a scoby) and incorporates sophisticated filtration to get a clean flavor.
What is a SCOBY?
S.C.O.B.Y. stands for a “Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria & Yeast” (similar to a sourdough starter). It’s essentially the combination of bacteria and yeast that is the “engine” of the fermentation.
Does Flying Embers uses a SCOBY to make its hard kombucha?
Yes. We have a kombucha SCOBY that we blend with Champagne yeast in order to increase the alcohol and create fine bubbles and a crisp flavor.
Can Flying Embers kombucha products be used to start a new SCOBY?
Yes, but we do not recommend it. Though each can has live kombucha inside, for legal reasons we cannot recommend starting a culture from our product.
Does Flying Embers add or spike alcohol into its drink?
Our kombucha is fermented with a SCOBY and champagne yeast. We do not “spike” our products with any alcohol.
Does Flying Embers have live Kombucha culture? Yes
Yes. Our kombucha culture is live and active in each can. We have validated live kombucha cultures at end of shelf life.
What kind of yeast do you use?
We use a combination of wild yeast and Champagne yeast.
Is your product shelf stable?
Yes, when stored properly at temperatures up to 80 degrees F
Do you add acid to your kombucha?
No. Our kombucha is naturally fermented to where it is refreshingly tart but not sour. Fake kombucha has acid added to it. This is done to cut corners and save money but it doesn’t taste as good and it certainly isn’t kombucha.
Do you add adaptogens during canning?
We add adaptogens along with the tea to our initial fermentation process. We do not add additional adaptogens during canning.
Does alcohol destroy the adaptogens in your products?
No. Adaptogens are soluble in alcohol.
Can we consume too much of your probiotics?
No. Our probiotics don’t cause any indigestion.
Are there enzymes in Flying Embers kombucha?
Yes. The yeast in the scoby produce enzymes such as invertase that help break down sugars and help produce symbiotic parts of the ferment.
Is Flying Embers Gluten free?
Yes. We do not use any ingredients that contain gluten.
Is Flying Embers certified organic?
Yes. 100% of our products are Certified Organic according to the USDA standard. Without verification there is no organic. Don’t believe the hearsay. If someone represents their product as organic without a certifier, they are not being truthful. The process of being certified is not expensive but takes dedication and diligence.