Kombucha is a fermented drink that has been around for centuries and is made by fermenting tea with what are called “Kombucha cultures.” It has health benefits that are becoming well-known and that have helped to increase awareness around this fizzy drink. But what if you forget to refrigerate your kombucha?
You need to refrigerate commercial or homemade raw kombucha If you forget to refrigerate your kombucha, it will continue to ferment and ultimately become vinegar, which will be sour and acidic to the taste. In addition, as part of the fermentation process, it will create more carbon dioxide and potentially cause the bottle to explode.
It is important to remember to always refrigerate your kombucha tea, especially if you are not going to drink it right away. This will help to prevent further fermentation and will keep the probiotic elements of the tea fresh for a longer period.
“Commercial or homemade raw kombucha needs to be refrigerated. If you forget to refrigerate your kombucha, it will continue to ferment and ultimately become vinegar, which will be sour and acidic to the taste. In addition, as part of the fermentation process, it will create more carbon dioxide and potentially cause the bottle to explode.”
TEA CROSSING
If you do forget to refrigerate your kombucha, it’s best to simply throw it out and start fresh with a new batch.
Will Unrefrigerated Kombucha Make You Sick?
The answer to this question is a little complicated. Kombucha is a fermented tea, and as with any fermented food, there is always the possibility that it could contain harmful bacteria.
However, if you make sure to follow the proper hygiene procedures when making kombucha (including keeping your workspace clean and sanitized), the risk of contamination is quite low.
That said, there is always a chance that unrefrigerated kombucha could spoil and make you sick. If you’re not sure whether or not your kombucha has spoiled, it’s best to throw it out and start fresh.
Specifically, Healthline gives some good information regarding potential risks.
Here are some essential things to consider:
“While kombucha is safe for most people, it can cause severe side effects in some.
Because kombucha is unpasteurized and contains a mix of different types of bacteria and yeasts, it can promote the growth of opportunistic bacteria that can lead to infections in certain people.
For instance, those who have weakened immune systems, such as people with cancer, kidney disease or HIV, can develop serious complications from drinking kombucha.
Although rare, there have been reported cases of severe allergic reactions, acidosis and liver complications due to potentially contaminated kombucha consumption.
Since kombucha is unpasteurized and contains small amounts of caffeine and alcohol, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it as well.”
HEALTHLINE
What Difference Does It Make If I Keep My Kombucha Outside The Refrigerator?
- If you keep your kombucha outside of the refrigerator, it will continue to ferment and eventually turn into vinegar.
- The flavor will also be more sour and acidic. However, it will still be safe to drink.
- If you forget to refrigerate your kombucha and it turns into vinegar, you can use it as a cleaning agent or add it to recipes that call for vinegar.
- Kombucha that you store in the fridge will stop fermenting and the flavor will be less sour.
If you do forget to refrigerate your kombucha, be sure to check the expiration date before drinking.
If you’re ever unsure whether or not your kombucha is safe to drink, err on the side of caution and throw it out. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
What Is the Best Method for Storing Kombucha?
The answer to this question depends on whether you have purchased unpasteurized or pasteurized kombucha, and whether you are making it yourself.
You should definitely store all unpasteurized kombucha in the refrigerator. You can keep Pasteurized kombucha at room temperature until you open it, at which point you will need to store it in the refrigerator.
In addition, the good people at Fermentaholics give this detailed advice:
Does Homemade Kombucha Need to be Refrigerated?
When it comes to homemade kombucha, we get asked about refrigeration on each step of the brewing process. The four main stages consist of storing your SCOBY, primary fermentation, secondary fermentation, and finished kombucha.
FERMENTAHOLICS
How Do I store My SCOBY?
Your kombucha culture or SCOBY is shelf-stable, so it doesn’t require refrigeration. If you just bought a SCOBY, It’s best to keep it at room temperature until you are ready to brew. If you are in-between brews, just store it in a jar with a cloth cover much the same as your primary fermentation. This is the same idea as a SCOBY hotel.
FERMENTAHOLICS
Kombucha First Fermentation, Second Fermentation & Refrigeration
To be thorough, the first fermentation and secondary fermentation are never refrigerated. The optimum temperature for brewing kombucha is between 75-85 F. The kombucha culture will slow as the temperature drops and evenly to a halt when you put it in the fridge. This is called hibernation or dormancy, in the brewing industry. So, unless you want to stop fermentation, do not refrigerate.
FERMENTAHOLICS
Finished Homemade Kombucha
Once your kombucha has finished the fermentation process and bottled, it is finished. Now, we will treat our homemade kombucha the same as raw kombucha, as that is what we have. So we want to make sure we store it in the fridge to stop further fermentation. Leaving raw homemade kombucha at room temperature in a sealed bottle is a bad idea. It allows your kombucha to continue to ferment at room temperature, and again when this occurs in a sealed bottle, it can and will eventually explode. So get it in the fridge”
FERMENTAHOLICS
Because black tea is the basis of kombucha, you may also like to read my article on How to Store Tea Bags for the Long Term? A Complete Guide and Can You Make Kombucha with Herbal Tea?
Are There Any Preservatives in Kombucha?
It will interest you to know that kombucha does not have any preservatives. It is a live, fermented tea with live probiotics. As I mentioned above, if you forget to refrigerate it, the kombucha can go bad or at least become acidic and sour. Ultimately, it could also form mold or unhelpful bacteria.
If you see mold or bacteria, clearly you should throw out the kombucha. If the kombucha smells bad or tastes sour, it may also time to discard it.
When in doubt, it is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your health.
So, How Long Does Kombucha Last?
The length of time kombucha will last vary with the type of container used: glass containers preserve carbonation best but can break more easily; clear plastic offers some protection from sunlight which affects taste over time; brown bottles no longer have any benefits over clear plastic.
- Kombucha will continue to ferment very slowly and will remain drinkable for many months if you keep it in a sealed container away from sunlight at or below 55°F, it.
- Once you have opened Kombucha, you should refrigerate and consume it within a week or two for best results. After that, it will still be safe to drink but may not taste as fresh.
The Bottom Line
So, what happens if you forget to refrigerate your kombucha? If it’s only been a few days, chances are it will be just fine. However, if it’s been more than a week, the kombucha may have gone bad and you should throw it out. The longer kombucha sits out, the more it will deteriorate in quality.