Your questions, answered.

Tea of Life is a REAL, living fermented tea brewed in Cape Town since 2015. It is made from whole leaf teas — black, green, oolong, rooibos, honeybush and more — fermented slowly for up to 30 days with a living SCOBY culture.

Unlike most commercial kombucha, ours is never pasteurised, never filtered, and contains no added CO₂. Every bottle arrives alive, carrying active cultures, organic acids and beneficial yeasts exactly as they formed during fermentation.

Never pasteurised. Most commercial kombucha is heat treated to extend shelf life. Pasteurisation kills the living cultures. We never apply heat.

Slow fermented for up to 30 days. The industry standard is 7 to 10 days. Our extended fermentation naturally reduces residual sugar and builds a richer, more complex culture of beneficial acids.

No added CO₂. The carbonation is self generated through a second fermentation cycle — the same process that enriches the brew with additional beneficial yeasts.

South African botanicals. Honeybush, Buchu, Sceletium, Rooibos — indigenous ingredients chosen because they work, not because they trend.

SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. It is the living culture that ferments the sweet tea, consuming sugars and producing organic acids, natural enzymes and active probiotics. A healthy SCOBY is completely safe. You do not need to eat it to benefit — drinking the kombucha gives you everything you need. The same SCOBY mother culture from Elizabeth's first home batch in 2015 still lives in our Cape Town brewery today.

Yes. Elizabeth, our founder, is a Type 1 diabetic and drinks Tea of Life every day. Because of our long fermentation process, the yeast and bacteria consume most of the sugar before the bottle is sealed — resulting in a naturally low sugar drink that is well tolerated by diabetics.

We always recommend listening to your own body and consulting your health practitioner if you have specific concerns.

New to kombucha: start with 100 to 150ml per day. Because Tea of Life is fully fermented and genuinely alive, some people experience mild digestive changes as their gut microbiome adjusts. This is normal and usually settles within a few days.

Regular drinkers: most people enjoy 300 to 500ml daily. Listen to your body and increase gradually.

Kombucha naturally produces trace amounts of alcohol as a byproduct of fermentation. These levels are very low — well below the legal threshold for classification as an alcoholic beverage — and Tea of Life is considered non-alcoholic. Our cans in particular are safe for children to enjoy.

The tanginess comes from natural organic acids — primarily acetic and gluconic acid — produced during fermentation. This is not a flaw. It is exactly what fermentation is supposed to do. The more fully fermented a kombucha is, the more pronounced this character becomes. It is a sign of a genuinely alive, properly made product.

Completely normal — and a good sign. Tea of Life is REAL and unfiltered, which means the living cultures, yeast strands and natural sediment remain in the bottle. This is evidence of genuine fermentation. Give the bottle a gentle tilt before opening if you would like to redistribute them, or leave them settled at the bottom. Either way they are safe and beneficial to consume.

Yes — always. Tea of Life is alive and active, which means fermentation continues after bottling. Refrigeration slows this process, keeps the flavour balanced, and prevents over-carbonation. Store upright and keep chilled at all times. Open slowly and gently, especially if the bottle has been moved around.

Natural carbonation builds inside the bottle as the living cultures continue their activity. If the bottle has been shaken or left out of the fridge, pressure increases. Always store upright in the fridge, allow it to settle after any movement, and open slowly with a gentle twist — not a sharp pop.

Our cans are 100% safe for children. For the glass bottles, small amounts are generally fine but we recommend starting with a modest serve. The natural acidity and trace fermentation activity in the 340ml and 660ml bottles mean bottles are best suited to adults as the primary drinker. If in doubt, check with your paediatrician.

Yes. Kombucha is mildly acidic, which can temporarily soften tooth enamel. Rinsing with water after drinking and staying well hydrated throughout the day helps protect your teeth and supports overall digestive comfort. Kombucha is not a replacement for water.