I have tried my share of “wonder” drinks over the years. Like many people, I got caught up in the craze of energy drinks, enhanced waters, and herbal elixirs that began in the 1990s, but I never experienced any of their purported benefits. I simply enjoyed them for their taste, particularly some of the dry, elegant beverages that made a refreshing alternative to wine. (Two of my favorites, Aqua Libra and Golden Star White Jasmine Sparkling Tea, were discontinued and I’m still in mourning.)

One of these trendy tonics that did produce a pleasant physical effect was kombucha, which gave me a nice little buzz until a literal buzzkill discovered that this fermented tea contains a small amount of alcohol, leading to virtually all kombucha brands being pulled from store shelves for months. However, before this tempest in a tea bottle, I made a wonder-ful discovery: Wonder Drink Asian Pear & Ginger Kombucha.

There are a couple of things that set Wonder Drink apart from the kombucha crowd. First, it is pasteurized.* Most kombucha drinks are raw and can have a slimy mass called a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) floating around in the liquid like a jellyfish in a murky sea. Blessedly, I’ve never encountered one in a bottle of Wonder Drink. Second, it’s sweeter and more palatable than many other brands. While I actually enjoy the tart, acidic flavor of most kombucha, I always find it amusing when someone who’s never had it before takes a sip and makes “that” face.

But the main thing that, in my opinion, separates Wonder Drink from the pack is their Asian Pear & Ginger flavor. The company produces 11 varieties of kombucha, and I’ve tried most of them, but Asian Pear & Ginger is my favorite (I’m not alone, as it’s their most popular flavor). There’s something about those two magical ingredients that creates an alchemy with the kombucha, turning an ordinary element into liquid gold. I like to drink it with meals as a digestif, but it’s also delicious in cocktails, making restorative spirits to restore your spirits.

As for health claims, some might argue that pasteurization destroys the beneficial bacteria for which kombucha is known, or that more of the sugar should be consumed by the yeast than by you, but I always feel an immediate sense of well-being by merely having a bottle of Wonder Drink in my fridge. So, if you want to enjoy some fashionable fermentation, but you’ve been put off by the bite of other brews, try Asian Pear & Ginger from Wonder Drink. This potent potion will do wonders for your disposition.

Stuff Worthy Of Our Notice™ in this post:

Wonder Drink Asian Pear & Ginger Kombucha

 

There is only one store in my area that carries Wonder Drink, so I often purchase it online (if you can’t locate a brand of kombucha in health-conscious L.A., you might have trouble finding it elsewhere). Use Wonder Drink’s store locator to find out where to buy.

 

*Wonder Drink has now added three raw versions of kombucha tea to its line of products.