Kombucha Kup 2023 Winners

The Kombucha Brewers International KKON23 conference in Long Beach, California, concluded on Thursday April 20 with the Kombucha Kup Awards of Excellence. Five judges (full disclosure: I was one of them) spent two days tasting over 65 entries in the six categories:

• Original (unflavored)
• Fruited
• Ginger/Spice
• Floral/Herbs
• Jun
• Hard Kombucha
  

The tastings were completely ‘blind’ with coded samples delivered to the tasting room. After an initial elimination round, four in each category went forward to the final round where the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals were awarded. Congratulations to all the winners, and for those brands who were not selected (or did not even enter!) there is always next year.

And the winners are:

Original

Gold – ValleSana, Valle de Bravo, Mexico – Natural 

Silver – All Good Gene’s, Taipei, Taiwan – Original

Bronze – SHIP Kombucha, Tokyo, Japan – Original

Fruited

Gold – Bambucha Kombucha, Vista, CA – Mango Masala

Silver – J’s Kombucha, St. Paul, MN – Raspberry Lime Ginger

Bronze – ValleSana, Valle de Bravo, Mexico – Limon

Ginger/Spice

Gold – Bambucha Kombucha, Vista, CA – Thai Ginger

Silver – Cloud Mountain Kombucha, Urbana, IL – Carrot Turmeric

Bronze – Rogue Kombucha, Grants Pass, OR – June Bug

Floral/Herbs

Gold – SHIP Kombucha, Tokyo, Japan – Shiso

Silver – Han’s Kombucha, Salt Lake City, UT  – Raspberry Rose

Bronze – Bambucha Kombucha, Vista, CA – Hibiscus Rose

Jun

Gold – Han’s Kombucha, Salt Lake City, UT  – Cheers Queers

Silver – Shanti Elixirs, Weaverville, NC – Siberian Rose

Bronze – Wai Meli Jun, Waimea, HI – Kalamansi, Geranium, Green Mandarin

Hard Kombucha

Gold – Bambucha Kombucha, Vista, CA – Tropical Guava

Silver – Local Roots, Vista, CA – Apple Chai

Bronze – Bambucha Kombucha, Vista, CA – Blueberry Vanilla