Lets get you some answers
What is Cridling?
Cridling is a fermented tea drink often called kombucha. Cridling began fermenting kombucha with honey produced by our very own bees some years ago but now we produce both traditionally brewed kombucha with sugar and a mead-kombucha made with honey. We use ethically sourced green tea as its base together with a specially developed symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Cridling is a great pre-biotic and contains naturally occurring vitamins, masses of antioxidants, Polyphenols, acetic acid, B-vitamins and much, much more. As if that wasn’t enough, to increase the benefits and further enhance the taste, the brew then has a second ferment with real fruit. It’s amazing stuff for your gut microbiota.
Unlike many other kombucha brewers on the market, we don't add anything artificial, we don't dilute it and we don't artifically carbonate it. Cridling is a totally natural product, brewed to its optimum state.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented drink made using a tea (caffeine type, white, green or brown usually). It needs an energy source to ferment and this is usually sugar and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast often known as a SCOBY. It contains naturally occurring cultures which are termed as ‘gut-friendly’. Research over recent years has proven how important the gut is to the health of our entire bodies and brain function and fermented foods have been linked to improved gut health.
What’s the best way to drink Cridling?
Always chilled. Store it in the fridge as it keeps longer this way. The time of day is down to your own preference. You might want to try using it as a mixer. Many of our customers enjoy pairing it with a spirit or with a tonic for a non-tox fix. We can highly recommend a Prosecco and Raspberry Cridling, delicious!
If it needs to be refrigerated, is it ok being transported and delivered at ambient temperatures?
Yes! We’ve had Cridling tested in laboratories and it is absolutely fine to be kept at ambient for quite a while however, all the good stuff will degrade over time so you need to put it in the fridge as soon as possible. It also tastes amazing cold so make sure you drink it chilled.
Is it true that the colour and flavour of Cridling can change depending on the honey?
Yes it does! If you enjoy Honey you will appreciate that it is a totally natural product made by a lot of very hard working honeybees. They make honey from all the different plants they visit and pollinate. The plants vary from season to season and place to place and this results in some big differences in the colour and flavour of the honey which ultimately changes the colour and flavour of the Premium Honey Cridling. It doesn’t vary too much but the well-seasoned consumer might be able to taste when it’s been apple blossom or elderflower season. We like to think of this as a unique vintage in every serving.
I’ve tried kombucha before and it was disgusting, is Cridling any better?
We hear this a lot. Yes, it sure is. Some kombuchas can taste almost like vinegar, in fact some have acidity levels as low as vinegar which is not good. Cridling tastes sweet but the level of sweetness will differ dependant on the fruit used. We have two ranges, one is brewed with sugar and the other with honey. The New Traditional Brew made with sugar is by far our most popular range as it tends to be naturally sweeter tasting. Our fermentation cycle differs too which ensures the ph (or acidity) is not too low. Overall, we and everyone who’s given us feedback so far, think that Cridling is much tastier, refreshing and palatable than other straight kombuchas on the market. There’s only one way to find out, give it a try and see for yourself.
I want to be able to see what I’m drinking, why are you putting Cridling in cans?
Ahh, right, well there are a couple of reasons why we decided to can Cridling. The first reason is that there is no better seal than a can seam. This superior, secure seal ensures the quality of the drink and actually limits the development of the mother culture better than bottling. It also preserves the product better. The second reason is that it is a better choice for the environment. Aluminium can be recycled forever, much more than glass or plastic. Another reason is that because it is light weight, it is lighter to transport, so its carbon footprint is lower when it comes to posting goods to customers. Keep an eye for Cridling in re-usable, swing-top glass bottles. This is available in a small number of café style outlets but we hope to extend this in the future.
Is Cridling alcoholic?
Actually, all true kombuchas contain alcohol because they’re fermented, the production of alcohol is a bi-product of the fermentation process. The big difference is at Cridling we think it’s important to be open and honest about this information and state the alcoholic percentage on the front of the label. It is very low and each can on average is about ¼ of one UK alcohol unit. So, a person would have to consume around 16 cans in an hour for a man and 12 cans for a woman to be at the drink drive limit and would then need to drink 4 cans every hour to stay at that level. Not really going to happen. Unfortunately, labelling laws state that alcohol percentage does not have to be stated on the label unless it is above 1.2% which some kombucha companies take advantage of. Also, there are manufacturers selling drinks as ‘kombucha’, when in fact they are powdered ingredients just mixed together (tea, fruit, sweetener and vitamins), clearly this is not a fermented, gut friendly drink. Or worse, the drink has a very minor kombucha content added to an artificial mix of carbonated ingredients. I have heard this termed as ‘frankenbooch’ which I find hilarious, you’ll be able to find this stuff very cheap. Unfortunately, there does need to be more regulation in the UK to stop this happening. Another reason why we at Cridling state the alcohol contents is to ensure the consumer is fully aware in case they are on medication, should not be drinking or are pregnant.
Is it true that it turns to vinegar rather than going off?
Yes, it does turn to vinegar eventually. During the aging process the lactic acid bacteria dies off and the pH lowers (it becomes more acid). Is this safe to consume? Ask yourself if you would you drink apple cider vinegar neat? No, don’t do it. Apple cider vinegar is safe to drink when it’s watered down, beneficial in fact and that’s the same principal as Cridling Vinegar. Cridling Vinegar is aged Cridling but it has been aged in a controlled way and is not yet available to buy. So, although you may have had a can sat in your fridge three months past it’s best before date, I would suggest you just pour the contents down the toilet and recycle the can. If you would like to try some fruit flavoured Cridling Vinegar, get in touch and we’ll look at getting a sample to you.
Is Cridling Vegan
Our New Traditional Brew is Vegan. However, the premium Honey range is made with local honey. The Vegan society states that honey is not vegan, just vegetarian but many vegans (including me) think that honey is acceptable. Especially when the honey comes from our own pampered honeybees.
Isn’t kombucha made with honey called Jun?
Sometimes it is. We prefer the term Mead-Kombucha. It’s just a case of preference.
I’ve heard that kombucha can help with the menopause, is this true?
There has been research into this and research into the separate symptoms of menopause. One article we found was a very good informative, concise read is Can Kombucha Make Menopause Easier? - Woman's World (womansworld.com) . We love the examples of positive benefits including that it may lift your mood and brain fog, it may help with hot flashes and night sweats and help with gut discomfort.
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