Here, you will find some additional information about our products.
Regardless whether you pick up our fermented foods and drinks in person, or whether you purchase them through our online store, almost all of them should be stored inside the refrigerator.
So, once you get home, or once you get the package with our products, please place them inside the fridge. The only exceptions to this rule are our Vinegars and Oxymels.
Fermented Vegetables
1. Storage.
Inside the refrigerator. The optimum temperature is 5-6 degrees Celsius, and below.
It is a living product and the fermentation process still keeps on going, but at a much slower pace.
2. Expiration date.
The expiration date is listed on the back of the jar.
It is usually 4 months from the time the vegetable jar is filled.
On the picture below, you can see two different dates.
The upper one (09.2022) is the date when this Kimchi jar was filled.
The lower one (28.02.2023) is the actual expiration date.
3. When the expiration date expires.
Are our fermented vegetables still safe after the expiration date?
If the jar is kept refrigerated and it was never opened, it it still safe!
Our fermented vegetables do not go bad, when properly stored.
They can stay almost unchanged for up to a year inside refrigerator.
But to be 100% safe, check them first, before consuming.
The colors should still be vibrant, no mold should be visible on top and the smell should still be pleasant. It should also be tasty, just maybe a bit more sour.
4. When the jar is open.
When you open the jar, we recommend that you should finish it's contents within two weeks.
It will not go bad if it stays longer that that, especially in a colder refrigerator.
If the jar was opened multiple of times, a white layer of Kahm yeast can form on top of the vegetables.
It is a natural process and this yeast is air-borne, so the more times you open the jar, the more chances of this harmless yeast developing and growing on top of your vegetables.
If Kahm yeast forms on top of your vegetables, you can remove the top layer of the vegetables, and the rest should be safe to eat.
Just be 100% that it is Kahm yeast, and not mold.
If mold forms on top, then you should throw away the contents of the jar.
To minimize the chance of a Kahm yeast layer, you can always transfer the contents of the jar into a smaller jar.
Plus, the lower the temperature inside the fridge, the less chances of anything forming on top of the vegetables.
Another way to prevent any problems is to buy a smaller jar. All of our standard fermented vegetables are available in two sizes, like our Spirulina Sauerkraut on the photo below.
Also, please avoid eating straight out of the jar. When you do that, you introduce other bacteria, yeasts ans enzymes that are present in your saliva into the fermented vegetables. Those will get transferred with the help of the utensil that you are using.
Those extra microbes will make those vegetables less stable and as a result they can spoil more quickly.
Always use a clean spoon or fork to take the fermented vegetables out.
Milk Products
We offer three different fermented milk products: Kefir, Kefir Cheese and Whey
1. Milk Kefir
We make Milk Kefir fresh every day and we recommend to consume it within 3 days from the day of the purchase.
After 3 days it starts separating, and it becomes more sour. It is still good for up to a week.
If it sits longer than that, it does not go bad, it just becomes very sour, to the point that it is no longer enjoyable.
2. Kefir Cheese
Just like Milk Kefir, we make it fresh every day and it is at its best, when consumed within a couple of days, at most up to a week. After that, it becomes very yeasty and very sour, and it does not taste as good as a freshly made one.
Also, be careful when opening it as this cheese is very active and after couple of days there will be a lot of pressure built inside the jar.
This cheese will try to escape the jar, so when you open it, just stir it with a spoon, and it'll be back to normal.
3. Whey
Fermented Whey is actually quite stable. It can sit inside the refrigerator for a least a month.
But it'll be at its best, when consumed quite fresh.
Other Fermented Drinks
Other fermented drinks that we offer are the following:
Water Kefir, Seasonal Soda, Red Beet Kwass and Juices from Fermented Vegetables
1. Water Kefir
It is best when consumed within four months from the day of purchase.
If it stays longer than that, it will not go bad. It just might not be too enjoyable, as the residual sugar might be gone and it will be very dry.
When opened, please consume within three days (up to a week).
2. Seasonal Soda (Brause)
Just like Water Kefir, our Soda tastes best when consumed within two to three weeks from the date of purchase. After that, all the residual sugar might be gone and the Soda will not taste good.
Please be careful, when opening the bottle. The natural carbonation builds up inside and it can be quite intensive after longer sitting.
When opened, please consume within three days.
3. Red Beet Kwass
The expiration date, on the back of the bottle is 4 months from the day of filling. Kwass, when unopened and when stored properly inside the fridge, will be equally delicious months later. Even up to a year.
When opened, please consume within a week.
4. Juices from Fermented Vegetables
Our juices have the expiration date of four months. When unopened, they can sit inside the fridge for up to one year.
When opened, please consume within a week or two.
Vinegar and Oxymel
All of our Vinegars and Oxymels are very stable. They do not require refrigeration and they can sit for a minimum of one year.
Usually much longer.
Bärbucha Kombucha
1. Storage.
Regardless whether you purchase our Kombucha in person in our Kombucha Cafe, or you receive it after ordering it through our online store, you should always store in in the refrigerator.
The best temperature is 5-6 degrees Celsius and below.
2. Expiration date.
The expiration date is listed on the back of the bottle. It is usually 4 months from the date of bottling.
On the pic below, you can see two different dates.
The upper one (09.2022) is the month in which this particular (Chaga) Kombucha was bottled.
The lower one (28.02.2023) is the actual expiration date.
3. Past expiration date. Is Bärbucha Kombucha still safe after the expiration date? Yes, it is still safe! Our Kombucha does not go bad.
Unopened Kombucha can be stored almost indefinitely inside the refrigerator. It will not go bad, but it might not taste as good as the Kombucha which is consumed within the expiration date time frame.
Some of our Kombuchas age really well and we have enjoyed them even after a year or longer. Chaga belongs to that category. Some other will become quite dry, as all the sugar will be gone after longer storage period. But it all depends on the storage temperature.
The lower is is, the longer Kombucha can stay.
What kind of tea was used to make a particular Kombucha also plays a role. Black tea Kombuchas, or the ones made with darker Oolongs will age better than a green or white tea Kombucha.
4. When the bottle is open. How long can I store open bottles for? For optimal enjoyment, we recommend to finish an opened bottle within three to five days. Again, our Kombucha will not go bad, if it stays open in the refrigerator for longer than 3 days. What will happen though, the natural carbonation might be gone making that Kombucha flat, and less enjoyable. Also, the small amount residual sugar that is present in that Kombucha might also be gone. And that Kombucha might taste a lot drier, and not necessarily better as a result of that.
5. Best way to enjoy our Kombucha. Definitely in a wine or a Champagne glass. Especially, that we make our Kombucha specifically so it can be enjoyed like that.
Most of commercially produced Kombuchas resemble pop sodas (soft drinks). Our Kombucha enhances different and sometimes subtle flavor nuances of high quality teas. After the fermentation process, those teas become more like different types of wine. Green tea Kombuchas resemble different white wines, and darker Oolongs and black teas have a lot in common with red wines.
Plus, our Jun Kombucha is a perfect Champagne substitute.
For all other questions, please drop us a line.