A Field Guide to Fermented Drinks Around the World

What Fermented Drinks Actually Are

Fermentation is one of humanity's oldest food technologies. At its core, it is a metabolic process in which microorganisms — bacteria, yeasts, or molds — convert sugars and starches into acids, gases, or alcohol. Applied to beverages, this process transforms simple liquids into complex, culturally significant drinks consumed across every continent.

Not all fermented drinks are alcoholic. Many rely primarily on lactic acid fermentation, which produces tangy, probiotic-rich beverages without significant alcohol content. Others use alcoholic fermentation, where yeasts convert sugars into ethanol. Some drinks, like kefir and kombucha, involve both processes simultaneously through a community of organisms.

Understanding this biological foundation helps consumers read labels more confidently, ask better questions at specialty grocers or restaurants, and appreciate why fermented drinks taste and behave so differently from one another.

A Region-by-Region Look at Notable Fermented Beverages

The diversity of fermented drinks mirrors the diversity of human agriculture. Each culture developed beverages using locally available ingredients and microbial communities that colonized their tools and environments over generations.

Central Asia & Eastern Europe

• Kefir — Originating among the peoples of the Caucasus mountains, kefir is made by fermenting milk with kefir grains, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. The result is a tart, slightly effervescent dairy drink. Non-dairy versions using water or plant-based milks are increasingly common.
• Kvass — A traditional Slavic beverage fermented from stale rye bread and water. Its flavor is mildly sour, lightly carbonated, and earthy. Alcohol content is typically very low (under 1.2% ABV), making it non-alcoholic by most regulatory definitions.
• Kumiss (Koumiss) — Traditionally made from fermented mare's milk across the Central Asian steppes. It contains moderate alcohol (1–3% ABV) and remains a culturally important drink in Kazakhstan and surrounding regions.

East Asia

• Amazake — A Japanese drink made from fermented rice using the mold Aspergillus oryzae (koji). It can be thick, sweet, and low-alcohol, or thin and served warm. It shares production lineage with sake and miso.
• Sikhye — A lightly fermented Korean rice beverage traditionally served sweet and chilled, often at the close of a meal. Fermentation is brief, yielding a mildly tangy, non-alcoholic profile.

Africa & Latin America

• Mageu (Mahewu) — A Southern African fermented maize drink, opaque and mildly sour, consumed widely as a nutritious everyday beverage. It is non-alcoholic.
• Chicha — An umbrella term for a variety of fermented beverages made across the Andes from maize, fruit, or other starches. Some versions are alcoholic, others are not, depending on fermentation duration and regional practice.
• Tepache — A Mexican fermented drink made from pineapple rinds and piloncillo (unrefined sugar). It is lightly fermented, mildly fizzy, and typically very low in alcohol.

Global Reach: Kombucha

Kombucha is produced by fermenting sweetened tea with a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts). Though popularized in the West relatively recently, its origins trace to northeastern China around the early 20th century. Commercial kombucha sold in the United States must typically contain less than 0.5% ABV to be labeled non-alcoholic, though some varieties ferment beyond that threshold.

If you're curious about what goes into producing fermented grain beverages yourself, see our introduction to home brewing beer for a beginner-friendly breakdown. For context on how these compare to the growing no-and-low alcohol category, our explainer on non-alcoholic spirits and beer covers production methods in plain language.

Practical Considerations for Consumers

When purchasing or consuming fermented beverages, a few practical points are worth keeping in mind:

• Alcohol content varies widely. A drink labeled "fermented" can range from near-zero ABV (kvass, mageu) to wine-equivalent levels (some chicha). Always check the label.
• Live cultures aren't guaranteed. Pasteurization, used widely to extend shelf life, kills active microorganisms. If live bacterial cultures matter to you, look for labels that specify "raw," "unpasteurized," or "contains live cultures."
• Refrigeration matters. Many naturally fermented drinks continue fermenting if left warm. Store them as directed and consume by the best-by date.

Fermented beverages are a genuinely broad category — from the sour tang of water kefir to the complex funkiness of a long-aged kvass. Approaching them with curiosity rather than expectation tends to be the most rewarding entry point.