Does Kombucha Tea spoil if left outside of refrigeration?

Question

I accidentally left an unopened bottle of GT Kombucha tea outside the refrigerator. Discovered it the next day... It was in my basement, thus cool and out of sunlight. No where on the bottle, could I find where it says to "keep refrigerated" OR "refrigerate after opening"--although it is refrigerated in the store. and this is also how I keep it. Does anyone know if this bottle would still be safe to drink? Especially if it tastes and smells normal?

Answer 1

Seems as if it must be kept refrigerated. First I found that it ships refrigerated and has a somewhat short shelf life. Then, I found a picture of the label and it clearly states 'KEEP REFRIGERATED. - DO NOT SHAKE.'

Here's a link to the Amazon page where you can see a pic of the label.

Answer 2

Kombucha is usually made by fermentation, typically at room temperature. It is acidic and has live cultures (if unpasteurized), so I would not worry about spoilage from infection after a few days out of the fridge.

Answer 3

Kombucha is made by fermentation. If you leave it out of the fridge it may undergo a second fermentation, which will make it more vinegar-y and carbonated but it will still be safe to drink

Answer 4

I drank a bottle of unopened, bottled kombucha that came from a 6 pack that had been sitting in our garage for about 2 weeks - and that night I felt like I was giving birth to an alien. DO NOT DO IT. I've given birth 3 times and this was like a 4th.