9 Synergy Kombucha Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

Kombucha is like soda's more sophisticated and arguably healthier older sister. Packed with beneficial probiotics, kombucha is simply fermented tea. That fermentation results in a fizzy, bubbly effervescence that's lighter than your typical craft soda — but also more lively. The flavor can be hit or miss. Some people love its tangy, acidic, and frankly funky flavor profile, while others are somewhat turned off by it. If you are a kombucha fan, though, then you probably know that there are several brands out there to explore.

One of the brands that I see most at grocery stores in my area is GT Living Foods' Synergy. It comes in a range of different fruity flavors, and I got to try out nine of those flavors for this ranking, chosen according to availability. I ranked these flavors according to my personal taste, prizing the flavors that tasted most like the advertised fruit they were supposed to be representing. And honestly, all of the Synergy flavors I tried were solid. That being said, some spoke to me more than others did.

When it comes to something as subjective as kombucha flavors, no ranking can truly be definitive. Hopefully, though, this ranking can guide you to choosing your next favorite Synergy flavor. This is nine Synergy flavors, ranked.

When I saw the label on this bottle, I was immediately excited. I love both pomelo and pink lemonade, so the brand's Pomelo Pink Lemonade seemed like a flavor created for me specifically. That's why I was so disappointed when I took my first sip. Its bright acidity hit me first, which is a good thing — that's one of the qualities kombucha lovers appreciate about the beverage, after all — but then I was hit with a strange floral undertone. Once I visited the brand's website, I realized what tasted amiss: It's the addition of jasmine. It gives the drink a slight hint of perfume and clashes with the acidity from both yuzu and lemon.

That being said, if you love floral flavors in your drinks, then this one might be a great option for you to check out. However, if you prefer your kombucha on the fruitier end of the spectrum (which I feel like many of us do), then Synergy offers better flavors for you to explore.

Let's face it: Watermelon-flavored anything usually just doesn't taste that good. I'm not sure why it's so hard to create watermelon flavoring in anything that's not an actual watermelon, but apparently it is. Therefore, it's no surprise that Synergy's Watermelon Wonder wasn't exactly my favorite of the bunch. To its credit, it tastes a lot better than most watermelon-flavored products, probably because it's made with real watermelon juice. It also contains cherry juice, which gives it a fruiter, sweeter flavor, along with lime juice for extra acidity.

Overall, this flavor combo isn't bad, and it's much better than I expected for a watermelon product. Still, though, that watermelon flavor just tastes out of place here, and I found myself wishing that they had just leaned into the cherry juice instead. This isn't a flavor I'd likely try again, but I still finished the whole bottle, so it's not like it's the worst kombucha I've ever had.

Peach is another flavor that seems pretty difficult to nail down. Luckily, though, this Peach Paradise kombucha from Synergy actually isn't bad at all. Unlike a lot of peach-flavored products you'll encounter in stores, this stuff tastes like actual peaches. You're not going to be getting any kind of peach ring-like experience here. That peach flavor is combined with papaya, which adds an interesting tropical note to the beverage but arguably detracts from that delicious peach flavor. Maybe the peach flavor all on its own was a bit overwhelming, but the papaya doesn't seem to complement the stone fruit's sweet flavor.

This really isn't a bad kombucha flavor at all, but it's lacking that striking acidity that other Synergy flavors boast. The result is a kombucha that tastes a bit round (for a kombucha, at least), which isn't exactly what I'm looking for. At the same time, I wouldn't turn down a bottle of the stuff if it was ever offered to me.

This is a Synergy flavor I'd never tried before this ranking, mostly because I had no idea what it was actually supposed to taste like. Absent the name of a fruit on the label, I sort of expected something bland without a lot of character. Turns out, I was kind of right. Synergy's Trilogy flavor is probably the least interesting of all the flavors I tried, but it's also the mildest and most approachable. If I were introducing someone to kombucha for the first time, this is probably the flavor I'd give them. It has that brightness and liveliness kombucha is known for without being too funky or intensely flavorful.

The flavor in this kombucha comes from raspberry juice, lemon juice, and ginger juice. There's a slight spiciness from the ginger — this isn't ginger ale-tasting ginger — but it's not overwhelming and is balanced out nicely by the raspberry and lemon. The fruitiness of this beverage isn't particularly remarkable, but it's enjoyable enough to keep you going back for sip after sip. Beginner kombucha enjoyers, this might just be the flavor for you.

For all those who love the tartness of fresh berries on a hot summer day, there's Synergy's Lemon Berry flavor. Although this isn't my favorite of the bunch, it's definitely delicious, with an accessible fruitiness that just about everyone can love. It comes from a variety of berry juices, including strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry. Those berries tend to be pretty tart on their own, but they didn't depend on that tartness to flavor this drink. GT's Living Foods also added in some Meyer lemon and lime juices to give it an extra zinginess that makes it that much more appealing.

I think this is another great option for people who are trying to get into kombucha. It's sweet and tangy, flavor profiles that most people can get behind. Plus, it has a sweetness to it that's almost reminiscent of soda (but way, way better). It tastes great on its own, of course, but I also think it would make a particularly interesting base for a mocktail.

Blueberry and ginger may not be the most traditional pairing, but it's a pairing that nonetheless works extremely well in Synergy's Gingerberry flavor. It's a great option for those who love fruity flavors but are also interested in leaning into something with more intensity. That blueberry flavor is subtly fruity — you can taste the berries, but that sweetness and tartness doesn't necessarily take center stage. Rather, that ginger really comes to the forefront of the drink, creating an intensity you won't find with every Synergy flavor.

You may have tried ginger products before that didn't have ginger's signature heat. Ginger ale, for example, is absent that sharp flavor that makes ginger so delicious. But you won't have that problem here. The ginger flavor really shines, and it's the reason this flavor beat out so many others on this list. Just be warned: If you're not a fan of ginger, this probably isn't the flavor for you.

If you like the sharpness of the Gingerberry flavor, you're probably going to like Synergy's Gingerade even more. It's really, really gingery, with a bold flavor that tastes like a good-quality ginger tea — and that's basically what this drink is. This beverage isn't getting any of its flavor from fruitiness. Instead, it really is about letting simple ingredients shine. Black tea, green tea, and a touch of kiwi juice provide the base for the drink, while fresh pressed ginger juice offers that bold flavor I love so much.

I'll be honest: This kombucha is not for the weak of heart, and if you're just starting to get into kombucha, it may taste a bit too bold for you. But if you can stand some boldness to your beverages, it's definitely worth a try. I think this stuff would be particularly good when you're feeling ill — I can imagine all that ginger will get you feeling better in no time.

If you line Synergy's flavors up next to each other, there's one that's undoubtedly going to stand out because of the color alone. It's the brand's Mystic Mango, and it's one of my absolute favorites of the varieties I tried. The color is a vibrant, bright orange — just like what the inside of a mango looks like when you first cut into it. It also has a cloudier appearance that the other varieties I tried. That's because they're not using simply mango juice. Rather, this recipe includes mango purée. That cloudiness lent itself to a slightly fuller-bodied texture on the palate.

Flavor-wise, Mystic Mango is a standout. It's quite simple — mango is really the only flavor you're going to taste here — but that simplicity is ideal when a fruit as intense and bold as mango is at the forefront. This mango flavor seemed to lean more in the tart direction, although there's a touch of sweetness there as well. If you want to feel like you're sipping on sunshine, this is the Synergy flavor you need to try.

Finally, we come to the best of all the Synergy kombucha flavors I tried. Guava Goddess stands far above the rest. I actively enjoyed most of the flavors on this list, but the Guava Goddess is one I plan on returning to time and time again. This is another simple recipe, involving just guava purée and essentially nothing else. That means you get more of that pure, unadorned flavor that makes you feel like you're actually taking a bite of guava.

Since this flavor of kombucha, like the Mystic Mango, uses purée instead of juice, you get a slightly thicker consistency here as well, but it's not quite as noticeable as it is with the mango variety. The flavor is light and fruity with a sparkling acidity — it tastes like something you would take a bite out of at a tropical farmer's market with especially fresh produce. Even if you're usually not a guava person, this is a flavor worth exploring.

I tried each of these kombuchas chilled in a wine glass, swirling the liquid around to aerate it slightly before taking a sip. I took sips of water between flavors to clean my palate so I could get the most accurate flavor of each variety. The criteria for this ranking was solely based upon flavors, since the texture of these beverages didn't vary enough to make much of a difference.