One 12-ounce can of regular soda has more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar, about 42 grams, according to the CDC’s guide to added sugars. As June warms up across the Bay Area and Sacramento, that can is still the default cold drink in a lot of break rooms.
Kombucha on tap gives people something cold, fizzy and full of flavor with far less sugar, poured fresh instead of pulled from a fridge. Here is how it works in an office, who tends to love it, and how it fits next to cold brew.
What kombucha is
Kombucha is fermented tea. According to Human Performance Resources by CHAMP, a program of the Uniformed Services University, it is traditionally made by fermenting water, sugar, black tea and a SCOBY, short for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.
The result is crisp and a little tart, with a natural fizz. It drinks more like a sparkling juice than a soda, and flavored versions often add fruit, ginger or herbs.
How kombucha on tap works in a break room
In an office, kombucha on tap usually means a keg kept cold in a refrigerated dispenser with a tap on top. Employees pour into a cup or a reusable bottle, and the keg gets swapped when it runs low.
A few practical details make it work:
- Cold storage: The keg should stay refrigerated from delivery to the last pour.
- Space and power: Plan for a counter or floor spot near an outlet, ideally where people already gather for coffee or water.
- Cups and cleanup: A drip tray, a stack of cups and a nearby recycling bin keep the area tidy.
- Rotation: Changing flavors from time to time keeps interest up.
Temperature matters for another reason. Kombucha naturally contains a small amount of alcohol from fermentation. Under federal rules, any kombucha that reaches 0.5% alcohol by volume or more, including through continued fermentation after it is packaged, is regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as an alcohol beverage. Kombucha sold for the workplace is made to stay under that line, and keeping it cold helps.
Kombucha vs. soda: the sugar question
Sugar is the main reason offices bring kombucha in. The same CDC page reports that 24% of added sugar in the American diet comes from sugary drinks such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks. Swapping one daily soda for a lower-sugar option adds up over a summer.
Kombucha does vary. HPRC notes that sugar can change from bottle to bottle, especially with flavored kombucha, and suggests choosing products with less than 6 grams of sugar per 12 ounces and no added sugars. That is a useful benchmark when you compare flavors.
HPRC is also candid that few human studies have tested the health claims often attached to kombucha. Present it to employees as a lower-sugar refreshment and let the taste do the work.
Who kombucha on tap suits
It tends to land well with:
- Teams that already drink a lot of sparkling water and want more flavor
- People cutting back on soda or energy drinks
- Offices with wellness programs looking for visible, everyday changes
- Anyone who wants something cold in the afternoon that isn’t another coffee
The tart flavor is an acquired taste for some people. Keep water, sparkling water and a few familiar drinks available alongside it so everyone has a choice.
Pairing kombucha with cold brew on tap
Many offices that add kombucha already have cold brew on tap, or are considering it. The two cover different parts of the day: cold brew for the morning and the post-lunch push, kombucha for a refreshing non-coffee option later on.
PVS offers cold brew and kombucha on tap. Our Wandering Bear cold brew comes in a countertop dispenser with 21 servings or a kegerator setup with a 96-ounce bag, and the tap-and-pour packaging keeps coffee fresh for 30 days. Flavors include Vanilla and Toasted Coconut alongside Black and Decaf. Our on-tap kombucha is a bold, low-sugar upgrade from the usual break room drinks, with a crisp, lightly fizzy taste.
If you are starting from scratch, a simple summer lineup might look like this:
- Filtered or sparkling water for everyone
- Cold brew on tap for coffee drinkers
- Kombucha on tap for people who want fizz without the sugar of soda
- A few familiar bottled drinks for variety
For more ideas, see our earlier look at on-tap beverages for the break room.
Bring kombucha on tap to your office
PVS Refreshments has more than 20 years in the refreshment industry and serves offices across the San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose and Sacramento. To talk through kombucha and cold brew on tap for your break room, contact our team or call (844) 527-4800.