Kava vs kombucha: what's the difference?

Both get called "functional drinks", but they're doing different jobs.

Kava

• An extract of kava root
• Active element: kavalactones
• Noticeable effect within 10–20 minutes, lasting 2–4 hours
• No alcohol
• No caffeine
• An evening drink, taken per occasion

Kombucha

• Fermented tea
• Active elements: live cultures and organic acids
• No immediate noticeable effect
• Trace alcohol — typically under 0.5% ABV, occasionally higher
• Contains caffeine from the tea base
• Usually a daily habit, often with food

Two things surprise people about kombucha. It contains trace alcohol from fermentation — usually below the 0.5% threshold, though unpasteurised products can exceed it — and it contains caffeine from the tea it's brewed from. Neither is a problem for most people, but both matter if you're avoiding alcohol entirely or caffeine after a certain hour.

Kava does something you'll notice; kombucha generally doesn't. That's the fundamental split. Kombucha is a daily habit; kava is an occasion drink that replaces the alcoholic one.

Kavayn products contain no alcohol at any stage — not dealcoholised, not fermented, no trace.