Jun is sometimes called the champagne of kombucha — it uses green tea and honey rather than black tea and refined sugar, which produces a softer, less vinegary ferment with a certain honeyed roundness. Pop Cultures takes that a step further by ageing in oak barrels in small batches from their Brighton brewery, which adds just enough subtle complexity without making anything taste like furniture. The Apple & Cardamom is a well-judged pairing. Fresh apple gives it a clean fruitiness that sits lightly over the honey base, while cardamom lends warmth and a faintly floral spice without dominating. The fermentation keeps things pleasantly tart rather than sweet. It's an unpasteurised live product, so it continues to slowly ferment in the fridge — the carbonation is gentle and natural rather than sharp. At £24 for 12 bottles, it sits in proper premium kombucha territory. The format is 275ml glass bottles, which suits the artisanal positioning. Available from The Alcohol Free Co.