FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General

WHY DID YOU SWITCH FROM BOTTLES TO CANS?

We switched from bottles to cans based on a number of factors, with environmental sustainability at the forefront. As a company, we believe functional health extends to the environment in which we live, and we wanted our packaging to reflect that. Cans are easier to recycle, lighter to transport (which reduces fossil fuel use), and far more portable (less breakable) than glass bottles.

SHOULD I BE CONCERNED WITH BPA IN CANS?

Our cans are lined so that our products never come in contact with the aluminum. We use a BPA-Non Intent (BPA-NI) liner made by Ball Corporation which is the highest standard in terms of avoiding BPA in plastic. BPA-Ni is compliant with California Proposition 65 requirements.

WHERE CAN I FIND ROWDY MERMAID?

You can order online, or plug your zip code into the Mermaid Locator to find local retailers near you. If you'd like to see Rowdy Mermaid in a particular store, please email us at info@rowdymermaid.com.

ARE YOU HIRING?

Rowdy Mermaid is growing rapidly! If you're interested in joining our team, please send your resume to careers@rowdymermaid.com.

WHAT ARE YOUR SHIPPING TERMS?

Kombucha is a fermented product with living probiotics. We produce, store, and ship our products cool to prevent residual fermentation in the can, which can change the flavor of Rowdy Mermaid Kombucha and lead to excess carbonation inside. Once received, do not open your kombucha near sensitive material or equipment to avoid potential damage.

Rowdy Mermaid maintains its freshness and meets our internal specifications for taste, acidity and sugar amounts within 24 hours of becoming warm. Do not be alarmed if your Rowdy Mermaid arrives warm, as it is still good to drink. However we recommend refrigerating it right away and serving chilled. If you experience excess carbonation or a distinct change in flavor, please let us know immediately.

Our products ship Monday through Wednesday weekly. Orders received Thursday through Sunday will be shipped the following Monday. Your Rowdy Mermaid product will arrive in an insulated box specially designed to keep your order at the appropriate temperature. Rowdy Mermaid is not responsible for lost or stolen product, that has been left out for extended periods of time, weather or other unrelated delays. Additionally, Rowdy Mermaid cannot be held responsible for damaged or compromised product due to the following reasons:

Incorrect addresses. We ship to the exact address you enter at checkout. Please double check that your address is correct before submitting your order. Please contact Fed-Ex if they are having trouble delivering to your particular address.Unopened shipments. Rowdy Mermaid shipping boxes are clearly marked “Keep Refrigerated” and the product must be refrigerated upon receipt. Rowdy Mermaid products are perishable and clearly marked with expiration dates. Product must be consumed within these dates.

WHAT IS YOUR RETURN POLICY?

Due to the sensitive temperature and packaging requirements for shipping our product we cannot accept returns. If you experience an issue with your order, please contact us through info@rowdymermaid.com, and we will do our best to work with you on a case-by-case basis.

ARE YOUR PRODUCTS VEGAN?

Yes! Rowdy Mermaid Kombucha and Adaptonic is vegan!

Kombucha

DOES ROWDY MERMAID KOMBUCHA HAVE CAFFEINE, OR OFFER CAFFEINE-FREE FLAVORS?

We offer three caffeine free flavors: Lions Root, Flower Grow and Watermelon Bloom. Each have about 1.5 mg of caffeine in them, which is similar to decaf coffee and tea. All other flavors have about as much caffeine as 1/3 cup of tea (15mg).

HOW MUCH SUGAR IS IN A CAN OF ROWDY MERMAID KOMBUCHA?

Rowdy Mermaid has one of the lowest-sugar kombuchas on the market with <10g. per 12 oz can.

WHAT IS THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF KOMBUCHA?

Because it is fermented, all kombucha has trace amounts of alcohol. For kombucha to be considered non-alcoholic by FDA standards, it must be under 0.5% ABV. Rowdy Mermaid has a patent-pending process for how we control our alcohol levels and we are consistently below 0.5% ABV throughout shelf life. Typically, our finished batches contain between 0.1% and 0.25% ABV. We have a state of the art Quality Control lab overseen by a PhD biochemist and lab analysts who measure each batch of kombucha to ensure it is safe throughout its shelf-life.

IS ROWDY MERMAID KOMBUCHA PASTEURIZED?

Our Kombucha is not pasteurized and should remain refrigerated.

CAN I BUY A SCOBY FROM YOU?

We love your enthusiasm, however we do not sell or giveaway our Scoby.

WHAT IS THE BROWN SEDIMENT IN THE BOTTOM?

From time to time, we do see some sedimented, coagulated yeast and bacteria at the bottom of the can, but we try our hardest to produce a crisp, clean kombucha that is free of floaties. The brown bits are food safe organisms and they are okay to consume. You will see similar pieces in other kombucha brands as well.

MY ROWDY MERMAID KOMBUCHA TASTES DIFFERENT THAN IT NORMALLY DOES, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If you experience an unfamiliar taste, please forward your feedback to info@rowdymermaid.com. Please include the place of purchase, the flavor and the best by date so that we can get to the bottom of why the batch tasted different than normal.

IS KOMBUCHA IN A CAN DIFFERENT?

Our canned kombucha is still the same tasty, living kombucha that's found in glass bottles. Like most canned beverage products, we use a food-safe liner on the inside of the can to ensure our kombucha never comes into contact with the aluminum. The cans actually protect our kombucha from oxidation and UV light damage better than bottles do, resulting in a higher quality product and longer lasting flavors throughout shelf life.

WHAT ACTIVE CULTURES ARE IN YOUR KOMBUCHA?

We have Lactobacillus Plantarum in our active, live cultures. L. Plantarum bacteria promotes gut health and is a strain that has been extensively proven to be effective over decades of research. This type of bacteria is found in a wide variety of traditionally fermented foods such as cheese, yogurt, wine, beer and sauerkraut. There are other strains of food safe bacteria and yeast in our process as well which are proprietary to our fermentation process.

How long will my kombucha last?

We ship our kombucha with a minimum of 30 days of shelf life. If a can is unopened on the counter, you should have up to 4 hours before you'll notice any flavor change. You may notice some differences in flavor after that, and you will experience a stronger change in flavor after 48 hours if unrefrigerated. If a can is left open and put in the refrigerator, it will go flat within a few hours but the flavors will change less over time. The alcohol content will not change if left unrefrigerated for up to 48 hours. We always recommend drinking Rowdy chilled for maximum flavor.

Adaptonic

What is Adaptonic?

Adaptonic is a sparkling immunity tonic created by Rowdy Mermaid. Adaptonic harnesses the immunity-optimizing power of reishi-derived beta-glucans without any of the mushroom taste. Adaptonic is a refreshing, sparkling tonic infused with added adaptogens in four tonic-tempting flavors: Ashwagandha Blackberry, Strawberry Holy Basil, Chamomile Lime and Matcha Yuzu.

What are adaptogens?

Adaptogens are components of herbal medicines that are said to help the body deal with physical and emotional stress. They do not impact a person's experience of stressful events, but rather, are said to improve the way the body responds to stress. Adaptogens are rooted in traditional ayurvedic and Chinese medicine and could impact how much of the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol is released, helping to reduce stress.

What is reishi?

Reishi is a mushroom (fungus), often called the mushroom of immortality. Reishi is native to Europe, North America and Asia, and has historically been used in Eastern medicine to support the immune system, and fight off bacteria and viral infections. Reishi is one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms and is completely legal. Reishi mushrooms generally grow horizontally out of the trunks of trees, with a deep red body and colors that lighten to orange, yellow and white toward the edges of the cap.

What is a beta-glucan?

Beta-glucans are types of fiber found in the cells of certain yeast, algae, bacteria, and fungi. They are also found in certain plants, such as oats and barley. Depending on their structure or source, beta-glucans offer varying health properties and benefits.

How does Adaptonic support immunity?

Rowdy Mermaid uses GRAS-certified beta-glucans in the form of Organic Reishi Extract as the hero ingredient in Adaptonic to modulate immunity. Published studies show that beta-glucans can stimulate the immune systems in healthy adults. These ingredients demonstrate immunomodulating effects like mitogenicity and activation of immune effector cells, such as lymphocytes, macrophages, and natural killer cells, resulting in the production of cytokines (1). Cytokines are signaling molecules that tell immune cells how to grow, adjust or behave; they are crucial for optimized immune system function (2). Adaptonic modulates immunity, rather than giving an immunity boost. An immunity boost implies that an immune system is bad, or low to begin with. We don’t believe that a one-time boost or one-time fix is the answer. Instead, we believe that the immune system has various levels of defense and you must optimize the entire immune system to treat immunity as a whole.

What adaptogens are in Adaptonic?

Reishi is the primary adaptogen in Adaptonic, but we also introduce Ashwagandha and Holy Basil. Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that grows in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. It’s been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda, India’s system of traditional medicine and recent studies show a significant drop in mental stress when taken consistently. Holy Basil, or Tulsi, is another calming adaptogen native to southeast Asia. Holy Basil is thought to have anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Will I taste mushrooms?

No, there is zero mushroom taste in Adaptonic. Rowdy Mermaid uses only tasteless and odorless GRAS-certified beta-glucans in Adaptonic. Other mushroom-based beverages on the market use the fruiting body of the mushroom, which leads to a bitter and earthy mushroom taste.

Does Adaptonic need to be refrigerated?

Yes, please keep Adaptonic refrigerated and serve chilled.

Is Adaptonic a type of kombucha?

Nope, Adaptonic is not kombucha, nor a fermented beverage. Adaptonic is more like a sparkling water, or tonic.

Does Adaptonic contain caffeine?

There is no caffeine in Ashwagandha Blackberry, Strawberry Holy Basil or Chamomile Lime flavors. There are trace amounts of caffeine in Matcha Yuzu Adaptonic, which comes naturally from the use of Organic Green Tea as an ingredient.

Are beta-glucans safe?

Yes, but you should always check ingredient sources. Rowdy Mermaid sources the only Reishi beta-glucans that are certified GRAS by the FDA.

Is there a clinical dose for Adaptonic or for beta-glucans?

Adaptonic was designed specifically to have 200mg Organic Reishi Extract (70% beta-glucans) per serving, which is the recommended daily dose for stimulation of the immune system.

Is Adaptonic safe to drink during pregnancy?

One should always consult with a physician before consuming a new product during pregnancy.