You’ve probably heard of kombucha, and maybe you’ve heard of kefir... but have you heard of water kefir? If not, the shelves of Trader Joe’s just might be the place to learn about it, courtesy of Agua de Kefir™ Guava Paloma. It comes to us from the folks at GT’s®. whose work you may recognize from the fabulously flavorful kombuchas that we carry in our refrigerators. Inspired by the classic paloma cocktail, this flavorful, fermented drink combines the tart and tropical flavors of grapefruit juice and guava purée (along with a bit of habanero juice for a subtle hint of spice) with tangy (and decidedly dairy-free) water kefir that provides billions of probiotic bacteria in every single bottle. Each bottle of Agua de Kefir™ Guava Paloma starts with tiny kefir “grains,” which are actually grain-free, dairy-free granules made from a combination of lactic acid, bacteria, & yeast. When these “grains” are placed in reverse osmosis-filtered water along with organic cane sugar, they literally begin to eat the sugar & ferment. This fermentation yields carbon dioxide & more lactic acid, creating a stable environment for the cultures to grow and multiply. (Kombucha & “regular” kefir—the dairy kind—come from similar processes, but the kefir grains are activated in tea and milk, respectively, instead of in water.) And on top of all these probiotic properties, we’re happy to report that Agua de Kefir™ Guava Paloma is also remarkably refreshing. We recommend bringing a bottle along for a work lunch, for sipping during a hike, or as a pick-me-up after a strenuous yoga session.