FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here we have collected and categorized the frequently asked questions about ZUUR.

If your question is not listed here, please contact us via hi@zuurdenhaag.nl. We will try to answer your question as soon as possible.

Water kefir

What is water kefir?

Water kefir is a fermented, slightly carbonated, probiotic drink that is produced with water kefir grains. Our water kefir is flavored with dried fruit, flowers and herbs.

How is water kefir made?

Water kefir is made with water, sugar and water kefir grains. The grains consist of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. When water and sugar is added to the grains, the lactic acid bacteria and yeasts get to work. They "eat" the sugars in the water and transform it into lactic acid, alcohol and carbon dioxide. We call this process “fermenting”.

The end result is a fizzy low-alcoholic (less than 1%) fermented beverage that’s packed with probiotic cultures. Which means it’s full of healthy bacteria.

Why should I drink water kefir?

Water kefir supplies your gut with loads of healthy bacteria and yeasts. These healthy bacteria and yeasts help the body in a numerous amount of ways. They make for a healthy balance of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in the gut, improving your overall digestion and giving your immune system a boost.

Also the following vitamins can be found in water kefir: B1 (Thiamine), B2, B6, B12, C, D and H (Biotin). So you can imagine that drinking a glass of water kefir every day will have loads of different health benefits.

What is a kefir grain?

A water kefir grain is a small, transparent and jelly-like grain and consists of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.

How much water kefir am I allowed to drink?

If you have never had water kefir or other probiotic drinks before, we advise you to start by drinking a small glass of about 50 ml every day. You can carefully build this up to an amount that works well for you.

Does drinking water kefir have any side effects?

If the bacteria in your gut is very out of balance, drinking water kefir can initially cause some discomfort, because the 'good' bacteria fight the 'bad' bacteria. This is completely normal and will get better once the bacteria in your gut has found a healthy balance.

How should I keep my water kefir?

We recommend that you keep our water kefir refrigerated. The fermentation will continue in the bottle, but cooling it will slow down the process. Keep in mind that the longer you keep it, the more acidic it will become, due to the fermentation that continues.

How long can I keep water kefir?

Our water kefir has an expiration date of 6 weeks. In principle, the water kefir can be kept for at least 3 months, but the probiotics decrease over time.

Is water kefir organic?

Yes, we only use organic ingredients for brewing our water kefir.

Is water kefir vegan?

Yes, our water kefir is 100% vegan. We use Van Gilse's organic sugar. No charred bones are used in making this sugar. This is prohibited in the Netherlands.

Does water kefir contain any alcohol?

Yes, a byproduct of fermentation is alcohol. Our water kefir contains a very small percentage of alcohol, usually below 0.5%. Beer and wine, for example, are also made through fermentation.

Does water kefir contain any lactose?

Yes, our water kefir does not contain lactose.

Is water kefir pasteurized?

No, our water kefir is unpasteurized. This way, all the beneficial bacteria and yeasts that have been created during the fermentation are preserved.

How does water kefir taste?

Our water kefir has a fairly mild, sour taste and is slightly fizzy. Because our water kefir is handmade, the taste and color can be slightly different with each batch.

What’s the difference between water kefir and milk kefir?

Water kefir is made with water and sugar as a base and milk kefir is made with milk as a base. Both drinks are made with different kefir cultures (grains) and contain a different range of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Water kefir also contains no lactose and milk kefir does. If you can tolerate lactose, water kefir and milk kefir can be drunk alongside each other, in order to get a wider range of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.

What’s the difference between water kefir and kombucha?

Water kefir and kombucha are both made from living cultures. The basis of water kefir is water with sugar and is made with water kefir grains. The basis of kombucha is black/green tea with sugar and is made with a 'scoby'. However, these live cultures are not comparable and have a different composition of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. The fermentation time of water kefir is also generally shorter than that of kombucha. Water kefir and kombucha can be drunk side by side, in order to get a wider range of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.

Can I drink water kefir during pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Our water kefir is unpasteurized and contains a small amount of alcohol. We therefore advise against drinking water kefir during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. However, we leave the choice entirely up to you.

Is it safe for children to drink water kefir?

Our water kefir is unpasteurized and contains a small amount of alcohol. We therefore advise against children drinking water kefir. However, we leave the choice entirely up to you.

Subscriptions

What are the benefits of a water kefir subscription?

First of all, you pay no shipping costs for your monthly delivery. This adds up to quite a lot of discount! You are also assured of a fresh dose of water kefir at your door every month, so you don't have to think about placing a new order each time.

What are the conditions?

You can choose from 3 subscriptions. 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. You pay in advance for the entire term of your subscription.

When will I receive my water kefir?

We ship the monthly subscriptions 2 times a month. Around the 1st and around the 15th of the month. You can choose at which time you would prefer to receive your subscription. You will receive your order a few days after the shipping date. If you would like to change your shipping date, send us an email at hi@zuurdenhaag.nl.

Can I have multiple subscriptions per month?

If you find 4 bottles a month too little, you can also order multiple subscriptions. If you buy 2 subscriptions, you will receive 8 bottles per month, for example. If you decide during the term of your subscription that you would like to receive more bottles per month, just let us know by sending us an email at hi@zuurdenhaag.nl.

Can I change my chosen flavors during my subscription?

Of course. Send us an email at hi@zuurdenhaag.nl and we will make sure that you receive your desired flavors with the next delivery.

Can I pause my subscription?

Of course. It may be the case that you are going on holiday or do not want to drink water kefir for a month. You can send us an email at hi@zuurdenhaag.nl. We will stop your subscription for the desired time and start it again on the requested date. You will then receive your water kefir for the remaining months.

Can I cancel my subscription?

You can always cancel your subscription, but because you pay in advance for the entire duration of your subscription, unfortunately we cannot refund any money. Therefore, before you take out your subscription, consider carefully whether you really want it.

Payments

Will I get a confirmation of my order?

Yes, you will receive a confirmation by mail. Haven’t you received it? Please check your spam folder. Still nothing? Then you may have entered the wrong email address. Please send an email to hi@zuurdenhaag.nl and we will check it for you.

What payment methods do you accept?

You can make your payment via iDEAL or banktransfer.

Shipping

How long will it take for me to receive my order?

Because our water kefir is best consumed fresh, we do not have huge stocks. Therefore it is possible that when you've placed your order your water kefir still needs to be brewed. So please, take into account that our shipping time could be slightly longer than what you are accustomed to. This way you will receive a super fresh order at home! We aim to ship your order within 7 days.

Which couriers do you use?

We work with Fietskoeriers.nl and DPD. At the check-out you can choose which courier you prefer to use.

What are the shipping costs?

We work with Fietskoeriers.nl and DPD. The shipping costs are per order.
Fietskoeriers.nl: €4,95
DPD: €3,95

Which countries do you ship to?

We only ship within the Netherlands, this way we can keep our environmental footprint as small as possible. We believe in shopping local.

Is it possible to pick up my order?

Because we don’t have a physical store, it’s not possible to pick up your order.
But here you will find a list of our (physical) selling points.

Do you also have a physical store?

No, But here you will find a list of our (physical) selling points.

Returns

Can I return my order?

You may return your order if the ordered products are unopened. We do ask you to please think carefully before making a purchase. Sending parcels back and forth increases Co2 emissions.

Within what period can I return my order?

You can return your order (at your own expence) within 14 days after you’ve received it.

How do I return my order?

Send an email to hi@zuurdenhaag.nl. Then we will send you all information regarding our return procedure.

I have received a damaged product, what now?

Our bottles are made of glass and therefore unfortunately we can’t guarantee that everything always arrives intact. We do our best to pack everything as well as possible to keep the chance of breakage as small as possible. In the unfortunate event that you’ve received a broken bottle, first of all sorry! We will of course send (a) new bottle(s) free of charge or refund you the money. Please contact us via hi@zuurdenhaag.nl.

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Recycling

What is ‘statiegeld’?

As you can see on the label we use a deposit-refund system, but because we do not yet have the possibility to collect the empty bottles from you again, we do not charge a deposit for our webshop orders. If you live near a point where you can return the bottles, you will of course receive €0.20 for returning an empty bottle. Check here for the current locations.

Why do you use secondhand packaging materials?

We find it very important to produce our products as sustainably as possible, so we take this into account in all steps of the process. Because we bought our boxes second-hand, no trees have been taken down to make new boxes. Second-hand purchasing is also more sustainable than recycled cardboard, because the recycling process also causes a lot of Co2 emissions. We also try to make our filling material from shredded waste paper as much as possible.