Switchel is made with apple cider vinegar, ginger, honey (or maple syrup) and often lemon. If a fermentation is done, it typically does not exceed 36 hours. Kombucha, in contrast, is a fermented sweetened black tea beverage and typically ferments for 1 week or longer. Kombucha is fermented with a SCOBY, while Switchel does not introduce a culture into the fermentation process.