The Story Behind The Kombucha Girl Meme: How Brittany Broski Became An Internet Icon
In 2019, Brittany Broski’s over-the-top facial expressions about tasting Kombucha for the first time on TikTok created the iconic Kombucha Girl meme.
Highlighting indecision and emotional turmoil in only a matter of seconds, the video spread like wildfire on TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram as go-to content for conveying mixed emotions.
This article reviews the meme’s origins, Brittany’s journey to fame, the meme’s cultural implications, and why it is still a digital touchstone of humor.
1. What Is the Kombucha Girl Meme?
What Does the Meme Show and How Is It Used?
The Kombucha Girl meme originated from a 2019 TikTok video in which Brittany Broski, a starter creator at the time, tried kombucha for the first time, and her face expresses confusion, disgust, curiosity, and cautious acceptance within seconds, producing a comedic display of raw emotion.
This clip, which aired on TikTok, became viral content because of how relatable the feeling is.
This meme is often used to show mixed feelings or feelings that suddenly change. Whether it’s “me deciding if I love or hate this new song,” or “when you read a text and don’t know how to respond,” Kombucha Girl’s facial expressions convey a feeling of indecision that is funny and relatable.
Is This the Most Expressive Facial Reaction Meme of the 2020s?
Few memes can match the Kombucha Girl’s emotional ambivalence. Its quick attitudes eclipse other reaction memes like “Distracted Boyfriend” and “Drakeposting” in juxtaposing the rapid-burst, contradictory moods we experience in contemporary life.
The rawness of the clip, especially Brittany’s remarks, give the meme significant weight in the modern meme canon of the 2020s.
2. Who Is Brittany Broski and How Did the Meme Start?
Who Is Brittany Broski?
A Texas native, Brittany Broski was employed in a bank when she uploaded her now-famous kombucha video in August 2019. Broski was looking to be a comedian because her comedy style and background lends itself to humor, and her TikTok account (@brittany_broski) was an ideal creative outlet for her unique personality.
Broski filmed the kombucha video in a no-fuss way featuring interesting comedic timing and relatable scenarios. This made Broski suddenly famous on the internet.
Meme Birth – The Moment It Went Viral
The original TikTok video amassed millions of views within days, and users were sharing it on Twitter and Reddit, with numerous screenshots of Brittany’s expressive faces converted into two-panel and four-panel memes, while the video itself was taken apart to create reaction GIFs.
By late 2019, the meme had been replicated to Instagram among other platforms of social media, and established its place in internet culture as an abbreviation for internal debates.
3. Why the Kombucha Girl Meme Resonated So Widely
The Appeal of Quick-Shifting Reactions
The strength of the Kombucha Girl meme is in its versatility. It has been deployed to express moments of indecision like “me deciding if I like my outfit” or “when I read my ex’s text and feel everything all at once.”
The meme’s subtle honesty—representing the chaotic back-and-forth of human emotion—allows it to become infinitely relatable. It’s precisely the meme’s power to capture complicated feelings in a single glance that allows it to resonate across demographics.
Where the Meme Exploded
The meme originated on TikTok, but soon propagated to Twitter, with users matching the clip with ingenious captions as well as Instagram, where the audio clip was collaged together in Stories.
It also was prevalent in Discord group chats and on Reddit threads as a reaction GIF. Its cross-platform existence rendered it ubiquitous around social media in 2020.
4. Popular Formats and Meme Variants
Captioned Two-Panel or Four-Panel Memes
The most popular Kombucha Girl meme format is using two or four stills from the video. In Frame 1, Brittany is likely giving her skeptical or disgusted look. Frame 2 (or other later frames) are when she is reconsidering or approving of her previous stance.
These are often captioned as hot takes, controversial opinions, or guilty pleasures: “Me hating pineapple on pizza vs. trying it at 2 a.m.”
Video Remixes and Reaction GIFs
Creative fans have remixed it with music, sound effects, or dialogue for added comedic effect. The clip’s short duration is perfect for GIFs, a format especially used in Twitter replies, Reddit comments, and messaging apps like WhatsApp and iMessage.
It is worth mentioning that remixes also keep the meme fresh and applicable.
5. Cultural Commentary and Internet Humor
The Power of Facial Expressions in Digital Comedy
The Kombucha Girl meme exists thanks to its use of non-verbal humor which blends physical comedy with emotional relatability. Even if Brittany’s expressive contortions were done in a language you don’t understand, they would resonate with the audience.
More importantly, this application of visual humor reflects how a kind of humor which doesn’t rely on language has become popular in meme evolution where one glance can tell you a story.
Is Kombucha Girl the New Face of Modern Indecision?
The Kombucha Girl meme encapsulates the micro-movements that exemplify the speed and fluidity of online communication, translating multiple emotional micro-reactions in an original way.
The perception of kombucha as a trendy beverage reflects how memes are representative of Gen Z’s digital culture, in which authenticity and irony can exist simultaneously.
6. Where the Meme Is Still Used Today
Meme Longevity on Social Platforms
The Kombucha Girl meme is still strong in 2025, mainly in Twitter replies, TikTok reaction videos, and in subreddit threads. The GIF version is especially prevalent in DMs and group chats, where users use the meme either to express indecision or as irony.
Who Keeps It Alive?
Gen Z, meme makers, and lifestyle accounts contribute to the brand’s continued relevance by embedding it in meme-like reaction content and other social-first posts. Its versatility allows it to sustain relevance as the meme for whenever people are torn on making a choice, to weigh in on all things pop culture.
7. Will the Kombucha Girl Meme Last?
Sustainability of Memes in Emotion Reaction Culture
The Kombucha Girl meme is still in circulation as a direct result of topical discussion: internet drama, controversial media responses, etc. The emotional fluidity of the Kombucha Girl meme is its relative relevance as long as humanity wrestles with indecision and ambivalence.
Where it Lives Among Viral Reaction Memes
Kombucha Girl ranks with “Woman Yelling at a Cat”, “Sad Pablo Escobar”, “Disaster Girl”, and “Mocking SpongeBob”. This meme will continue to live due to its universality and flexibility within the meme catalog, and deserves to be immortalized within the meme hall of fame.
Conclusion
The Kombucha Girl meme, originating from Brittany Broski’s amusing TikTok, is one of the most significant memes in recent memory, which has transcended its viral content into something culturally significant that represents the confusion of human feelings.
Since its rapid proliferation on TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram, the meme will also survive in the form of GIFs and remixes due to the meme’s versatility and relatability.
The trajectory of Brittany Broski’s internet presence – having gone from bank employee to an internet personality – is a testament to the value of being honest in digital spaces. As long as we live through confusion and indecision in our real lives, the Kombucha Girl will endure as an icon of our dualism.
