It's the culture: For the Bay Area's pro fermenters, kombucha is more than a fad

"An ancient fermented tea drink that's fizzy, funky, a little sweet and and a little bit sour is continuing to spread its way through the Bay Area. We're talking about kombucha, which is brewed locally by a number of producers, including Boochman and Koast Kombucha in San Francisco, Wise Jun-Kombucha in Hayward and Soul Patch Kombucha in Santa Clara, to name just a few."

""No matter how much we would take to the market, we would consistently sell out," Ramis recalls. They continued to workshop their flavors, testing out their kombucha brews on friends and family - including their two teenage children. Previously, Ramis had only brewed beer a couple of times, but as Soul Patch's head brewer, he learned more, diving deeper into the technique of fermentation, from maintaining certain levels of acidity and sugar to learning how to scale production up."

Kombucha is an ancient fermented tea beverage characterized by a fizzy, funky, slightly sweet-and-sour taste. Local Bay Area producers include Boochman, Koast Kombucha, Wise Jun-Kombucha and Soul Patch Kombucha. Nationwide interest peaked in 2018, and renewed interest is emerging amid demand for better-for-you beverages. Soul Patch founders Lindsey and Ramis Ahrary developed flavors during the COVID-19 pandemic, sold out consistently at farmers markets and refined seasonal rotations. Brewing requires control of acidity and sugar and scaling production. Premium ingredients and playful flavor combinations attract Gen Z and young millennial mocktail drinkers. High overhead costs remain a production challenge.

Read at The Mercury News