If you keep up with me on Twitter or Instagram, you already know how much I love Kombucha, especially the mighty delicious booch from Good Buzz Brewing, which is made just over the hill in Wainuiomata. If you haven’t stopped by their stall at the weekend markets, you really should. They are a super lovely family who make incredibly tasty drinks. No, I am not being paid for this, I truly adore this drink and I wish I was being paid to make it. Maybe if I play my tweets right…
http://instagram.com/p/vKLWMRF_Ql/
If you are not familiar with Kombucha, let me fill you in with the help of Wikipedia:
Kombucha (Russian: chaynyy grib (чайный гриб), Chinese: chájūn (茶菌), Korean: beoseotcha (버섯차), Japanese: kōcha-kinoko (紅茶キノコ)), is a lightly effervescent fermented drink of sweetened black and/or green tea that is used as a functional food. It is produced by fermenting the tea using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, or “SCOBY“.
While some brands boast many health benefits, the real deal is that it’s good for your guts, has little to no sugar and is a tasty alternative to other carbonated beverages. Fermented foods are becoming all the rage, and while it would be great to expand my at-home fermentation, contracting to festivals leaves little time to take care of another living thing. Sadly, my kefir fell victim to my long hours at work and extended travels overseas.
If you’re not in New Zealand, the best place to find a good booch will be at your local health food store, or even at the supermarket. Look for brands that are made and bottled close to your city and go for the one with the most ‘mother’ still in the bottle (that’s floaties in layman’s terms). If it’s your first time trying kombucha, it’s best to have it with food to avoid potential ‘there’s too much good in my guts’ discomfort. Also note that it can act as a powerful cleanser, so plan accordingly as you may need a toilet break later in the day.
Happy drinking!
put the last word first 