Although kombucha is more widely available in growlrs and bottles, many enthusiasts prefer it be served from the tap.
So what exactly is this kombucha stuff anyway?
Two years ago, two local kombucha homebrewers set out to create a craft kombucha to share their love of tea with St. Petersburg.
That vision has now become a reality at Mother Kombucha, a kombucha brewery owned by Joshua Rumschlag and Tonya Donati.
Kombucha is a sparkling tea beverage loaded with probiotics, enzymes, antioxidants and B vitamins. The drink is made by combining tea, sugar and a fermenting culture called SCOBY. The SCOBY eats up all the sugar in the fermentation process, and the result is kombucha – a living, probiotic tea.
Due to the fermentation process, kombucha is left with trace amounts of alcohol, approximately .5 percent alcohol by volume.
Similar to craft beer,
Mother Kombucha is distributed locally in kegs, often being served in tap houses and health food stores.
The product is raw, unpasteurized, gluten free and vegan.
The tea beverage is made in large metal vats in a small building just outside of the downtown area, but the company didn’t always have their own space and started out selling at the Saturday Morning Market. The product is now available in numerous stores and eateries such as Locale Market, Old Southeast Market and Community Cafe.
During the first year, Mother Kombucha made much smaller batches in a commissary kitchen, shared with many other Saturday Morning Market vendors, and has only been in its own location since May.
“We wanted to make kombucha that was ethical, medicinal, Florida-based and drinkable,” said Joshua Rumschlag, co-owner of Mother Kombucha.
To create an ethical product, the owners have committed to using fairtrade and organic ingredients whenever possible, and aims to pay all of their employees, including market salespersons, a living wage. As far as a Florida-based kombucha goes, it’s all about the ingredients.
Rumschlag explained that many kombucha brewers in northern states use darker, black teas, resulting in a more vinegary taste.
“Vinegar is warming and you’re not going to want to drink a warming beverage if you’re out at the beach, or after you’ve exercised, and a lot of people like to enjoy kombucha after they’ve exercised,” said Rumschlag.
To remedy this, he brews his kombucha with green tea and uses herbs and fruits to give the product a light, fruity flavor with a little tang. It is also served cold, which makes it even more suitable for a hot Florida day.
Mother Kombucha has surfaced all around the Bay Area in restaurants, cafes and health food stores, and is served on draft or in bottles.
The Tavern sells two flavors of bottled kombucha so students can snag some fruity caffeine in between classes. The nearest place to try kombucha on draft is the Hooker Tea Company on Beach Drive.
Just like beer, the tea is favored on draft based on personal preference. The team can also be found serving up draft kombucha at the Saturday Morning Market, which starts back up Oct. 3.
Rumschlag wants kombucha drinkers to taste all of the hard work he and Donati put into Mother Kombucha. He also believes that local, craft kombucha brew is different than national brands – and in a good way.
“You can taste the difference,” he said. “Well, there’s a different level of love you put into it.”
