You might have noticed aesthetic glass bottles around New Orleans, and that is thanks to a relatively new player in the kombucha game: Big Easy Bucha. Big Easy Bucha is a family-owned, New Orleans based kombucha company, expanding throughout the South and into the Midwest, Northeast, and West Coast. Here is a look at how Big Easy Bucha is changing the kombucha game.
What Is Big Easy Bucha?
The brand was started in 2014 by Alexis Korman (whom I had the pleasure of communicating with) and her husband Austin Sherman inside their French Quarter apartment. They are committed to producing small batches of kombucha using high-quality ingredients for the best possible taste and nutritional outcomes. Unlike other brands, they are the sole owners of the business, allowing Korman and Sherman to have complete control.
What’s more, they are dedicated to improving the lives of those in the New Orleans community. They hire people who statistically have trouble securing jobs, such as people with disabilities or people who were previously incarcerated. Knowing their great mission and humble story, I was dying to try their kombucha.
My Experience
Being from Los Angles, I am very familiar with kombucha and the big brands (Ketiva, Health-Ade, Synergy, GT’s, Trader Joe’s, etc.), but I had never tried an indie brand before. I had the privilege of seeing their factory, tasting room, and trying six of their products (spoiler alert: I loved their kombucha). Here is my review of those six kombucha flavors:
Basin Street Blues
This fruity delight is sweet (which I loved) and you can really taste the different berries. It has the perfect level of fizziness, making it a great afternoon snack!
Melon Magic
You can totally taste the cantaloupe in this kombucha flavor. I really enjoy the perfect level of sweetness. It’s a refreshing treat without tasting too sugary.
Jammin’ Ginger
I won’t lie: if you aren’t a ginger fan, this one won’t be your jam. Personally, I’m not too fond of ginger, so this flavor wasn’t for me. However, if you are into it, this one definitely has a strong kick. It contains actual pieces of ginger, waiting to dissolve until you shake the bottle (just be sure to wait for a minute after shaking so you don’t spill kombucha everywhere).
Bayou Berry
This kombucha has a hint of strawberry flavor. It is tied with the apple pie kombucha as my personal favorite (more on that flavor to come). It has great levels of sweetness and fizziness with a fruity flavor.
Jazz Juice Tea
I really love this drink, as you can taste the pineapple without it overpowering other flavors, and it has a great balance of sweetness. Pineapple lovers, this one’s for you.
Apple Pie
Last but not least, the seasonal apple pie kombucha. It definitely tastes like an apple pie with a delicious fruit and cinnamon flavors. The sweetness isn’t overbearing and you feel a lot healthier after drinking this than you do after eating actual apple pie! I’m sad that I can’t have this fizzy drink all year round.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never given kombucha a try out of fear of “vinegar water”-- trust me, I was there about a year and a half ago. I would have not imagined calling myself a kombucha connoisseur. I encourage you to give this brand a try. The health benefits are tremendous. According to Medical News Today, these benefits include improving gut health (which can be great if you just took antibiotics), reducing the risk of heart disease, and perhaps even managing type 2 diabetes.
All of Big Easy Bucha’s 16-ounce kombuchas are 70 calories. They also sell some flavors in 64-ounce bottles and 5.28-gallon jugs. While the taste of kombucha might be foreign at first, the more you try it, the more you’ll identify with the flavors and appreciate the beverage. It’s an acquired taste, just like wine, but you will find the kind for you.
I’m so thankful for this brand, and can’t wait to try the rest of its kombucha flavors, as well as the “Lil’ Easy Kombucha Shots!”