It seems like all of a sudden Vermonters are so over gluten free and paleo, and are going nuts for Kombucha. If you’re like me, and a bit behind with the trends, you have probably never even heard of this hot new health drink. So read up, and learn a little more about this healthy drink that is taking over VT.
A Lil Bit About Kombucha
Photo by Rena Meisler
Even though it has just recently become trendy, Kombucha has been around for centuries. It’s a fermented, sweetened tea that is naturally chock-full of nutrients, probiotics, and antioxidants. Commonly known to act as a natural “energy elixir” Kombucha is also great for clearing out your system (quite literally) and immunity and joint care.
What’s That Blob at the Bottom?
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
One thing that is a bit odd about Kombucha is that weird thing chillin’ at the bottom of some of the bottles. That odd looking blob is actually a “Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast” that usually is called SCOBY.
Basically, it’s a living blob at the bottom of your drink and it is what ferments the tea. One of the great things about a fermented tea, is its ability to convert the sugars added to the tea into vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, and organic acids. If that blob still grosses you out, good news. Some brands remove the SCOBY before they bottle your Kombucha.
Keep it Local
Photo by Rena Meisler
Even better news for the localvores, there is Kombucha that is microbrewed in Bristol, Vermont called Aqua Vitea. They offer some cool flavors like hibiscus and elderberry (which is an awesome cure for kicking that annoying winter cold.)
The flavors of Aqua Vitea Kombucha start with the water that they get from the New Haven Spring here in Vermont. It is filtered in a way that allows the natural minerals in the water to remain, but gets rid of the unnecessary junk. Still keeping it local, Aqua Vitea gets their green and black teas from the Stone Leaf Tea House in Middlebury, Vermont. All their teas are Fair Trade and support a direct trade relationship with growers around the world.
If you want to keep up your Vermonter pride, and drink Kombucha; local grocery stores, like Healthy Living Market and Cafe, let you fill up a growler of Kombucha at a keg. That way, you can have as much fresh Kombucha as your heart desires.
Check out these articles for more information on Kombucha: