Celebrate World Kombucha Day with Us!
In 2020 Kombucha Brewers International established February 21st (2.21) as World Kombucha Day to recognize this delicious, functional beverage and all the people who have brewed it for more than 2000 years! Read on to learn more about kombucha, Spark’s unique take on it, and how we’ll be celebrating our favourite beverage this year.
Spark Kombucha got its start lemonade stand style at the farmer’s market in 2015 and quickly became a local favourite because of founder Ellen’s signature style of kindness and connection. Spark Kombucha quickly became a local favourite and Ellen was turning more people into kombucha fans each weekend at the local farmers markets. But there were still people asking “what the heck is kom-boo-cha anyways?”.
Kombucha is a fermented drink made with water, tea, sugar, and a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) that dates back to 221 BC. The SCOBY activates the fermentation process, similar to what happens with a sourdough starter. Once it’s gone through its fermentation process, you end up with a fizzy, tart, slightly sour functional beverage. Today, kombucha is a great alternative to pop and other sugary beverages. Not only because it has way less sugar, but because of all the gut loving, probiotics, acids, and enzymes the SCOBY produces during the fermentation process. In general, kombucha is good for your guts, digestion, and detoxifying. Perhaps that’s why it was known as the “Tea of Immortality” during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).
Ellen’s take on kombucha was to create a unique, dry brew that she likes to call “an easy, everyday drinking kombucha”. Ellen’s time slinging kombucha at farmer’s markets helped her to perfect her flavour and style. She was watching for the “kombucha face” when people tried Spark. You know the face - your eyes squint, your mouth goes into an O, and your head kinda goes back a bit. It’s the face you get when you taste something for the first time and it’s too robust, too sour, or too strong.
From her customers' reactions, Ellen refined her brew to create a kombucha that was dry, not too sweet, and not overly flavoured. She felt like she was tricking people into drinking kombucha by adding just a light flavour infusion. Spark Kombucha stays true to kombucha’s ancient roots by flavouring with natural, organic ingredients, never adding extra sugar or preservatives.
To celebrate World Kombucha Day this year, Ellen will be in the kitchen bottling up another tasty batch of all your favourite Spark Kombucha flavours. Afterwards, she’ll be raising a glass of her bubbles with benefits and toasting all the people who’ve joined her on this delicious kombucha journey over the years.
