OnTap Magazine

T ea is the original plant- based beverage. e second most consumed beverage in the world after water, tea’s ‘good-for-you’ credentials make it the perfect addition to the growing toolbox of ingredients ripe for innovation. When it comes to refreshing RTDs (ready to drink beverages) that appeal to the health- conscious drinker, hard seltzers have been quenching thirsts since their introduction in 2013. e category has topped US$2.7bn in sales so far this year (Nielsen CGA data) with 52% of US consumers swapping a beer for a hard seltzer at some point. But it’s a saturated sector and with consumers looking to trade up to new holistic experiences, tea is creating a buzz of its own. Today we’re seeing brand surge and signi cant sales in the kombucha, hard kombucha and hard tea categories. THE FERMENTED TEA PHENOMENON Kombucha, a big star in the fermented drinks arena, has been on an upward trajectory over the past decade, although it has been around far, far longer. e beverage is generally thought to have originated in China around 200 BC. Traditional kombucha is made by adding a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (known as SCOBY) to a solution of tea and sugar. e acetobacter-dominant culture contains a selection of yeasts which may include, among others, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast), Schizosaccharomyces pombe (an ancient yeast that’s also used in traditional African brewing), and/or Brettanomyces bruxellensis (a spoiler when it comes to wine but a key part of the avour of some sour beer styles, such as Belgian lambics). e SCOBY, which resembles a thick, gelatinous pancake, is also referred to as a ‘mother’ and it is used to inoculate new batches of kombucha, much like the sourdough mother is used to start new batches of bread. After 10 to 12 days’ fermentation a fruity, tart, sweet, sour and slightly e ervescent drink is produced. e longer the fermentation, the more tart the kombucha will be with the high acidity level (pH 2.5 to 3.5) protecting the brew from harmful microorganisms. Kombucha can be bottle conditioned – that is, it undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle to create natural carbonation. Whether cloudy or ltered, kombucha is always best served cold, and most producers implore their customers to keep the booch in the fridge until it’s time to serve. Un ltered, or raw kombucha is full of ‘good’ bacteria and yeast, which can sometimes look like jelly sh oating in the drink. Pour carefully, but remember that these gel-like cellulose strands are completely harmless. Traditional kombucha is a non-alcoholic (<0.5% ABV) functional drink, rmly rooted in the wellness space. Antioxidants and polyphenols derived from the tea are associated with health bene ts, as are the probiotic bacteria. It is naturally low-carb, low in sugar and gluten- free. And with gentle carbonation and a host of trend-forward natural avours (such as ginger, turmeric, lemon and hibiscus) kombucha has transformed from a niche product to a mainstream alternative to traditional soft drinks. Today, kombucha’s global market value is US$1.8bn, according to GlobalData. A NATURAL TRANSITION Kombucha’s fermented nature means it is a short leap from soft drink to the alcoholic category. is didn’t go unnoticed for long, and so ‘hard kombucha’ was born. Raising the alcohol content is achieved by adding more yeast (and more sugar in some cases) to the the traditional kombucha production process. ABVs ranging from 1-7%, and a huge variety of avours place hard kombucha squarely in competition with the most innovative alcoholic beverages. Shelf-stable probiotics, added adaptogens (e.g. camomile, ginger, turmeric), botanical infusions, and cold-press juice blends means hard kombucha retains the virtuous halo given to its non-alcoholic original form, despite losing labelling of speci c health claims. e global hard kombucha category, according to Nielsen data, is forecast to exceed US$20 million in 2020, an increase of 63% from 2019. Leading US brands include Boochcraft, JuneShine and KomBrewCha, and brands o er a dazzling variety of avour options, KELP TEA? The origins of the word kombucha are uncertain. In Japanese, the word means ‘kelp tea’ and seems to have little to do with the lightly fizzy, lightly acidic drink that’s become the beverage darling of the global hipster community. It’s largely thought that the term is a misused loan word from Japanese, but regardless of its erroneous origin, the word kombucha has now become a firm part of the lexicon in many different languages. with taste pro les ranging from spicy ginger- jalapeno and sweet strawberry-hibiscus to pawpaw and pea shoots with oak chips. Along with the avour variants come the creative branding and packaging designs, with hard kombucha producers following craft beer into the canned beverage space. It might have sat largely unnoticed by most of the world for a couple of thousand years, but now is kombucha’s time to shine. And the extreme avour innovation, use of stylishly labelled cans and the fact that hard kombucha is increasingly being poured on tap, make it a drink that deserves a place at the bar. As hybrid innovations explode on to the market it raises the question: what next? Well, watch out for the kombucha energy drinks, hard tea shots, tea-driven cocktails, and perhaps even kombucha water. One thing’s for sure; tea has been with us for 5000 years and it’s certainly not going anywhere. So head down to your nearest kombucha taproom to see what's brewing. BREWING HARD TEAS Craft brewed hard teas have exploded on the global market, appealing to discerning consumers’ love of flavour, variety, origin and all the supposed ‘better-for-you’ qualities. Brands continue to launch alcoholic takes on black and green tea, tapping into tea’s healthy halo as a ‘positive’ ingredient. Hard teas sit in the wider FMB (flavoured malt beverage) category whereby tea, botanicals and/ or fruit are incorporated into alcohol derived frommalt, but stripped of flavour and colour. But it’s not an entirely new concept. Dominating the hard tea category is Boston Beer Co Twisted Tea, a premium craft hard iced tea launched nearly 20 years ago. Strangely, South Africa is yet to catch on to the trend A story familiar to those involved with the craft beer scene FANCY A BREW? Want to try your hand at producing kombucha? Theonista sell homebrew kits with everything you need to get your first batch into the fermenter. Check them out on theonista.co.za. AGAINST THE GRAIN 40 | Summer 2020 | ontapmag.co.za