The name, “kombucha” might have been unrecognizable to the majority of people in the U.S. five years ago, so it is surprising that within a short period of time, kombucha has become a very popular beverage. Kombucha is now heavily stocked in most well known grocery stores, and it is even showing up in Colorado College’s Local Goods store in Mathias.
The growth of the kombucha industry has come hand in hand with the rise of health awareness throughout the country, with many consumers beginning to challenge the status quo of processed foods and chemically flavored drinks “I’m sure there’s some psychological effect [from drinking kombucha] that makes me feel like I’m being healthy, even if it’s not certain,” said sophomore and kombucha fan Olivia Dell, kombucha is a fermented drink comprised of sweetened tea and SCOBY (a Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast). The drink has been proven to have positive effects on an individual’s health: it can help keep the digestive system moving, detoxify the liver, boost energy, and relieve headaches and migraines.
Unfortunately, the kombucha industry is running into a federal dilemma. The beverage is fermented, and therefore every bottle contains a varied alcohol level that is dependent on the amount of time it was allowed to ferment. This fermentation means that the Tax and Trade Bureau will frequently send inspectors to kombucha retailers to guarantee that the alcohol content level is below .5 percent, the legal limit for any drink not taxed as alcoholic. If the TTB finds any bottle with a higher amount, the business that created the product will be sent a letter from the agency threatening them with substantial fines for not complying with the law. As a result, kombucha brewers are being forced to take one of two routes in order to avoid getting these hefty fines: either apply for a brewing permit and become licensed to make alcohol, or recraft the brewing process to ensure lower levels of alcohol. Both options are pricey for companies, but these options are ultimately necessary.
For consumers, the cost of a bottle of kombucha will range anywhere from four to seven dollars, which is a steep price for a beverage. Avid drinkers might try the DIY way and brew their own kombucha at home, but doing so usually requires a complex procedure and can be slightly dangerous, as shaking the end product can lead to an explosion. CC first-year Sarah Turi considered brewing her own kombucha, but she ultimately decided to wait until after college due to the time and intensity of such a process.
Despite complications from the drink’s fermenting process, the kombucha industry is still seeing exponential growth on both commercial and domestic fronts, and the industry is likely to continue this successful trend.