It was almost three years ago when I got my first taste of Kombucha and to be honest, I wasn’t sure how to take it. To me some of them tasted like a glass of apple cider vinegar. However, thankfully for me, I was introduced to not just one, but a number of different brands of the drink, as part of a tasting panel. Trying many different styles and flavours really opened my eyes and I soon discovered that their were some that I actually really liked.

One of those that I really enjoyed was by a local producer, the team at Booch and Brew. (Now named Hip Pop)

Last year at the Northern Restaurant and Bar exhibition, I bumped into Emma Thackray, joint founder of the kombucha brand. She introduced me to some of their newer flavours and told me how they were about to move into a new site in Dunham Massey near Altrincham by converting an old storage tunnel. The plans sounded exciting and I was looking forward to how things developed for them.

But what even is Kombucha

Simply put – Kombucha is a fermented tea.

Tea is produced in extra large vats, it is then cooled and sweetened with organic cane sugar. Next it is introduced to a wonderful combination of yeast and bacteria known fondly in the kombucha world as a SCOBY. The Yeast eats the sugar and converts it into alcohol – all good so far – but then the special bacteria consumes the alcohol (Greedy thing) and turns it into a form of acid. This results in an almost alcohol free, tangy drink that is both refreshing and good for you. (We all know about good bacteria). It is the same method as used to produce fermented foods including Kimchi, Soy Sauce and its even similar to the process to produce Sourdough bread.

Hip Pop then use natural and organic juice to help flavour their kombucha, with their new organic range including Blueberry and Ginger, Apple and Elderflower, Strawberry and Pineapple and one of my favourites Ginger Yuzu.

These fizzy beauties have found many a fan, especially among nominated drivers on nights out and I have seen them proudly being ordered in the likes of Albert Schloss as well as at The Lowry.

Fast forward to 2020 and their popularity continues to grow, so much so, that Hip Pop have found the need to expand once more.

In order to buy the larger equipment needed to keep up with demand and to help keep costs down, they have launched a Kickstarter to raise £10,000.

Offering up a range of goodies in exchange for helping fund the new equipment – the kickstarters involved can choose from cut price cases of Kombucha, a home ‘brewing’ pack or even your very own collaboration to produce your own choice of flavour – please do go and check then out here.

Now I must just add, that due to work it took me a few days to get this piece out – and they reached their initial goal in just 2 days!!! But lets not stop there – because their are even more plans afoot to improve the production of their Kickass Kombucha – so get hold of the special offers while you can!