Growing up in Wyoming my mother would brew her own kombucha and drink a glass everyday. Or as she described it at the time “Russian mushroom tea”. She claimed she hadn’t been sick in years because of it. As a kid I hated the sour pungent taste and refused to partake, but I was always fascinated by this strange organism that seemed to turn iced tea into a powerful potion.  A jellyfish from another world, living in our pantry.

In 2009 I moved to Seattle, and after many years in the high end restaurant world as a cook and chef I fell in love with all kinds of fermented products, done the traditional way, with perfectly sourced ingredients. And none I loved as much as kombucha, that strange brew my mom used to drink. After spending way too much on store brands, being disappointed by inconsistent fizz and lack luster flavors, I decided to start The Beneficial Brewing Company. I set out to make a brew that was tea forward, always raw, with complex flavor profiles, balanced bitterness, sugar, tannins, a full fizzy body, and to be chocked full of the most expertly sourced, anti-oxidant rich ingredients I could find. What you taste when you have a Beneficial Brewing Kombucha is the result of a lifelong dedication to craftsmanship, fermentation, and always, always, doing things the hard way.

My favorite brews to create are anything with teas and spices. I love to brew Chai. Really well sourced Jasmine tea is my favorite kombucha. We never use any syrups, extracts, juices or fruit to flavor with so our teas and spices have to be impeccable to shine through. This way you get a kombucha with a big taste and it’s not loaded up with sugar.

My advice to new creators would be, you have to absolutely love your craft and be dedicated to wanting to learn more about it, being curious and hungry for knowledge will keep you going. Also go your own way, you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. It’s your product, make it a reflection of who you are!