Creating Kombucha

We chat with dedicated artisans in South Australia and Victoria making bottles of kombucha with care, passion and a heavy dose of goodness for your gut.

- Ally McManus

People are drawn to kombucha for myriad reasons. The sparkling fermented tea is a healthier alternative to regular soft drink; it’s often consumed in lieu of alcoholic beverages like beer, wine or cider; and it’s also popular due to its delicious taste and health benefits, ranging from supporting gut health to providing a source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Produced by fermenting sweet tea with a culture of yeast and bacteria, kombucha was once only available to purchase in the odd health-food store. Now the health elixir has infiltrated supermarkets and cafés, even appearing on tap at many restaurants and other venues, but there are dedicated makers across the nation staying true to the artisan craft.

Kombucha in Australia

If you’re a regular kombucha drinker, you’ve no doubt stumbled across a bottle of MOJO Kombucha. Launched in 2010, the probiotic-rich certified organic fermented tea was born on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, where it is created in small batches.

Anthony Crabb is the CEO and founder of Organic & Raw Trading Co, the producers of MOJO Kombucha. Pioneering the local kombucha market, he created the first commercial kombucha in Australia from humble beginnings in his home shed.

“A well-traveled friend introduced me to it around 2007 — I was hooked from the first sip!” says Crabb.

He began fermenting kombucha at home following a traditional recipe, and after winning the hearts and palates of his friends and family, he expanded to his shed at home and a local farmers’ market. “People were thrilled with the way drinking kombucha helped them feel, and I wanted even more Australians to enjoy those benefits.”

A traditional fermentation process