BOUCHE

From the very beginning, BOUCHE focused on developing complex flavor structures as a decisive factor for their non-alcoholic kombucha.
Initially, the brewery fermented in the classic way with black and green tea and Scoby. However, they discovered that open fermentation resulted in variations in taste. The solution was closed fermentation, a closed system without Scoby that enables consistent results. The starter culture they developed now controls the fermentation. The liquid starter culture is based on black and green tea and German beet sugar. Kombucha optimization is an ongoing process. By integrating traditional beer brewing and winemaking methods, they developed flavoring, a maceration-like process that shapes the taste of their non-alcoholic kombucha varieties.

BOUCHE's focus is on taste, which is characterized by depth, complex structures and freshness. The development process is based on three phases in the mouth: the first contact, the middle nuances and the aromas in the finish. The quality of the ingredients, preferably organic products, is just as important. A significant step was the cultivation of their own starter culture, which triggers the fermentation process and defines the taste structure. Unlike in home brewing, BOUCHE does not use a scoby, but a starter culture that they have built themselves. The principle of closed fermentation allows them to regulate the process better. The basic kombucha gets its taste from a final step in which a proprietary method inspired by dry hopping in beer brewing is used. This maceration enables the flavor of the fermented tea to be expanded without the addition of juices, syrups or concentrates. Instead, hops, bergamots, woods and, more rarely, fruits are used to give the kombucha aroma and complexity.