ROCHESTER - About five years ago, Matthew Jewison didn't even know what kombucha was. The same went for Mark Martincek, who discovered kombucha — a fermented tea brewed for weeks at a time — about seven years ago.
The duo grew from kombucha fans to zealots over the years, making their own flavors and giving out samples to friends and family. Now they're ready to take their passion to the next level by opening Rochester's first commercial kombucha brewery.
"As somebody who's a huge fan of kombucha, I thought that that'd be something that a town this size kind of deserves," Jewison said.
They plan to renovate a 1,500-square-foot space next to the Anytime Fitness that Jewison owns at 4181 31st Av. NW. into Kowabucha Kombucha. If all goes well, the brewery will be up by the end of the year and its kombucha will be available at local shops by next summer.
Like many others, Jewison and Martincek sought out kombucha for health-related reasons. Both tried it for help with stomach issues and got hooked.
It's a common tale for kombucha lovers. The drink, thought to have originated in China centuries ago, gained popularity in the United States in the 1990s. Many kombucha fans have gone from brewing their own at home to successful commercial operations, and market analysts at Technavio estimate kombucha will become a $3.6 billion global industry by 2026.
Kombucha is brewed with tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast, and left to ferment for more than a week at a time. Brewers add juices and flavors during a second round of fermentation.
Proponents swear by its health benefits; kombucha's ingredients are probiotic, meaning it encourages healthy gut cells if the drink is properly brewed. Yet few studies have been done to confirm kombucha's effects, and Mayo Clinic researchers say homebrewed kombucha can be harmful if brewed in a contaminated space, resulting in upset stomachs, allergic reactions and even infections.
