HAVE YOU TRIED CHINESE KOMBUCHA? TAKE A SIP OF BOOZY BREW, MACAU’S HOME-GROWN – AND NOT ESPECIALLY ALCOHOLIC – BRAND

• Katy Ou and Lucas Lio started Macau-based kombucha brand Boozy Brew, and now offer more than 20 flavours of the hipster-approved fermented cold tea
• Carefully crafted to suit an Asian palate, popular flavours include jasmine green tea, passion fruit oolong tea and rose lychee black tea - and despite the name, health, not booze, is the main objective

Enjoyed without fanfare for millenia, in different forms all around the world, fermented foods have become a much-heralded dining trend in recent years.

Sales of foods such as kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and apple cider vinegar have spiked on promises of improved gut health and reduced inflammation, among other benefits.

But one fermented food shone brightest: kombucha - which thanks to a high antioxidant, low sugar content, bubbly mouthfeel, and potential for a wide array of flavours, has become a healthy drink of choice for many.

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The pandemic, naturally, further boosted our ferment foment, with people filling their days at home making sourdough bread and pickles.

Ahead of the curve, Macau's Katy Ou and Lucas Lio started brewing kombucha - technically a fermented, sweetened tea - in their kitchen as a hobby in January 2020. When their efforts earned an enthusiastic response from family and friends, they decided to turn that hobby into a business.

"We wanted to do something good and bring healthy, tasty Macanese-style kombucha to more people," says Ou. "Boozy Brew is made through an ancient method, in small batches that have been long-aged brewed for 30 days. Each flavour is made and improved through our continuous research and development."

Ou feared that a drink that is predominantly known for its tart taste might not be immediately appealing to Asian consumers, so she and Lio took several months to create a kombucha with the right balance of health and taste appeal, finally debuting it in October 2020.

Today Boozy Brew offers more than 20 flavours, its products proudly standing on Macau store shelves beside the international competition. Delicate flavours such as jasmine green tea, passion fruit oolong tea and rose lychee black tea are among those on offer. And despite the name, the brand's offerings are all about health and, like most kombucha, only have a minimal alcohol content.

"We are one of the best kombucha brands in China and Macau," claims Ou.

Kombucha is naturally a part of Ou's own health and wellness routine, but in addition to regular consumption of fermented tea, she also recommends eating more natural, unprocessed food daily such as fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, instead of the convenient takeaway options more readily available.

"I also try to swim every day if I can - swimming is one of my favourite sports and makes me really happy during the hot summers in Macau," adds Ou. No doubt, she will be reaching for a chilled Boozy Brew after her next dip.

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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

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2024-08-01T09:26:53Z