Northern beaches’ brewers Bower’s hard kombucha the ‘healthiest alcohol on the planet’
Brewing entrepreneurs, inspired by the active northern beaches’ lifestyle, have created a ‘Hard Kombucha’, which they boast is the ‘healthiest alcohol on the planet’.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Their mission is to “brew the healthiest alcohol on the planet” – and they think they have cracked the code.
Northern beaches’ entrepreneurs Emyln Gavin and Oliver Budniak have launched their creation of what they say is Australia’s first alcoholic, or ‘hard’, kombucha made from all organic ingredients.
The health conscious mates, who both worked as senior executives in the tech industry, founded BOWER, a brewing business named after their favourite destination, Fairy Bower, the gorgeous shoreline between Manly and Shelly beaches.
They say the company is inspired by the active beachside lifestyle on the northern beaches.
And they see their beverage, with a 4pc alcohol content, as a healthier alternative to alcoholic seltzers, beer and mixed spirits drinks while keeping the health benefits of traditional kombucha.
Regular Kombucha is lightly effervescent and made by fermenting sweet tea with a culture of yeast and bacteria and contains probiotics and organic acids that are meant to support a healthy gut.
BOWER now has two varieties of hard kombucha on the market — Summer Fling (watermelon and mint) and Sunset Passion (passionfruit and raspberry).
It’s already been picked up by a dozen local eateries and bottle shops including Kazzi Beach Greek at Manly, North Curly Cellars and Porters Liquor at Seaforth and Balgowlah.
Commuters can even grab a can for a “sundowner” on the Manly Fast Ferry on their way home from work.
The product is also available to order online through the business’ website.
To help boost awareness — and sales — of the new beverage Emyln and Oliver opened a pop-up tasting room on the popular Shelly Beach walk from Manly.
Emyln said the idea for the brew came to them during a morning surf after a discussion about a healthier way to enjoy a few alcohol drinks with friends.
He said they wanted to create a product that not only tasted great, but was made with real ingredients and left them “feeling ready to surf the next morning”.
They made their first batch in a home kitchen.
“We brewed our first few batches of watermelon and mint and invited a few friends over,” Emlyn said.
“From the smile on their faces we knew we were onto something.
“BOWER was born.”
Its beverage is brewed on a base of organic green tea and double-fermented over 28 days. The first fermentation creates the usual non-alcoholic kombucha. A second fermentation creates
the alcohol
After this double fermentation process, BOWER infuses it with organic fruits and botanicals, which are cold-pressed and left to infuse over several days.
John Hopoate could face jail over latest driving charge
A notorious former NRL player, who police describe as a ‘recidivist traffic offender’, faces the prospect of 12 months’ jail for his latest serious driving charge.
Former Waterhouse family member drove to cop shop while drunk
A former member of a famous Sydney racing dynasty and cancer nurse drove to a police station while drunk after being chucked out of a late-night northern beaches nightspot.