People have been experimenting with fermentation since ancient times, changing milk to yogurt and brewing alcoholic drinks from fruit, honey, and rice. Mead, beer, and wine craft even predates the smelting of metal. Indeed, our relationship with the microorganisms responsible for breaking down sugars is an old one; today, the fruits of that friendship are colorful and wide-ranging.

Kombucha represents one drop in the ocean of fermented beverages. With the earliest recipes dating back over 2,200 years to China’s Qin Dynasty, kombucha is not a new fad — but its local popularity has bubbled over since marketing began in the US in the 1990s.

What is it?

Sugared green, black, or white tea is fermented with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (or “SCOBY”) to create the slightly fizzy, acidic, sweet beverage with at least trace amounts of alcohol.

Similar to fermented foods like sauerkraut or kefir, kombucha can help rebalance a drinker’s gut flora. But its health benefits may go far beyond that: one study found kombucha “has several health benefits due to its antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anti-bacterial properties.” (It’s important to note that kombucha can contain varying amounts of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.)

Portland 🤝 kombucha

Portland-based SOMA Kombucha claims to make “the world’s healthiest kombucha.” Jean-Pierre Parent opened the business in 2008 after his home-brewed ‘booch attracted a following.

“My mom started brewing in the ‘80s and experienced some really helpful benefits,” he said. “Fast forward 20 years and I was teaching yoga in Portland, noticing that people would shyly roll up their mats and leave class; I had a sense they were looking for community. So I started bringing mom's recipe kombucha after class for people to enjoy and gather, and it just snowballed from there.”

The name SOMA is "from the Upanishads, means elixir, I think it's referring to the nectar that's secreted by the pineal gland during deep meditation," said Parent. | Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday

SOMA offers a handful of bottled flavors, as well as several rotating brews at its three (soon to be four) taprooms. Each is made using a slow fermentation technique that Parent says encourages higher levels of probiotics and healthier organic acids.