Photo by Lauren Baldwin
History: Owner Nani Smith defines kombucha as a soul drink. “When you drink it, you experience this amazing feeling,” she says. “Our souls become happy.” Smith grew up in South Korea watching her mother make the fermented tea, eventually launching SoulSmith Kombucha in 2018 after friends tried her drink and urged her to start the business.
Specialties: Smith believes her product is fresher and more palatable than other heavily carbonated or vinegary kombuchas found in stores. Popular offerings include red ginseng, lemon-ginger and blueberry-ginger, but Smith gets creative with seasonal flavors such as apple pie, made with Granny Smith apples and cinnamon.
Production method: Smith ferments the tea twice, first using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) then later infusing it. After it's bottled and as it ferments, Smith plays classical music for the kombucha. “You think I'm crazy, but it somehow works miracles,” she says.
Buy: Order online at soulsmithkombucha.com or find it at the St. Stephen’s and West End farmers markets.
