Bower Brewing claims its Hard Kombucha is an Australian-first, made from 100 per cent organic ingredients and retaining all the health benefits of traditional kombucha.
Bower was born in Manly and founded by two ex-tech executives turned kombucha brewers, Emlyn Gavin and Oliver Budniak.
According to the 2022 NielsenIQ Beverage Landscape Report, the non-alcoholic kombucha market in Australia has grown $300 million per year over the last six years. However, the alcoholic kombucha market, popular in the United States, has yet to make a mark in Australia.
The team at Bower will be raising capital in the coming weeks to take advantage of this gap in market and accelerate production and distribution.
Bower’s Hard Kombucha aims to provide an alternative to hard seltzers, beer and mixed spirits drinks, while retaining all the health benefits of traditional kombucha, with probiotics and organic acids to support gut health, immunity, digestion, and decreased inflammation and bloating.
Gavin said consumers had “had enough of synthetic and flavourless” hard seltzers.
“What we’ve created is good, organic kombucha with a kick – so you’re getting all the benefits of regular kombucha but with 4 per cent ABV brewed in. Think of it as farm-to-table but in a beverage,” said Gavin.
Bower is brewed on a base of organic green tea and double-fermented over 28 days. The first fermentation creates a standard non-alcoholic kombucha, while the second fermentation creates the alcohol.
After the double fermentation process, Bower infuses its Hard Kombucha with 100 per cent organic fruits and botanicals, which are cold-pressed and left to infuse over several days.
Bower Hard Kombucha is available online via Bower Brewing and at premium bottle shops for RRP $28 for a 4-pack, and $89 for a case of 16. The initial range includes two summer-inspired flavours: Summer Fling (Watermelon & Mint) and Sunset Passion (Passionfruit & Raspberry).
