Are you a lover of Kombucha? Make time for a brewery tour in Pune

A demonstration of making kombucha in a glass jar

This writer often ponders the many startling possibilities of fermentation. Think miso, tempeh, kefir, kimchi and natto - fermented foods open up newer avenues of taste, flavour and nutrition. Keeping in sync with the benefits of the process and the growing popularity of kombucha - a fermented tea that is known for its anti-inflammatory and gut health-improving properties - it will be featured as the star of a weekend tasting tour at Nande village on the outskirts of Pune. This brewery tour is being organised by travel and curated experiences platform The Western Routes and Umami Brew, a label dedicated to making quality kombucha.

Umami Brew has several bottled varieties of the fermented tea

About the idea behind a unique tour such as this one, Jayesh Paranjape, who owns the travel platform, shares, "Although kombucha is a tasty and healthy drink, mass-scale production of the tea hasn't been done before. Umami Brew has a nice brewing space with a farm around it. So we came up with this idea of having a counter where the tasting sessions can be conducted." The platform has been hosting these tasting tours for a year and a half now. He tells us that the tour is a comprehensive experience as it's not just about the drink, but also about the dishes that can be paired with a certain flavour.

Jayesh Paranjape

The day begins with displaying to attendees how a small batch of the tea can be made in a glass jar bottle. This is to encourage people to make the drink at home. "They can go back and practise the process or pick up kombucha-making kits from the brewery after placing pre-orders with the owner of the place," Paranjape informs. After the demonstration, visitors scan through big fermenters, as well as the bottling process until they reach the tasting session.

Food pairings with kombucha

Not just tea, the team of entrepreneurs and microbiologists are also looking to attract coffee-lovers. There's jun, a fermented drink made from honey and kwas, a concoction made from beetroot. The coffee kombucha is indeed a rarity, he adds. "It tastes best with a slice of sponge cake. However, there are other offerings like jalapeno poppers, kanda-bhaji, chocolates and more that can be tried depending upon the flavour of the tea one's sipping on," Paranjape says. He admits that the rise of such beverages is beginning to add the health factor to fun drinking among youth.

On: November 26; 3.30 pm onwards AT Umami Brew, Damodhar Nagar, Pune.
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Cost: Rs 1,200 onwards