Pride Is Better With Booch

Photo courtesy of Bootlegger Brewery
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Photo courtesy of Bootlegger Brewery


Bootlegger Brewing donates kegs of kombucha to the annual Pride Dabbler. Here’s how to enjoy some refreshing sips this summer.

Maybe it’s the sugar, the fruit, or the fun tingly feeling I get in my nose, but whatever it is, I absolutely love kombucha. I enjoy a nice tall refreshing glass of lemon kombucha on a hot summer day (my apartment doesn’t have A/C, so let’s just say a lot of kombucha has been consumed lately…), a can of berry kombucha on the lawn of St. Paul’s recently reopened Keg and Case Market, or a bottle of ginger kombucha when I have an upset stomach.

Whatever the occasion, I am a strong believer that some ice cold kombucha will improve it. And Bootlegger Brewing Kombucha is proof of that.

Photo courtesy of Bootlegger Brewery

“Our culture has been in the family for almost fifty years now. Starting on the hippie/biker side of the family up in Alaska, and following them to Hawaii, Colorado, and now here in Minnesota, where we started Bootlegger,” says owner Jake Haneman. “I always thought our booch tasted much different than other local and national brands, and in 2016 we had a chance to get ours genetically sequenced and compared to 100 other brews. Ours came back significantly different than any of the other brews, meaning we have different strains of yeasts and probiotic bacteria that ferment our tea and sugar. The result is a slower fermentation, lower sugar, and a smooth, never “vinegary,” sweet/tart flavor.”

My personal favorite Bootlegger Brewing kombucha is the Lookout Lemon Berry, but any flavor is a refreshing choice for these hot summer days. Right now, Bootlegger Brewing doesn’t have a lot going on, but Haneman says they’re hoping to be present at the Pride Dabbler event again, which will be on June 16.

Photo courtesy of Bootlegger Brewery

It’s definitely one of our favorite events of the summer,” Haneman says of the Pride Dabbler event.

For the month of Pride, no flavor is a better fit than Legendary Lavender, which happens to be Haneman’s personal favorite.

“Make a quick simple syrup with blueberries, lavender flowers, and sugar. Boil gently for a bit, strain it, and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Pour some lavender booch over ice, add a few spoonfuls of syrup, and if you want to get fancy, add a mint sprig,” he says. “I also don’t mind throwing some local vodka in with that as well, but more and more, I’m enjoying ‘mocktails’ as my go-to.”

Approved by Grover. Photo courtesy of Bootlegger Brewery

If you’re more of a quick grab-and-go kombucha drinker (welcome to the club), Haneman says you can pick up some fresh or frozen mango, salt the rim of a glass with Tajin, and fill it with the Hearty Woodsman Ginger kombucha. Then just garnish with a lemon wedge or a Tajin-dusted mango. It’s like summer in your mouth!

For more information about Bootlegger Brewing Kombucha, visit bootleggerkombucha.com.

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