In case you haven’t noticed, fermentation is having a serious moment in the Hudson Valley. Popping up in everything from sausage to waffles, the good-for-you trend bubbles up nowhere more prominently than in kombucha. For anyone new to the effervescent drink, expect a fermented tea that’s lightly fizzy and filled with probiotics that promote gut health. Flavorwise, it’s kind of like sparkling water and iced tea had a baby. (Ok, we’ll stop now.)
In the Hudson Valley, local makers put their own spin on ‘booch, as it’s affectionately known, with unconventional ingredients and small-batch preparations. Ready to give the good stuff a swig? Not only are these local bottles delicious, but, with health benefits galore, they’ll make you feel more than a little virtuous, too.
Calmbucha
New Paltz
View this post on Instagram
It’s easy to keep calm and carry on with a bottle of Calmbucha in hand. The New Paltz-based brand stands out with unpasteurized kombucha crafted in small batches from a sweet organic tea. On the flavor front, Calmbucha has one of the most varied selections in the region. For anyone who prefers warm flavors, All That Jazz, with raw ginger root, and Chai Kovsky, with cardamom, ginger root, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, are home runs. Fruit fans, meanwhile, meet their match with Mumbai Nights, made with mango and cardamom. Check out “The Booch Belt” to find Calmbucha near you, then get sipping.
Feel Good Booch
Peekskill
View this post on Instagram
Feeling good is the name of the game for this friend-founded kombucha brand. Originally all restaurant chums at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Julio Enriquez, Alanna Ledesma, and Ronald Rufino came together to create their flavorful, craft-fermented recipe. Their backgrounds in the food and drink industry helped to cultivate an extensive list of flavor offerings, including guava-cinnamon-honey and heirloom carrot-passion fruit-lime leaf combinations that will excite your taste buds and make your gut feel good. Find Feel Good Booch at a number of locations across the Hudson Valley and the tri-state area.
Laughing Gut Kombucha
Poughkeepsie
View this post on Instagram
With a name like Laughing Gut, it’s hard not to feel happy with each sip. Add to that flavor profiles like star anise and orange zest, chamomile and mint, and butterfly pea flower and rosemary, and you have every excuse to stock up on this kombucha for morning hydration, post-yoga pick-me-ups, and just because glugs. Laughing Gut uses top-tier black, green, and white teas as its bases, so there’s a little something for everyone. Look for the brand at locations like Crafted Kup in Poughkeepsie, Adams Fairacre Farms in Newburgh, and Nature’s Pantry in Kingston.
Related: How to Support Gut Health in the Hudson Valley
Seek North Kombucha
Throughout the Hudson Valley
View this post on Instagram
Maybe you’ve seen Seek North at a local café or maybe you’ve heard about it through Instagram. Either way, you’ve probably noticed the eye-catching bottles and wondered what elderflower and pineapple kombucha actually tastes like (amazing, BTW). With four flavors on rotation, including the aforementioned Seek Immunity, Seek Clarity with blueberry and pomegranate, Seek Harmony with hibiscus and ginger, and Seek Vitality with basil and white grape, the Hudson Valley brand stands out with powerhouse ingredients and a 100-percent raw formula. By skipping out on pasteurization or filtration, Seek North keeps its sugars low and active cultures high while keeping everything completely organic, too.
Yesfolk
Troy
View this post on Instagram
You’ve heard of family-run breweries in the Hudson Valley…but what about kombucha breweries? Such a thing exists in Troy, the Rensselaer County city in which Yesfolk bases its operations. The Hudson Valley brand is all organic and uses American Oak barrels from Adirondack Barrel Cooperage for fermentation. The brews lean on the tea-centric side, with formulations ranging from floral jasmine and toasty black dragon to smooth oolong. Sip them solo or, if you’re feeling particularly creative, swirl them into your favorite cocktail. Stock up at vendors across the upper-Hudson Valley region, or order online with their website.
