Spreading their love of kombucha

The co-owner of Love's Kombucha admits people are not always open to trying their fizzy fermented teas.

Many are unfamiliar with kombucha tea, and those who have heard of it may be turned off by the brewing process, said Renee Love, who owns Love's Kombucha with her husband, Emmett.

It is brewed with something called a SCOBY, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast disc, that sits on top of the brew as it ferments. It is, frankly, an unappetizing sight, but, Renee said, the process is similar to how yogurt and cheese are made.

Whatever apprehension a customer feels, however, usually disappears after they taste it, Renee said.

"People, when they try it, are pleasantly surprised," she said.

Thanks to growing popularity, the only kombucha brewer's product on the Palouse is a staple at the Moscow Farmers Market and sold on tap in 14 stores and restaurants in Pullman, Moscow, Coeur d'Alene, Dayton, Spokane and Richland.

Renee explained the origin of Love's Kombucha while sitting in downtown Moscow's Palouse Juice, one of the businesses where her product is sold.

A friend first introduced Renee and Emmett to kombucha while they were living in Texas, and they became hooked.

"My husband got really into brewing it and I got really into drinking it," Renee said.

Soon they started making so much they had to trade it away to friends.

Renee and Emmett were high school sweethearts who attended Washington State University, and they considered the Palouse their home. That is why they decided to move to Moscow after Renee spent several years in Texas as a geologist for ExxonMobile.

Once they settled on their 3-acre Moscow farm, they kept brewing and have been doing so for seven years.

In order to sell it at the Farmers Market, they developed a commercial kitchen on their property, as required by market rules. With the success of their market booth, they set their sights on getting their tea to customers during the winter months, after the market ends.

They began contacting businesses around the Palouse to distribute their drinks. Their first customers were Dissmore's and Daily Grind in Pullman, Renee said. They expanded to other familiar spots, like the Moscow Co-op, Tapped and Maialina Pizzeria. They even had a delivery service last winter where they would supply and pick up bottles "like a milkman," she said.

Kombucha is experiencing growth in popularity throughout America, but it is anything but new. The drink has been around for more than 2,000 years, with its origins tracing back to ancient China.

It is often praised for having the health benefits of tea, along with additional probiotics that support digestive health. When selling kombucha, Renee said she and Emmett have marketed it as a "sparkling probiotic tea" to make it more inviting to customers.

"It's just a nice fizzy drink that makes you feel good," she said.

Renee, too, spoke about how it gives her energy and makes her feel better, but she and Emmett do not want people to just think of it as a health drink.

"Our goal is to make it more of a fun drink that you can have anywhere," she said.

And unlike other kombucha brands, they do not add juice to the recipe because they do not consider it a juice drink, she said. Instead, they combine different tea flavors with some added ingredients like chai or even pepper.

Looking forward, Renee said they want to get their product into more bars and taphouses, and they are working on expanding it to Lewiston.

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at (208) 883-4640, or be email at akuipers@dnews.com.