Profile: Booch & Brew, Altrincham, England

Since this profile was posed, Booch & Brew has rebranded as Hip Pop.

Home town kombucha #3

This is third in a series of posts featuring kombucha companies based in North-West England. I’m surveying the kombucha scene in the part of England where I grew up, before I left for college, and, eventually, to emigrate to California.

So far I’ve posted an interview with Mark Young of Brew Loka in Manchester and hosted a guest posting by Sabia and Andrew of OMbucha in Wilmslow.

In this profile and podcast I speak with Emma, the founder of Booch & Brew located on the outskirts of Manchester. Stay tuned for more profiles of kombucha brewers in the region.

Booch & Brew

Booch & Brew are based on a working farm in the grounds of the Dunham Massey National Trust property — a 17th English country house which boasts a deer park, the largest winter garden in Britain, and, now, the largest kombucha brewery in Greater Manchester.

While only a half-hour from the vibrant city center, owners Emma and Kenny have established their two-year-old brewery in the heart of the English countryside.

Rapid Growth

Emma and her husband Julian spent some years in the Richmond, Virginia area. While there, they came across fermented foods including kombucha. Back in the UK, they started brewing in their garage, moving from glass bottles to 100, 200 and then 300-liter containers. A year ago they built a micro-brewery in the Manor House Farm and now have eight 1,200 liter fermentation tanks. They distribute around Greater Manchester and as far afield as Bristol and Bath in the South-West.

Northern Powerhouse

Emma is keenly aware that kombucha is currently more popular in London and southern England than in the North-West. She’s pleased whenever she can introduce someone to her beverage — many have no idea that a fermented food can taste so nice.

As well as retail sales, they offered classes so people in the area can learn how to make their own kombucha at home. As development in northern Britain accelerates, Booch & Brew are playing their part in expanding the power of the north, one sip at a time.

Fun video

Booch & Brew feature Emma in a fun video on their home page, highlighting three important elements to their kombucha: Flavor, Health, and Versatility. As an alternative to sugar-laden soda the video shows that, without a doubt, their kombucha is anything but a drag!

Flavors

In addition to a standard selection of Original, Ginger Lemon, Mango, and Strawberry Mint, they offer seasonal flavors including a Dry Hopped blend, and a new “Fairy Wings” variety made from Green Sencha and Chun Mee Tea sourced from world-class tea shop LEAF in Liverpool (which I visited back in 2018).

Podcast

To hear Emma tell the Booch & Brew story, including the reason they chose a butterfly as their logo, click on the podcast below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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