Last week I posted an appreciation of the Instagram of Susy Drinks Kombucha – an impressive archive of over 270 detailed reviews of commercial brands in the States and Europe. At the time I speculated that
…she grew up in northern Italy, studied craft beer making, and worked as a sommelier (hence her discriminating vocabulary about beverages). She is sober and lives in or around Brooklyn, where she reads philosophy when not picnicking in Prospect Park. She travels to Europe regularly.
I’m delighted to post this podcast interview with Susy herself: Susanna Danieli. She does indeed live in Brooklyn, was raised in Vicenza and Rome, and trained as a sommelier.
As a trained sommelier with a master’s in spirits and craft beer tasting, she brings a unique and sophisticated palate to the kombucha scene. Her approach, informed by epistemology and enology, treats kombucha as a living subject with personality and character:
I don’t adopt an analytical, surgical approach as the normal sommelier does–in which you have an object in front of you. Instead, I take an epistemological approach, where you have a subject, and you encounter wine (or kombucha). I approach kombucha as if she is alive, as we are alive. And every time we encounter a wine, the wine may have changed because it evolves as we evolve. As the philosopher Heraclitus says, “Everything flows.” So every time I meet a wine or a kombucha, I may have changed, I may have another sensation, I may have another feeling.
The interview covers Susy’s personal kombucha journey, from her initial encounter with the beverage to her decision to quit alcohol and focus on kombucha as a healthy alternative. She also discusses her kombucha review process, her preference for authentic, naturally fermented kombucha, and her thoughts on the current state of the kombucha industry. The conversation touches on cultural differences in taste preferences, the growth of the kombucha market, and the importance of finding high-quality kombucha.
Susie’s review highlight the lack of standardization and the prevalence of overly sweet, inauthentic kombucha in the market. She emphasizes the importance of natural ingredients, minimal sugar, and a distinctive sourness as hallmarks of quality kombucha.
I read the labels a lot. Every time I see carbonated water, I think, “Okay, so this is not kombucha…” So yes, I always look for fresh ingredients. I avoid extracts. It’s not easy to find dry, complex kombucha. Especially in the States, it isn’t easy to find kombucha that is just original, unflavored and unsweetened.
Susie welcomes kombucha brands to reach out to her via a DM on Instagram if they would like her to review their product. She is particularly interested in discovering kombucha outside of New York City and expanding her knowledge of the kombucha scene.
Podcast
Check out what Susie says in this 30-minute interview.
