Have you been on the hunt for a new crushable beverage to try this summer? Well, I’ve got some good brews for you! I meet up with Jesse Silver the Chief Executive Officer at Higher Culture Brew to try his two available kombucha flavors: Jasmine Pear & Blackberry Hibiscus. This less than a year old small-batch brewing company out of Montpelier is really special if you don’t really dig very sweet kombucha. Curious? Keep reading to learn more and for two seasonal salad pairings to go with both. 😉
Why Is High Culture Brew “True To You?”
Jesse spent the majority of his career in the food & beverage industry. Starting out with Nantucket Nectars in marketing/sales when their founders Tom First and Tom Scott were still selling the beverage to Massachusetts Bay yachters out of an aluminum skiff. Jesse then moved on to work with Vitamin Water doing marketing/sales and even got to drop the popular drink off at 50 Cent’s mansion)…don’t catch me in the club, catch me in the HOUSE! 😂
We fast forward to the present and Jesse has built two companies in the beverage sector, Ground Up Brewing & High Culture Brew of which he owns 100%. High Culture Brew now has sales associates in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. They also use the popular beverage distributors, Vermont Beer Shepherd and Northeast Specialist Coastline to get their kombucha in front of Maine, New Hampshire, California, and (of course) Vermont-based customers! ♥️
What Is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a beverage consisting of black tea and fermented sugar. It has been consumed for over 1,000 thousand years by Asian countries in particular. The Chinese even go as far as to label it a “miracle health elixir.” Kombucha contains a colony of bacteria and particularly a type of yeast known as SCOBY. After fermentation, it becomes carbonated and full of healthy organic acids, B vitamins, enzymes, and probiotics. The organic acids found within kombucha can also support cardiovascular and liver health. However, this drink is not for everyone, it is said that you should steer away from the drink if you have candida issues, dental concerns, or digestive diseases (like Crohn’s Disease).
The unique thing about High Culture Brew is that they not only use an organic green tea base for kombucha, but they also infuse organic brewed tea into their kombucha base. In their blackberry hibiscus, they use brewed organic hibiscus tea and their jasmine pear flavor has organic jasmine tea. They then add the organic fruit juices for a non-vinegary and subtly sweet final product. When I tried High Culture Brew, I was pleasantly surprised that it was not overly sweet, it didn’t upset my stomach from enjoying one bottle, and it’s freaking DELICIOUS! ✨
Why High Culture Brew?
I used to drink the Aquaitea Kombucha but I honestly stopped drinking it after a few months because it was too sugary and unsettling to my stomach. However, when I tried High Culture Brew, my first impressions were: 1. “Wow, this is not too sweet at all” and 2. “This is actually super refreshing!” I am SO excited because this is the first kombucha that I actually really enjoy and isn’t too much for me (when consumed in moderation). There will definitely be one of these in my cooler throughout summer as I hit the water with good lunch. 🌊😎☀️
I recommend looking into kombucha as an alternative to soda or other sugary drinks because of the health benefits. High Culture Brew offers two juicy, refreshing, and satisfying flavors. The Jasmine Pear flavor is very light, floral, slightly sweet, and totally crushable. I thought of it as the “summer/spring flavor.” The Blueberry Rooibos flavor is more juicy and earthy in flavor yet just as crushable. I think of this one as the “fall/winter flavor.”
Perfect Pairings for High Culture Brew
Wondering what to pair your favorite flavor of High Culture Brew with? Here are two healthy salad ideas for you to try out based on the season that you’re in!
Spring & Summer Salad Option
Pair it with Jasmine Pear Kombucha from High Culture Brewing!
Fall & Winter Salad Option
Pair it with Blackberry Hisbiscus Kombucha from High Culture Brewing!
Want to find and try High Culture Brew? Pick it up at your local City Market or Healthy Living. Not close to either of those stores? Reach out to Jesse directly on Instagram and he’ll let you know the closest store for you to pick it up at! Don’t forget to follow along with High Culture Brew on Facebook and Instagram for new product drops and updates. Have you tried High Culture? What do you think? 👇
