South London based husband and wife led team, MOMO Kombucha (www.momo-kombucha.com), create Great Taste Award winning kombucha using natural methods; 24th November sees the New Covent Garden Market based brewery launch collaborative Hops Kombucha (RRP £4.50 per 330ml glass bottle; 6 pack: £26.50; 12 pack: £45.00) with South London neighbours, Orbit Beers (www.orbitbeers.com), soon to be available from MOMO, Orbit and Selfridges.
A limited edition that will launch in time for festive celebrations and Dry January, the collaboration is back for the third year, by popular demand. MOMO X Orbit Beers Hops Kombucha is made with Hallertau Blanc and Nelson Sauvin hops that provide tropical fruit and gooseberry flavours, rounded out with a tart kombucha hit for a kombucha is equal parts complex and refreshing. Hops have a complex flavour base, mapping citrus tones and herbal, earthy notes, which make them an astonishing match for fully fermented tart kombucha like MOMO’s. Finally, a non-alcoholic option that beer drinkers can get truly excited about.
Co-Founder of MOMO Kombucha, Josh Puddle, comments, “We could think of no better partner than Orbit Beers, we’ve admired their traditional method of making European beer with a modern twist down the road in South East London for many years. This traditional approach with a flavour focussed modern spin felt like a natural fit for the way we brew. This is our third limited edition special, and we are so grateful to have partnered with Orbit. Their beers can regularly be found in our brewery fridge (for when a kombucha can’t quite cut it) and Orbit supply some of our favourite pubs and restaurants in London. Thanks also to our Head Brewer Matt Canham for the creation of this delicious kombucha – it could be our best yet.”
Robert Middleton, Founder of Orbit Beers adds, “We’ve admired MOMO’s traditional method of brewing kombucha down the road in South London for many years and love working with and sharing recipes and ideas with their team. Our first collaborative batch was brewed in January 2021. It was so well received, winning a Great Taste Award, that we decided to brew it for the third time, in time for Dry January 2024. One of the main reasons we fell in love with kombucha (apart from the delicious taste) is the benefits for our gut microbiome.”
For every bottle sold, MOMO will contribute 10p to Save the Children’s Gaza appeal, supporting children affected by the crisis in the region.
ABOUT ORBIT BEERS
Orbit’s story began when Founder Robert set off on a journey in his VW campervan to discover beer in the land of whisky. This expedition took him to every single brewery in his native Scotland, from the northernmost island in Shetland to the Outer Hebrides, the Scottish Borders and even his home town of Dundee. The result was a book called The Tea Leaf Paradox and a burning desire to create Orbit Beers. The team moved into a double railway arch in Walworth, South London in early 2014, brewing beers that are deeply rooted in European tradition, with a modern approach. Orbit take classic styles and we make them their own, with an eye for finesse and drinkability. Orbit’s work is inspired by the ethos of their favourite record labels, who hold quality music and art above all else. Likewise, Orbit accept no compromises when it comes to making beer. Find them at the Orbit Taproom somewhere between Camberwell and Elephant & Castle (225 & 228 Fielding St, London SE17 3HD).
ABOUT MOMO KOMBUCHA
MOMO Kombucha is on a mission to produce the best tasting and highest quality kombucha, which they achieve by using finest ingredients, including a blend of the finest teas and slow pressed juice; brewing in glass jars, in super small batches, and leaving the liquid completely unfiltered to offer the maximum health impact.
WHAT IS KOMBUCHA?
Kombucha, or fermented tea, has been around thousands of years. When properly brewed it is a delicious, slightly fizzy and refreshing soft drink that is low in sugar and naturally contains probiotics and healthy organic acids. Kombucha is made using four simple ingredients: tea, water, sugar and a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). During fermentation, the yeasts consume the sugar and produce alcohol, then the bacteria consume this alcohol to produce the acids that give kombucha its tangy flavour. MOMO’s raw and unfiltered kombucha is full of live cultures which support gut health and aid digestion. Kombucha also naturally contains acetic acid, which is great for boosting energy and lowering blood sugar levels; as kombucha is brewed from tea, it’s also full of antioxidants.
MOMO tested numerous combinations of tea as its base, before settling on the current blend, which uses three types of organic, loose-leaf tea: a delicate sencha, delicious and rich assam and a deep, earthy pu-erh, which is a rare, fermented tea from China.
THE MOMO KOMBUCHA METHOD
A key component of MOMO’s method was gleaned during the research stage, when Founders Josh and Lisa Puddle spoke with commercial brewers who told them the best kombucha they had ever made was brewed in small glass jars – the kombucha fermentation process is delicate as the bacteria and yeast need to be balanced, small batch production lends much more control over the process, they decided very early on to commit to this brewing method to keep their processes resolutely artisan. Many kombucha brands ferment in large stainless-steel tanks, filter, pasteurise or make their liquid from concentrate, MOMO’s 10L glass jar method retains the highest quality. Keeping the kombucha completely unfiltered lends the drink a fuller depth of flavour and retains maximal living cultures.
MOMO KOMBUCHA FANS
MOMO Kombucha counts among their fans bestselling cookbook author and chef Melissa Hemsley, as well as gut health expert Tim Spector, who espouses the four k’s: kombucha, kefir, kraut and kimchi – Tim is a big fan of MOMO, and took time out to visit the brewery in person to champion kombucha made with maximum health benefits.
Find MOMO X Orbit Beers Hops Kombucha at Selfridges, Orbit Beers’ website and taproom and via www.momo-kombucha.com.
ABOUT MOMO KOMBUCHA
Starting MOMO Kombucha in 2018, MOMO Kombucha Founders Josh and Lisa Puddle wanted to create the business as a way of living more connected and healthier lives; Josh and Lisa hope that with every bottle of MOMO, they can encourage people to do the same. The husband-and-wife team discovered kombucha on a trip to New York, where they were amazed at how great it made them feel; on returning to the UK and finding kombucha was hard to come by, they started homebrewing in their kitchen, with fermenting brews stacked up in their small London flat, and providing bedside tables in their bedroom; Josh and Lisa fell in love with the brewing process, quit their jobs (in equity analysis for Berenberg Bank and PwC, Josh, and fashion marketing for Net a Porter, ASOS, Prada and Urban Outfitters, Lisa) and dedicated themselves to brewing the ultimate kombucha.
MOMO is raw and completely unfiltered for a fuller depth of flavour. It’s not easy making kombucha this way, but it’s worth it, and MOMO have the awards to prove it. In 2022, MOMO was proud to become the highest scoring B Corp kombucha company in Europe. Some of the initiatives undertaken at MOMO include: 1) London Living Wage Employer; 2) 1% revenue pledge to charity; and 3) certified organic by the Soil Association.
Collaborative blends have become an integral part of the MOMO Kombucha brewing calendar, 2022 saw MOMO with Danish fashion brand, GANNI, MOMO’s recent Forced Rhubarb collaboration with Natoora sold out within days, and their Natoora Watermelon Kombucha was the drink of the Summer, in Spring 2023 the team worked with Caravan Coffee Roasters to create MOMO x Caravan Gesha Coffee Kombucha, a first-of-its-kind launch, using cold brew Gesha, one of the world’s rarest and most sought-after coffee varieties.
Having launched to Ocado at the end of 2022, the MOMO Kombucha team is growing at pace, from eight people at the end of last year to fifteen people as of November 2023; the team is over 50% female and the production team is currently 40% female, a rare statistic in brewing. Further growth, charitable initiatives, creative collaborations and formats are due to be announced following MOMO Kombucha’s recent fifth birthday, marking an exciting time for the ambitious and resolutely artisan brand.
THE MOMO KOMBUCHA CORE RANGE
All of MOMO’s core range of kombuchas (RRP £3.99 per 330ml glass bottle) are Great Taste Award winning, the most popular of the bunch is 2* MOMO Ginger Lemon Kombucha, some ingredients just work magic together and ginger is to kombucha what salt is to dark chocolate – a staple that’s ideal as a morning pick-me-up; MOMO Turmeric Kombucha brings out turmeric’s deliciously earthy flavour, which is brightened by a hint of pineapple juice; MOMO Elderflower Kombucha is smooth and refreshing, a thirst quencher, whatever the weather – MOMO steep organic elderflower with loose leaf tea before fermentation for a fuller depth of flavour; MOMO Raspberry-Hibiscus Kombucha is sophisticated in profile and beautifully pink, thanks to a hint of organic crushed raspberry and a whole lot of hibiscus – the result is deeply hued and richly flavoured, making it an excellent alcohol alternative.
Follow MOMO Kombucha on Instagram: @MOMOkombucha
Follow Orbit Beers on Instagram: @OrbitBeers
See MOMO Kombucha at work in their brewery: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL9qX2DiN1w
To request samples, images, or interviews, please contact Right Hand PR:
Alex Godfrey: alex@right-hand.co // 07739 804 670
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