A local musician and Kombucha brewer, Ben Zanfagna admits he’s always had a love for music. However, his interest in probiotic tea was something that grew out of his own personal health struggles.
“My freshman year at college I became very sick,” he shares. “It took me almost a year to recover. I had always been an athlete and healthy, so this was extremely difficult for me. From my hospital bed and then at home, I had a lot of time to read and research about natural health practices. I wanted to get myself well and strong again. That is when I was first introduced to Kombachu tea and I started to drink in regularly.”
Kombucha is a type of yeast. The tea is made by mixing kombucha and bacteria with sweetened black tea. This mixture is then fermented in a glass or ceramic container for at least a week. Since Kombucha tea is loaded with probiotics, and there is mounting evidence that probiotics aide digestion, it is used to help with a number of health issues and is most often to help boost the immune system.
As a brewer, Ben says he is intimately involved in every part of the process and the entire experience is therapeutic for him. “I love the creative process from mixing and fermenting through putting my label on each bottle of Boocha.”
Ben studied his craft in Colorado and Israel where a chance encounter with a master brewer was instrumental in expanding his home brewing efforts. “I met this man who was just glowing with health, vibrancy, energy and clarity of thinking. I realized this was something I wanted to do and make available to people in my town.” Ben brews and bottles his own authentic Boocha Kombucha which is available at the Natural Grocer in Newburyport and Eastman’s Corner in Kensington. He makes his probiotic teas at both of these locations so it is as fresh as it can be.
As the lead singer and songwriter for the Red Tail Hawk Band, Ben sees symmetry between Kombucha and his music. “When you hear good music, it is healing, it creates harmony within your body. Kombucha does the same thing. It helps create harmony in the gut and that creates health in the body.”
Check out Ben’s band June 25th at the Farm at Eastman’s Corner. And try a bottle of Ben’s Boochu while you are there. It perfect for a cool summer evening.
