Brew City Booch
David Anderson, owner of Brew City Booch (2018 S. First St.), realizes there’s still a mystique about his product, kombucha, a sparkling fermented tea drink with live probiotic cultures, served cold and fizzy. The non-alcoholic beverage has been popular on the West Coast for years, but now, here in the Beer Capitol, more people are enjoying kombucha along with other consumables in the fermentation wave, such as sauerkraut and kimchi.
“It’s a low-sugar alternative to soda, but with a bold flavor, refreshing effervescence and a natural tangy profile,” Anderson says. Brew City Booch flavors include berry hibiscus; ginger turmeric, flavored with raw ginger and turmeric root; jasmine; and lemon thyme, which is on the tarty side and made with lemon thyme herbs grown in Anderson’s garden, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice added to produce a summery taste. The chai flavor is a little sweeter, with notes of cinnamon, cardamom and molasses. Anderson is currently perfecting a fig mint flavor.
“With all flavors, we use all-natural components and simple, raw ingredients. Nothing is processed,” he adds. “Kombucha has possibilities for a multitude of flavors; the spectrum is a wide-open playground.” He produces Brew City Booch in small batches in Bittercube’s former space in Lincoln Warehouse.
Anderson sold Brew City Booch at the South Shore Farmers Market, where people new to kombucha can sample the flavors. “I get mostly positive reactions. Kids, adults and people from all walks of life are trying it,” Anderson says. “Some people who never heard of it are not prepared for tartness that is characteristic of kombucha, and they make sour faces. We’ll also get avid kombucha drinkers that appreciate it. We often hear that Brew City Booch is not as potent as the commercial kombucha available in grocery stores.”
Two brothers, Justin and Ryan Dworak, originally started Brew City Booch last year. Anderson grew up with the Dworaks in West Bend, and they all had attended Lubar School of Business at UW-Milwaukee together. When the brothers started Brew City Booch, Anderson, who has a background in food science, was brought on board to help develop the business. The brothers eventually found other priorities and pursuits, so Anderson took the helm to see what he could make of Brew City Booch. Before becoming involved with the business, he had never tried kombucha. “The brothers turned me on to it.”
As an avid sailor and member of the South Shore Yacht Club, Anderson hopes to make Brew City Booch a beacon for Great Lakes stewardship and give back to programs that support Lake Michigan.
Brew City Booch can be found at Groppi’s; Sendik’s, on Downer Avenue; West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe’s location in the Milwaukee Public Market and at their store and café on 68th and Burnham; Beans & Barley; Celesta vegan restaurant; and on tap at 1840 Brewing Company, Component Brewing and MOR Bakery and Café—the latter two being his neighbors in Lincoln Warehouse.
For more information, visit Anderson’s Instagram @brewcityboochmke or email brewcityboochmke@gmail.com.
