Boombacha Kombucha

Any Floridian who has seen a completely absurd headline about some guy who built a toothpick castle for squirrels beneath a bridge before bumbling a very poorly constructed crime knows the article is most assuredly going to say “Florida Man” somewhere in that first paragraph. But every real Sunshine Stater also knows of a very different type of Florida man: a native son well versed in our landscapes, from the palms to the panhandle, with an extensive and in-depth knowledge of nature and all the wonders that come with it.

Rob Manley, owner of Boombacha Kombucha, is the latter type. He’s an eighth-generation Floridian who grew up in Wauchula, not too far from a swampy hammock-style state park but also close enough to the sea to make scuba diving and spearfishing useful skills. Sure, he loves to hunt and hike, but he’s also a barista at a boutique coffee shop, a landscape photographer, and a New College alumnus with a degree in marine biology. He even worked in that field for a while before discovering a passion for a different type of scientific process: fermentation.

Now, I knew Rob must be a patient man when he told me he and his wife are waiting until their baby arrives this spring to find out whether they’re having a boy or girl because God knows I wasn’t able to wait seven seconds to find out what mine were going to be. Thus, it’s not a stretch to imagine that Rob is able to calmly and carefully nurture the flavors and ferment of the complex beverage that is kombucha.

“I love the process; it’s just fascinating,” says Rob. “It’s controlling the aspects of rot and making sure that rot creates great things. There’s a mechanical precision to fermentation but also a bit of guesswork and imprecision in the way you can combine the same things in two different ways and create drastically different products.”

He continues to tell me about the many lacto-ferments he’s creating at his house, from sauerkraut to kimchi to vinegar, clearly charmed by how a simple group of even simpler ingredients can create something delicious when given a little time. “And it’s so good for your gut,” I add. “Yeah, it is,” he says, “And I love the probiotic aspect of it, but I’d also like folks to know that it’s a lower-sugar soda replacement,” he tells me.

Though Rob is a fan of the fact that ferments are finally gaining mass appeal for their body benefits, he doesn’t think that’s the only reason people should drink it. “It’s got to taste good too, right?,” he says as more of a fact than a question.

“Yeah, that would be ideal,” I reply. “So, what makes yours tastier than some other effervescent option on the shelf beside it?”“Boombacha isn’t way too sour or way too sweet. And it’s low-carbonation, which means you won’t be burping after every sip,” he explains, adding “I like to play with unique flavors, too, like ginger lime, matcha lemonade, or a spiced cherry that tastes like a Dr Pepper. At the end of the day, I just want to offer people an easy, accessible, chuggable kombucha that pairs well with food.”

“Pairs well with food” is always a plus and it speaks volumes that some of the most delicious restaurants in town are serving Boombacha beside their beautiful dishes. Florence and the Spice Boys have it on hand to complement the vibrancy of their flavorful dishes while Meliora has mixed it into an exquisite mocktail. You can also find Boombacha all over town, from coffee spots to specialty shops and a slew of other local restaurants: Check Boombacha’s website for a growing list of places to purchase it, or just go anywhere cool in town as they’re bound to have the bottles on hand.

“Don’t be scared of it,” Rob suggests to newbies. “I know that it’s not for everyone, but give it a try.”

We will, neighbor. We will.

> Boombacha Kombucha: boombacha.com