Lounging with kombucha
Kombucha isn’t Ryan Donn’s cup of tea.
The Kelowna city councillor said Tuesday that while he doesn’t enjoy the beverage he fully supported plans by a local kombucha-producing business to add a lounge to its new location.
“I love the diversity it’ll add to the (downtown) north end,” Donn told the owners of Motherlove Ferments during a public hearing on their rezoning application.
“But as much as I’ve tried kombucha, I can’t find a way to like it,” Donn said with a laugh. “But I’m so excited they’re going to make it good and as well as they can. And maybe this will be a chance to make it taste a little better.”
Council unanimously endorsed the proposed 30-person lounge at 109-889 Vaughan Ave., but the final decision rests with provincial liquor and cannabis authorities.
The area is already home to a number of breweries and wineries. Established by Rochelle Minagawa, Motherlove Ferments has been in business in Kelowna since 2015.
Kombucha is a mildly sweet and acidic beverage made from fermenting black or green tea. The website for Motherlove Ferments states: “As part of the fermentation process, kombucha does produce a small amount of alcohol, less than the threshold for ‘non-alcoholic’ status in Canada.”
Coun. Loyal Wooldridge said he recalled when Motherlove Ferments started out by offering its products at the local farmers’ market.
“It’s a great local success story,” Wooldridge said.
In response to Donn’s admission he doesn’t enjoy kombucha, Mayor Colin Basran quipped that he just needed to try more of it at Motherlove Ferments’ store: “We’ll get you a day pass.”