Your Go-To Organic Kombucha Place in El Paso
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If you’re not relatively sure if you like Kombucha or if you’re just getting into it, Madre Nostra Kombucha is the best place for you to start! Their Kombucha is never overly-fermented or “vinegary”, and they have a lot of flavors that you can choose from — ideal for you if you want to explore.
Madre Nostra Kombucha is a local small-batch organic Kombucha company located in El Paso. They also happen to be friendly and fantastically creative when it comes to making the yummiest probiotic elixirs in town. Their taproom is great to visit for a mid-week fill up, and they’re often at local farmers markets with kegs full of delicious Kombucha. So, make sure not to pass this one up!
What, Exactly, is Kombucha?
Kombucha has been brewed in homes for centuries, if not millennia. Starting with a pot of sweet tea, a SCOBY — symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast — is added to the brew and left alone for a week. The resulting tangy sweet beverage delights the senses and the living nutrition invigorates the body. Sounds interesting enough to try it yet? Better grab yours from Madre Nostra Kombucha!
©️ Picbilly
The Inspiration Behind
According to Louie Castorena (co-owner) himself:
Seeing El Paso grow so much during these last 10 years has been a huge inspiration. Watching all these craft breweries, art, music, restaurants, bars, events pop up was inspiring. We wanted to be part of that growth and felt that El Paso was ready for craft Kombucha too,
Forming the Business
Like most businesses, Madre Nostra Kombucha started off as a hobby. Louie was brewing at home, specifically making clones of flavors he had already seen and tried at stores. Until one day, he eventually got comfortable and started experimenting with new flavors.
©️ Lolita Shop
At first, he did the usual Instagram posts showcasing his very own kombucha until someone asked if they were available for purchase. It was the very spark that started it all for the business.
I called the local and state health department and emailed a bunch of other Texas Kombucha companies to ask them questions. Luckily, I got a response from two companies (shout out to Wunder-Pilz Kombucha & Ktonic Kombucha out in ATX). I decided to move forward and found a small 90-square foot commercial kitchen for lease, got my permits and licenses, and finally got to brewing,
They officially started selling in October of 2016 in 32oz refillable bottles. The glass bottles have beautiful artwork by Christin Apodaca — an amazing artist from El Paso — and have become somewhat of collector’s items since then.
After about 8 months into the works, they outgrew their small space and moved to a new 1900-square foot location, which is now their tasting room or brewery.
On Penetrating the Market
The challenges have really been more about consumer education. Kombucha is a bit newer to El Paso compared to other cities in Texas. With this, consumers might (or tend to) be a bit more hesitant to purchase a bottle without sampling.
©️ Jacobo Villegas
This is the very reason why farmers markets are so important to Madre Nostra Kombucha; they get to have face-to-face interaction with their customers and provide answers to any questions that may arise towards their products.
On Facing Their Competitors
If you’re wondering about what sets them apart from the rest of the competition, it would be the time they dedicate into brewing. The business takes extra steps to condition their Kombucha, ensuring that it is as crisp as possible. Along with that, their flavors and the methods they use to make sure that the full flavor of the ingredients come through in different layers.
Sourcing Ingredients
Madre Nostra Kombucha gets its organic teas directly from a supplier in California. The business tries to use local fruits when available — but many fruits are hard to find out here in the desert so they usually get their organic produce at sprouts. If there are any local farmers reading this article (particularly those near their area), you may reach out to them for collaborations and partnerships!
Madre Nostra Kombucha Products
The first Kombucha they ever sold was a pear-ginger-lavender flavor. Similar to most of their Kombuchas, this took about 3 weeks to complete. They have had several variations of the flavor and it took about four tries just to perfect the drink.
©️ Bo Sanchez
Pro Tip: Pair your Kombucha with a Caprese salad (What wine goes well with caprese salad?) or sandwich. The acidity in the kombucha goes well with fatty cheese, tomato, and basil. You may also try their Lemon Ginger flavor with a good charcuterie board.
The Best Combo (From Louie Himself)
Oolong rose lemonade is one of his all-time favorites. Oolong tea ferments into a lighter kombucha and when brewed with rose petals and lemon, it makes a smooth, tasty beverage. A close second would be their Pica Fresa, which is made up of strawberry, tamarind, and cayenne.
Catch Their Products
Their tasting room is still open and they are offering curbside pick-up as well. You can find them locally at Global Coffee, Matteos Mexican Food, (What wine goes well with Mexican food?) Moms Fresh, Hoppy Monk, Mamacitas, RKU Fitness, The MRKT, Spirit Winds, and Eloise! Better follow them on their social media accounts for more updates regarding their newest locations.
©️ Christin Apodaca
If you’re in the El Paso area, visit them to grab a sample of some of their flavors. If you're out of town, worry not! Madre Nostra Kombucha plans to can 3-4 of their flavors. This very move will allow them to ship their products directly at your doorstep wherever you may be.
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