• Katie Chaffee
• On April 11, 2013

As an Ohioan, this first week of warm weather makes me want to pop a bottle of champagne and celebrate the end of a long and cold winter (despite what the groundhog said otherwise a couple months ago). However, thanks to my brother who just came back from Grand Rapids Michigan, the brewery capital of the country, I think he may of found something even better… drum-roll please…Unity Vibrations Ginger Kombucha Beer!!! Brewed in Yipsilanti, MI, this beer is unlike any beer I have ever tasted. Actually, the bubbly carbonation and light refreshing taste is more comparable to a champagne than any beer I’ve ever tasted. The style of Kombucha beer comes from the Japanese who created this type of beer by using fermented tea leaves in the brewing process. In fact, there is actually no malt whatsoever used in this process. It’s just fermented tea leaves mixed with fruity and spiced hops giving it that bubbly champagne-like taste. This type of beer is huge in Japan, many even drink it with their breakfast because of the refreshing fruity taste, however, it is pretty rare to find this style of beer in the U.S.

When my brother gave me this beer as a gift from the Grand Rapids, I really didn’t know what to expect; which is probably why when I opened it the bottle immediately overflowed all over myself and my kitchen floor, much like a popped bottle of champagne. With that being said, WARNING: Do not open this beer if it has been shaken in the slightest, leave it alone upright for several minutes before opening or else expect a volcano like explosion of delicious foaming bubbles. Anyways, once the bubbles settled down and I wiped myself off, I was ready to give it a try. The initial scent may be off-putting to some, it has a light vinegary aroma, but don’t worry, it does not reflect the taste at all. The taste is light and refreshing with hints of ginger, citrus, and light spice that mix together in a bubbly carbonated texture, much like champagne.