Exploring the Synergy Between Kava and Kombucha: An Interview with Derek Hillen from New Leaf Kombucha Taproom

Derek Hillen at his Kombucha brewing house and taproom in Auckland’s Grey Lynn (37 Crummer Road)

While most people purchase our kava online, we maintain a small, dedicated network of retail partners who share our passion for kava. Some, like our partner kava bar - the Four Shells Kava Lounge, focus exclusively on kava, while others offer complementary goods and services. One of our longest-standing relationships is with New Leaf Kombucha and its owner Derek. We first met Derek several years ago shortly after he opened his kombucha taproom. Looking for a place to send a few e-mails and chat through some stuff while driving around Auckland, we were drawn in by his "kombucha taproom" sign and dropped by to try some kombucha and do a bit of work.

Derek was an enthusiastic host, giving us a detailed tour and a passionate-lecture on kombucha brewing. His approach to kombucha, focused on purity and tradition, reminded us a lot of our approach to kava. Derek’s kombuchas are truly first class. Unlike many commercially available products, they contain no flavours or sweeteners. He works with high quality organic teas, flowers and hops (his hop-bucha is mind blowing) to create brews that present the distinct flavour notes of the plants in their full glory, undisturbed or masked by any distractions. Honestly, these are the best kombuchas you can buy in New Zealand (visit their website to find out more)

When Derek learned about our involvement with kava, he was eager to know more.

Derek's initial scepticism towards kava soon transformed into genuine appreciation, and today, he not only retails our products but also serves his exquisite kombuchas at the Four Shells Kava Lounge. Below, we delve into a conversation with Derek, exploring his journey with both kava and kombucha:

A kombucha sampling set as served at the New Leaf Kombucha taproom in Auckland

Hi Derek, thanks for agreeing to share your story and talk about kava and kombucha, as well as your own journey with kava. First of all, could you please introduce yourself and tell our readers a bit more about your story and the story of your kombucha business?
We came to New Zealand from the US nine years ago on our sailboat. The plan was to spend a few months here and keep heading west but we fell in love with the people and the country and stayed. I took a course in beer brewing and began brewing technical beers and basically turned the house into a craft brewery. My wife was not happy with this new found passion and wanted me to brew "something healthy." So, a mate of mine in Golden Bay sent me a SCOBY and I started to play around with kombucha. I figured out how to brew really good kombucha after a while and it was so popular we decided to open New Zealand's only kombucha taproom in 2017.

Can you tell us a bit more about your kombucha taproom? What sort of customers do you get? Do people come to hang out with kombucha, or do they mostly come to buy takeaways?
Our taproom is set up as a real bar with five different kombuchas on tap and many more types in the fridge. You can see where we brew through double paned glass - everything is transparent, we have nothing to hide. Pre-Covid, most of our customers would come and stay for a drink before buying bottles to take away. This still happens but more people pop in to buy bottles now and go on their way. We have a crazy popular refill program as well, with every tenth refill free.

And how does kava fit into your kombucha business? How did you discover kava and why did you think it might be a good fit for your kombucha shop?
We aim to give people a choice and after seeing the damage alcohol does to your body, your relationships and your community we want nothing to do with it. Most people, however, can't come home after a hard day's work to just a glass of warm water. We provide the non-alcoholic alternative, delicious tasting authentic kombucha. As it is a fermented beverage, you "feel" like you are drinking alcohol but you are drinking healthy probiotics that just make you feel great.

I was introduced to kava by you guys, but I really didn't get into it until the lockdowns began. Then my true kava journey really started. Now I can appreciate the different varieties of kava and their equally different effects. The brilliant thing about kava, besides being organic, is it helps you relax after a long day, is non-alcoholic and never gives you a hangover. What more do you want?

Does kombucha and kava really go together? What's your experience? How do you customers perceive the synergy between the two? Do people come to your shop to buy both, or are there two separate groups of customers: some who only come for kava and others who are only interested in kombucha?
Good questions. Yes, kombucha and kava are a match made in heaven. The taste of kava is something that takes getting used to and is never what we would call "pleasant." However, the kombucha tastes amazing and completely blankets any disagreeable flavours from kava. And both are non-alcoholic. We have been selling kava in our taproom for several years now and are becoming the "go to" place to buy kava during the day in Auckland. We have turned many of our kombucha customers into kava fans and, vice versa, we have converted old kava hands to drinking our kombucha as well. It is win-win for everyone.

People often drink kava as a better alternative to alcohol. But doesn't kombucha contain a bit of alcohol? Would it still be an OK think to drink for someone who wants to avoid alcohol?
Our kombucha is strictly non-alcoholic by law. It is true, during the natural fermentation process trace amounts of alcohol are created but in our kombucha they are so low (well below 1%) that only a lab can tell you it is there. Kombucha is the perfect alternative for people who don't drink alcohol (like myself now) or for people who would like to drink less alcohol.

Any future plans and ideas for kombucha products or events with kombucha and kava?
We now sell so much kava we are planning on offering tastings of it in the taproom as well. A pairing of different kava with different kombuchas would be fun and educational, I believe, and would help more people appreciate both of these ancient and amazing non-alcoholic drinks. Tasting IS believing, after all.