“Who is Kombucha?” said Joe Erickson ‘26. While some may be familiar with the carbonated drink, plenty of students, such as Erickson, are not. The perception of this drink has changed over time from a niche form of, as Will Bohrnsen put it,  “hippie health food” to a commonly purchased and enjoyed drink that can be found in most grocery and convenience stores. This change has to do with the rising popularity of the beverage and the aspects of it that people enjoy. Nora Ibrani ‘26 finds that “the carbonation is refreshing.” The taste is also a draw for some, like Anil Chandiramani who explains that he “likes the sometimes intense, vinegary tanginess that kombuchas can have, the cringe quality.” However, the strong taste is controversial. A common negative opinion about kombucha within Blake’s student population was that its flavor is “too acidic and tangy,” according to Shoumilli Tarafder ‘26. Another appeal of kombucha is the benefits for gut health and the probiotics it provides. Kombucha’s health benefits also lead to personal satisfaction in the choice of drink. This phenomena was displayed by Chandiramani who shared that “I feel guilt when having a sugary drink like a coke, which I know is probably dissolving my teeth and who knows what else. I don’t feel that same guilt when I am having kombucha.” Beyond the health benefits of kombucha, there is also a science and craft behind how the beverage is brewed. Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast, or SCOBY, is the fermentation starter that begins the process of kombucha fermentation. Bohrnsen, who has brewed his own kombucha for many years, shared that “kombuchas will taste different even if they are made with the same recipe because people use different SCOBYs which contain different bacterias”. The SCOBY along with water, tea, and sugar are sealed in a bottle which is carbonated naturally though the yeast eating the sugar, creating carbon dioxide bubbles. SCOBY can be split to create new kombucha, which is an easy way to spread the craft of brewing kombucha to friends and others who are interested.