IT all began with a beehive.
Botanical Brew is an innovative new venture producing jun kombucha in a purpose-built facility just outside Geelong at Lara, Victoria.
When Evan Spoljaric took over managing his grandfather’s hive he set out to learn about the Australian honey industry and the ethically caring of bees and their welfare by researching and joining a beekeeping club.
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This has also evolved into Mr Spoljaric now assisting with a government body into the threat of the varroa mite.
As the hive grew, so did the honey output.
“We collected 60kg of honey which was far too much for the family to use so we split the hive into two,” Mr Spoljaric said.
Together with his father Tony, a former chef and founder of La Madre bakery in Geelong, mum Lilly and brother Rainer, the family looked for ways of utilising their excess honey.
“As a family we were into ferments with the bread, making our own sauerkraut and the like and were inspired to make jun kombucha after attending a talk about different forms of fermenting,” Mr Spoljaric, who studying a Bachelor of Agriculture, said.
“Kombucha is made with sugar and black tea while jun kombucha is made from honey and green tea – it seemed a perfect solution.”
After trial batches at home and evaluating the business potential the family secured a Federal government grant that enabled them to upscale and set up the production facility.
The grant came through the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages (RJIP) for Innovation.
Proposed benefits to the region include supporting local farmers and producers and value-adding to their products; training and re-training the hospitality industry in fermentation and fermented products.
Having it available on the market both locally and internationally, the result is a food product/ beverage that promotes the Geelong region (tourism) being a centre for healthy clean food production.
They have installed three large 1500L stainless steel tanks, a pressure tank of similar capacity and a number of testing tanks of around 250L for smaller specialty lines at the facility.
Rainer Spoljaric said they don’t use any concentrates, sweeteners or additives in their products.
“We are endeavouring to incorporate as many indigenous fruits and flavours, and locally sourced organic fruit as possible,” he said.
Along with indigenous herbs and spices and interesting fruits such as finger lime, blueberries and ginger from Qld, mandarins, strawberry guavas and feijoas, the family is always on the lookout for growers who may have suitable and interesting produce that could have potential to be used in the drinks.
Jun Kombucha is a lightly effervescent and refreshing pre/probiotic drink which is also favoured for its associated health benefits.
It is made with honey, organic green tea, SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) the jelly-like culture that feeds off the honey, pure water and culture.
The Spoljarics have developed their own authentic recipe and are using handcrafted and traditional methods to produce their innovative Botanical Brew combos which include Galaxy and Citra hops, mandarin and finger lime, juniper and blueberry, and ginger and lemon myrtle.
They are also excellent as mixers with gin, tequila, vodka or in cocktails.
By making small batches using specific stainless steel equipment for quality, temperature and time control they are continually fine-tuning their technology while keeping it simple with attention to detail so the kombucha is allowed time to go through its full fermentation and develop complexity of flavour.
“We believe we are the first in Australia to make alcoholic based jun kombucha,” Tony Spoljaric said.
“It wasn’t our goal to produce an alcoholic product but with fermentation that’s the way it is.
“It is low in alcohol and will be sold through licenced cafes, restaurants, liquor outlets and we are also looking at possibly establishing a cellar door later on.”
