Ama Brewery Elusive Cuvées Vol. 1 Houjicha Pet-Nat Tea

Exclusive Kombucha or pét-nat tea (sparkling tea) as Ama Brewery calls it, is a novel concept of a lightly sparkling beverage, low in alcohol content but full of flavour, resulting from the fermentation of carefully selected tea varieties and herbal infusions.

This Vol. 1 Houjicha is an ephemeral brew, made from green tea grown in Kyoto Prefecture (Japan), of the Sencha variety, late harvested and then roasted to achieve the desired Hojicha type.

The water used to make the tea comes from the Alzola spring, Izarraitz Massif, in the Basque Country.

Brewing: Once in contact with the bacteria and yeast cultures, the infusions, prepared with spring water, begin to ferment. Both precision and balance are fundamental in the transformation of kombucha. These factors, together with continuous evolution and bottle ageing, are what allow Ama to become its own distinctive being. Before bottling, the tea is blended with organically grown elderberry extract that provides the pink hue.

Ageing: Ama sparkling tea is aged in bottle for at least 2 years. It will continue to improve over time and can be aged for up to three years more.

Tasting notes: amber colour. Notes of toasted wheat, cocoa, smoke and very fine effervescence.

When to drink: it is very universal, it can be used to accompany dishes with butter or cream, e.g. in sauces with fish or meat, also smoked fish and meat, barbecue. This kombucha is a new effervescent and delicious, low-alcoholic drink for the modern lifestyle.

Serve preferably at 9-11ºC in a white wine glass. Handle and open carefully to preserve the bubbles. The sediment (the small particles of lees resulting from fermentation, also known as SCOBY) present in each bottle can be served or kept in the bottle.

Alcohol content 1.5%. 750 ml sparkling wine bottle, crown closure.

A unique and unrepeatable batch of approximately 1,000 bottles was brewed of this Vol. 1 Houjicha, and then it was bottled in small batches like this one of 259 bottles 06/10/2023, with a recommended best before date before the end of 2027. But like wine, it evolves and ages very well in the bottle!