It’s always a great adventure for an author to meet people who want to shape public taste and create something that has never been done before (at least in Hungary). One of these characters is Richárd Pesti, the creator of Steap Tea Kombucha, who has set himself the goal of introducing a new alternative to sugary drinks in Hungary—one that not only has a unique taste but is also healthy.
The unusually rainy May weather was kind to us, so we could taste the young food engineer’s recently launched products on the rooftop terrace of the Pluto Sky Lounge in Budapest, with a little wind but in the sunshine. Being a bit newbie, but a big tea fan, we enthusiastically dived into the tasting, where we were introduced to the current flavors of the Steap brand: the black tea from the Himalayan foothills, Signature Black; the slightly bold but very refreshing Ginger-Turmenic-Cardamom trio and the latest green tea development in a bottle. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, first let’s be clear:
What exactly is kombucha?
Making kombucha tea is a tradition that goes back thousands of years, and modern-day needs may have reopened the door to such practices, so it’s time to get back to it. The kombucha phenomenon can perhaps best be summarised as a refreshing alternative made by fermentation, with all its benefits and distinctive flavors. The live-culture fermented tea brew is created through a variety of organic processes. It contains SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria Yeast), the cultivation of which makes the drink’s distinctive aroma. It’s common to come across home-brewed kombucha teas—the brand’s history stems from a similar origin—but Steap Tea Kombucha has transcended that label. During the tasting, we could admire the beverage in the fermentation process—and the sight of the classic jar made me even more convinced that a healthy and exciting product can finally hit the shelves without unnecessary additives.
Like the ‘quarantine fermenters’ and DIY bakers, Richárd experimented between busy periods during the pandemic, taking the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of fermentation. From a lot of experimentation, the final product was born, what we now call Steap Tea Kombucha. One might think that this short and catchy name is an acronym, but the more technical explanation is that it refers to the process of steeping tea.
Steap is redefining what we can (or at least should) think about new-wave soft drinks. In both appearance and content, it evokes the world of craft breweries and natural wines, except that it’s very low in calories and only encounters alcohol when mixed with your favorite spirit. Are you driving but fed up with the dull, cloying taste of the soft drinks menu? Then Steap products are for you!
Richárd has made it his mission to introduce the concept of kombucha to Hungary. He takes this idea into account in his choice of flavors and production processes—as there is no soft drink like it in the country and it is difficult to position the product, he focuses on making it easier to understand: he lets the ingredients come to the fore, which the basic fermentation allows to stand out. It’s important to mention Ricsi’s own innovation in production technology, which makes it unnecessary to refrigerate the drinks. We’re already convinced by the execution and the content, now we’re just waiting for the scorching heat to come and crack a Steap open!
Photos: Voller Klaudia
Lingerie in bloom | Le Petit Trou x Reserved
Purposeful and Poetical | Wine House by Aleš Fiala studio
