The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Theakston Brewery and kombucha producer Equinox Kombucha have joined forces to launch Hopbucha, an alcohol-free fermented drink combining the brewing heritage of traditional British beer with kombucha.

The Yorkshire-based companies have developed Hopbucha in response to growing demand for no-alcohol drinks designed specifically for adult palates.

The drink is fermented using Equinox’s SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), delivering the live cultures and mouthfeel associated with kombucha. The fermented tea is then flavoured using Theakston’s hop-blending expertise, creating a drink with citrus bitterness and a refreshing profile intended to appeal to beer drinkers.

Andy Braithwaite, managing director of Equinox Kombucha, said: “What started as a fun experiment to see how we could collaborate and combine our skills to play with a palate of exciting flavours has transformed into something special that offers the best of both brewing worlds."

Richard Bradbury, managing director of Theakston Brewery, said: “With no and low alcohol drinks growing and the market maturing into one where there are products aimed squarely at adults, we felt that Hopbucha offered something different."

Hopbucha follows Theakston’s existing move into the alcohol-free category with its Nowt Peculier 0.0% beer. However, the new product moves beyond conventional alcohol-free beer by combining hop character with the fermented positioning of kombucha.

The product will initially be available online through Amazon, Theakston’s website and Equinox Kombucha’s website, before expanding into supermarkets, convenience stores, farm shops and the hospitality sector nationwide.

The launch brings together two established Yorkshire businesses. Equinox has been producing craft kombucha near Halifax for almost 15 years, while family-owned Theakston Brewery was founded in Masham in 1827 and is known for beers including Old Peculier.