Kristie Leahy is launching a new brand of flavored kombucha, a probiotic tea, which will be made at Aqueduct Brewing. (Photo: Chris Miller)
Kristie Leahy is an unmistakable burst of positive energy, which she manages to channel into a number of community endeavors. Along with teaching yoga, Leahy is launching a brand new local business brewing and selling kombucha, a probiotic tea.
She’s been given space at Aqueduct Brewing, on Grant Street, to start Floating Lotus kombucha. The drink is made in a similar manner as beer, with a colony of bacteria and yeast that’s nurtured and harnessed through a traditional brewing process. And these living organisms are also known to have the probiotic properties for the body. Probiotics are known as “good bacteria” and aid in digestion.
Leahy began brewing kombucha because she says she couldn’t afford to buy bottles of it. “I set out to flavor some batches and immediately jumped into all kinds of fun flavors and started sharing it with my friends,” she says.
(Photo: Chris Miller)
While kombucha is considered a superfood, like acai, there isn’t too much scientific research to back up claims, but Leahy’s seen its effectiveness firsthand. “ I have yoga students that have IBS and gluten intolerance and immediately upon drinking a bottle their stomach aches will stop.
“It’s been around for thousands of years,” she adds. “Anything time tested like that, something’s got to be working right for it.”
She’s brewing a blend with a little alcohol and eventually plans to start selling it at Aqueduct, itself a grass roots business, which also hosts open mics and other community events. She also plans to roll out a non-alcoholic version for coffee shops, yoga studios and other locations around town.
To find out more, visit www.drinkfloatinglotus.com.
Leahy’s also avallable for private yoga instruction. E-mail [email protected] for details.
