Tea is one of the most important ingredients in home brewed kombucha, second only to the quality of your SCOBY. The type of tea can dramatically impact the growth of your SCOBY and the taste of your brew, and over time flavored tea can negatively impact the health of your brew. When we first started YEABUCHA, we knew that finding the right tea for our brew kits was a priority.   

We were on the hunt for both black and green loose leaf teas that were organic & sustainably sourced that we could provide for you at a low cost. Traditionally, black tea has been used to brew strong and healthy kombucha, making it the perfect tea to include in our kits. We also wanted to find the perfect green tea that could be used to help rebalance the bacteria and yeast, for more experienced brewers.

We persisted through rounds of tea testing until we finally discovered our perfect match: Organic Black Colombian Tea from Bitaco Tea Farm. Grown in the clouds at 6,000 feet in the Andes Mountains, Bitaco Tea Farm is committed to growing the finest tea in South America. The three tenets of the farm’s mission resonated with us deeply: sustainable farming, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

Today, Bitaco is overseen by Paulo, a farmer who cares deeply for the quality of his tea. He is highly knowledgeable about the relationships between the different species in this unique ecosystem. Instead of pesticides, Paulo and his team depend upon the citronella plant and the birds to protect the tea leaves from insects. In return, Paulo cultivates new plant growth with saplings and the birds are conserved in this natural sanctuary with plenty of food. These mutually beneficial relationships on the farm reminded us of the relationship between the bacteria and yeast seen in kombucha brewing and we knew this was meant to be our tea!

The farm itself is located in a nature preserve and creates jobs for many of the locals. They are committed to creating a better world:

• Bitaco Tea is committed to equal employment and fair wages.
• They hire men and women who are compensated with the security of standard wages rather than the common practice of being paid by the bushel.
• The farm funds the local school, daycare center and scholarship funds.
• They support special programs like music, PE and computer education.

We know our dollar has power which is why we choose to support a tea company that is radically empowering people and making the world a healthier place. PLUS they provide us with a beautiful tea, perfect your home brew at a low cost! When you purchase a YEABUCHA kit (which includes a 3 month supply of tea) or either our black or green teas, you are supporting this mission and can see your dollar go further too!