Genmaicha

Palate. The retailer description credits the toasted rice of the Genmaicha tea with roundness, gustatory fullness and warm, almost buttery notes. The same listing attributes a unique silkiness on the palate to the green tea leaves and the water kefir.^[3]

AKA states that its finished kombucha has a balanced acidity, is suitable to drink at any time, and pairs well with tasting menus.

The retailer description lists a blend of Genmaicha tea infusion (43%), kombucha (26%), black tea infusion (19%), Tibicos or water kefir (12%), and yeast. Its kombucha component contains water, raw cane sugar, black tea, green tea and kombucha culture; its Tibicos contains water, sugar and tibicos culture.^[3]

CiboToday described AKA's first fermentation in April 2024: Assam black tea and China Green OP tea are infused, then raw cane sugar and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts are added. AKA explains that the yeasts first turn sugar into a small amount of alcohol, which the bacteria then convert into organic acids.^{[1],[2],[4],[5],[6]}

CiboToday reported in April 2024 that the fermented kombucha is bottled with selected Champagne yeasts for a second fermentation and rests on the yeasts for at least three months. AKA calls its bottle-refermented kombucha ‘Tè Sur Lies’ and states that it is neither filtered nor pasteurized. In Juice episode 236, Carella described AKA as a re-fermented, almost classic-method sur lie kombucha with zero residual sugar.^{[1],[4],[6],[7]}

Specifications. AKA's kombucha is presented as a non-alcoholic fermented-tea drink. In the CiboToday interview published on 16 April 2024, Carella gave the alcohol content of AKA as about half a degree — 0.5% — explaining that the yeasts first ferment the added sugar and the bacteria then convert the alcohol into organic acids.

Production. Callmewine describes AKA as a Milanese producer. CiboToday reported on 16 April 2024 that its recipes were developed over a year of research in collaboration with master brewers at a fermentation facility in Piacenza, where AKA is produced.^[1],[8],[9]

Genmaicha is one of the bottled kombuchas made by AKA, the company founded in 2022 by Domenico Carella together with his wife Elisa Isidora Manservisi. In April 2024, CiboToday reported that the range then comprised four bottles, each differentiated by a distinct infusion: Lapsang Souchong, jasmine, fig leaves and genmaicha. The same interview places AKA among non-alcoholic drinks and describes a fermented-tea drink processed like sparkling wine — a bottle-refermented kombucha built to resemble a sparkling wine, for meals or for cocktail mixing. On its own Alternative page, AKA describes its kombucha as analcolico.^[1],[2]

AKA is an acronym for "artistic kombucha alternative". CiboToday reported that the idea for the project came from chefs and restaurateur clients of Carella asking for an elegant, refined non-alcoholic product.^[1]