Empress

Empress was founded in 2019 by Anna Karenina Anda and Christer Andersson, a husband-and-wife duo. The two built a modern production facility on the edge of the forest at Trollåsen.^[1],[2]

The company operates as Empress Norge AS, which produces Empress Brut in Akershus, Norway.^[3]

Christer Andersson. Christer Andersson is a co-founder of Empress and a former DJ. In August 2021, The Kitchn described him as a co-owner of the company.^[1],[4],[5]

Anna Karenina Anda. Anna Karenina Anda is a co-founder of Empress. In June 2021, the Good Drinks newsletter described her as a graphic designer. In August 2021, The Kitchn described her as a co-owner of Empress.^[1],[4],[5]

Empress brews non-alcoholic beverages as an alternative to wine and beer.^[2]

Empress states that its Winealts are neither dealcoholized wines nor made from grapes. It describes them as kombucha-based beverages crafted with fermented fruits, herbs and botanicals to resemble the taste, aroma and mouthfeel of sparkling wine without alcohol.^[6]

Empress organizes its collection into three categories: Botanical Wine Alternatives, Botanical Aperitifs and Kombucha. Its lineup includes the Winealts Moonbrew, Venus Rose and Ficus Zing, and the Kombuchas Strawberry, Ginger and Beetroot.^[7],[8]

Winealts. Moonbrew is categorized as a Botanical White Wine Alternative at less than 0.5% ABV, and its photographed label calls it non-alcoholic and sparkling. Venus Rosé is categorized as a Nordic Botanical Rosé Wine Alternative at less than 0.5% ABV. The photographed Ficus Zing label describes it as a sparkling, alcohol-free 'delicate honey wine alternative'.

Kombucha. The kombucha line comprises Strawberry Hibiscus, Ginger Goji-berry and Beetroot Turmeric, each classified as raw, fermented and non-alcoholic.

Brut and Svart 01. Empress Brut is a non-alcoholic fermented botanical beverage at 0% alcohol. Svart 01 is a sparkling, non-alcoholic fermented drink from Norway at less than 0.5% ABV; its photographed can label calls it a fermented botanical tea.

Empress builds flavor layer by layer using fermentation, tea, fruits, herbs, spices and botanicals, aiming for a dry, complex and structured drink. Its products combine teas, botanical infusions, fermented fruits and homemade vinegars on a kombucha base. The Kombucha line is traditionally brewed from tea, then blended with real fruit, botanicals and spices.^[4],[7]

Black- and green-tea kombucha. Most of the range starts from kombucha brewed with water, culture, sugar, and black and green tea.

• Moonbrew -- kombucha base listed on the Empress website
• Venus Rose -- kombucha base listed on the Empress website and the Oda listing
• Strawberry Hibiscus, Ginger Goji-berry, Beetroot Turmeric -- kombucha base listed on the Empress website
• Empress Brut -- kombucha of water, culture, sugar, black tea and green tea, with grape juice and milky oolong

Jun kombucha. Ficus Zing is built on Jun kombucha, which Empress lists as water, culture, honey and green tea. It describes the base as enriched with fermented honey and hojicha green tea, and the photographed label also names jun kombucha.

Vinegars and acidity. Vinegars recur across the range as a structural component.

• Moonbrew, Venus Rose, Ficus Zing -- kombucha vinegar (Empress website ingredient lists)
• Strawberry Hibiscus, Beetroot Turmeric -- balsamico
• Ginger Goji-berry -- apple cider vinegar
• Empress Brut -- verjus and citric acid

Vegetable & spice components. Roots and spices anchor the kombuchas and Ficus Zing.

• Beetroot, ginger, turmeric, black pepper -- Beetroot Turmeric
• Ginger, red chili -- Ginger Goji-berry
• Cardamom, black pepper -- Strawberry Hibiscus
• Ginger, cacao nibs, cardamom, orange peel -- Ficus Zing

Floral & tea infusions. Flowers and secondary teas add aromatic layers.

• Elderflower -- Moonbrew; its photographed label also lists verbena
• Rose petals and hibiscus -- Venus Rose
• Hibiscus -- Strawberry Hibiscus
• Gotu kola -- Ginger Goji-berry
• Milky oolong and honeybush -- Empress Brut

Water & salt. Svart 01 is made with meltwater from the Svartisen glacier and Saltstraumen sea salt. Sea salt also appears in Moonbrew, Ficus Zing, Venus Rose, Strawberry Hibiscus and Beetroot Turmeric; the website lists gathered organic sea salt for Venus Rose.

Production standards. Moonbrew and Ficus Zing are labeled pasteurized, while Strawberry Hibiscus, Ginger Goji-berry and Beetroot Turmeric are classified as raw.

Winealts. Moonbrew shows soft stone-fruit and floral notes from nectarine, apricot and elderflower, lifted by citrus, with a clean mineral finish and a crisp, dry, structured character; its Iridescent variant was described in August 2021 as pét-nat-like. Venus Rosé is described as dry, fragrant, fruity and Nordic, with juniper and wild spruce giving an aromatic edge. Ficus Zing pairs the sweetness of figs with a rich honey aroma, enriched by ginger, cacao, cardamom and citrus.

Brut and Svart 01. Empress Brut is cloudy and medium-deep yellow, with aromas of fermented tea, grape must, flowers and citrus and a juicy, smooth palate; it carries 41.7 g/l sugar and 4.3 g/l acidity. Svart 01 is cloudy yellow-orange, with sea buckthorn and cloudberry on the nose, floral hints of linden and meadowsweet, and earthy spruce and juniper.

Pairing. Pairing suggestions are given across the range.

• Moonbrew -- seafood, oysters, sushi, Asian cuisine, fresh salads, goat cheese
• Venus Rosé -- grilled seafood, salmon, Mediterranean dishes, roasted vegetables, soft cheeses
• Ficus Zing -- creamy cheeses, cured meats, roasted dishes, honey-drizzled pastry
• Empress Brut -- fish, light-colored meat, vegetables
• Svart 01 -- gravlax, bacalao, game meat, duck, brunost, cloudberry cream, root vegetables
• Beetroot Turmeric -- blue cheese, red meats, roasted root vegetables, dark chocolate mousse
• Strawberry Hibiscus -- fresh goat cheese, grilled chicken salad, lemon tart
• Ginger Goji-berry -- sushi and Asian cuisine, grilled meats, ginger cookies

Empress collaborated with Oslo Brewing Co. to create Ficus Zing, which it describes as a contemporary honey wine reminiscent of mead, without alcohol.^[6]