The Microbrewery Lab: Where Tradition Meets Innovation and Love for Craft and Brewing Begins.

Once known as Tolli Patisserie and nestled at 327 Kentish Town Road, the red tiles adorning the ground floor evoke cherished memories of my childhood. It was here that I frequently assisted or quietly observed my parents at work. Today, Tolli has undergone a remarkable transformation into a mezzanine lab where I passionately craft my artisanal WISE Kombucha and hold events to celebrate its outcome.

At The London Lab, we embrace the art of 'Wild Fermentation', allowing each batch to develop its own unique character. This method fosters an environment that nurtures naturally occurring beneficial microbes while discouraging harmful ones. By letting nature guide the process, we attain layers of complexity and nuance in our ferments, a feat unattainable through controlled fermentation. This approach harkens back to the traditional, time-honoured methods of fermentation, yielding results that stand the test of time.

The Art of 'Back Slopping': An essential practice in our fermentation process, 'Back slopping' involves enriching the microbial environment by introducing a portion from a well-aged prior batch of the same ferment. This not only reduces the pH of the solution but also introduces a healthy dose of acetic acid bacteria (AAB). This meticulous method ensures a thriving population of AAB to ferment the sugary tea into Kombucha, while inhibiting the growth of unwanted microbes intolerant to acidity.

Honouring Tradition, Preserving Quality: Unlike mass-produced store-bought kombucha, WISE Kombucha distinguishes itself by adhering to traditional methods and eschewing pasteurisation techniques such as Manna-K. This commitment allows for unhurried, small vessel fermentation, preserving the essence and integrity of our Kombucha. Additionally, we exclusively utilise glass containers to honour the life of the SCOBY, as metal containers can adversely react with the acidic nature of Kombucha. Our preference for thick glass amber flip-top bottles not only safeguards against explosions but also preserves carbonation and shields the Kombucha from harmful UV rays, ensuring a consistently high-quality product.