Who is Mr. Tea?
There have been growing whispers of a Mr. Tea in the dark alleys and windswept byways in and around Madison, Wisconsin. Those brave—or foolish—enough to sip the otherworldly tea
claim a cure for various maladies like boredom and unlocking the unknown. Some say Mr. Tea himself is but a vessel for a greater, more terrifying entity, his true purpose lost to the maddening abyss from whence he came.
None have seen this Mr. Tea in public, but besides his elixirs becoming more widely known, many claim to have seen a shadowy figure moving in the dead of night, eviscerating boredom wherever he goes.
What is Kombucha??
Kombucha is basically tea that's gone wild. You take sweet tea, throw in this weird, jelly-like blob called a SCOBY (which is a mix of bacteria and yeast), and let it do its thing. The SCOBY munches on the sugar and turns the tea into this tangy, fizzy drink that's kinda like tea's cool, edgy cousin. It's got a bunch of good-for-you stuff like probiotics, which help with digestion and keeping your gut happy. Plus, you can find it in all sorts of flavors because people love adding fruits, herbs, and spices to make it extra tasty. So, it's like tea with a punk rock makeover!
Who speaks for Mr. Tea?
Mr. Tea has never been seen in public and is a mysterious figure for all who dare to try and learn more. But we don't need to travel down that dark road today. Ben Temeyer has been the official spokesperson and handler for Mr. Tea's business affairs. Some say the two are related, but there has been no official comment. Ben was born in Miami Florida on a bright Spring morning. He gained his love for tea and all things subversive in college and his pirateering family. His love of history is only matched by his love of talking about it. Teaching seemed the logical step; something that gave him unfettered access to tea and discussions on various historical topics. Ask him anything about history, but be prepared for a complicated answer. His love of kombucha came later in the summer of 2020, when he discovered that there were other drinks, like his beloved tea, that allowed him to have beverages without consequence. Some say this is where he met Mr. Tea, who worked to help him with the different flavor combinations that you can see and may someday see as well. He wanted to spread his love of this magical elixir to the world, to give people a drink that they could share with their friends and have good times without consequence.
There's actually an ancient history to Kombucha
The history of kombucha is pretty fascinating. This funky fermented tea has been around for over 2,000 years. It’s believed to have originated in China during the Qin Dynasty (around 220 BCE) where it was known as the "Tea of Immortality." People back then thought it had all sorts of magical health benefits. From China, kombucha spread to Japan and Russia. In Japan, there's a legend about a Korean physician named Kombu who brought the tea to cure the Japanese Emperor. That’s where the name "kombucha" comes from—combining "Kombu" with "cha," the Japanese word for tea. By the early 20th century, kombucha had made its way to Europe. It gained popularity in Russia and Eastern Europe, especially during the World Wars when people were looking for alternative health remedies. After a dip in popularity, it made a comeback in the 1990s and 2000s in the United States as part of the growing interest in health foods and probiotics. Now, kombucha is a trendy drink you can find pretty much everywhere, from health food stores to mainstream supermarkets, with all sorts of flavors and varieties to choose from. It’s gone from ancient elixir to modern-day health craze!
