Soulstice Kombucha Brewing Company

Deeper Shade of Sol
Soulstice Kombucha Brewing Company, Wallingford
October 2024

Oh no.

Please don’t tell me that kombucha is the next “craft beer” or “overpriced cupcake” thing in Connecticut. I made the ludicrous decision that since kombucha is a fermented drink, I would visit and write about the places that make and sell it.

That was when there was one maverick brewer in Danbury.

Now there are four in 2024. I think four is a good number. Let’s keep it at four.

Or, perhaps I can just stop visiting and writing about kombucheries. Although a crazy thing happened after visiting Soulstice in a rather depressing Wallingford strip mall: I actually liked the stuff I drank.

Opened in June of 2022 by cake decorator and winemaker Maryann Houde, Soulstice is a one-woman operation that seems to be doing pretty well two years on. Houde does things her own way and seems intent on remaining small.

Starting with her space. There’s no tasting room here and the entire retail area could fit maybe 4 people. (Yes, kombucha tasting rooms exist in Connecticut, like at East Coast Kombucha in Norwalk.)

Upon arrival, I didn’t really know what to do. I was alone. Ms. Houde was alone. I had nowhere to hide and I don’t even like or want kombucha. Cripes. I asked if she gives samples and learned that yes, yes she does. In fact, I could sample any of her nine kombuchas on offer. She would simply open up a retail bottle and give me a dixie cup of it.

Now, what kind of customer would actually do that? I’d feel like a total jerk, but apparently it’s somewhat normal? I don’t know. I barely read descriptions and just asked to try one. One called Solar Flare! It’s kombucha with orange and habanero!

I was in luck. There were no open bottles up front so I was left alone for 20 seconds. I took a few pictures and therefore Soulstice was offically “CTMQ’d.” Nice. I sipped and said “mmm, I’ll buy that bottle and another one. This one? This sounds good,” and I paid the $12 and left the store.

If you need to catch up, kombucha is a fermented beverage made with water, tea, sugar, and a live culture of bacteria and yeast. It is generally not alcoholic and in its purest form, it is sour and vinegary. So smart kombuchers like Maryann Houde add flavors like orange and habanero. (And speaking of alcoholic, Houde plans to make “hard kombucha” in the future.)

Now, the thing about kombucha is it’s supposed to have health benefits. It helps your “gut” because it’s “pro-biotic.” I don’t think any medical literature exists supporting these claims, and frankly the only effect it has on my gut is to make it gassy. But fermented tangy tea needs a marketing gimmick, and that’s what they came up with.

The second bottle I bought was Starlight, with pineapple and citrus.

The labels here are beautiful. Photographs by her husband provide the background, and they are muted and atmospheric. Really nicely done. Some feature local spots like Mackenzie Reservoir over on the beautiful side of Wallingford. Each bottle has its own little saying, which is Soulstice’s nod to all those teabags and tea bottles with motivational or funny quips on them.

I really enjoyed the orange habanero one. Drank the whole bottle. As for the pineapple citrus one, it also tasted good but I dunno. Something didn’t agree with my stomach that evening so I dumped it out. I have zero evidence it was the kombucha, but I can’t drink yeasty beer at all as it results in the same situation: me sleeping on the couch because I love and respect my wife.

You see.

Look, if you’re into kombucha, this is a great business to support. Everything is done by Maryann Houde and she seems like a cool person. The flavors are inventive and all sounded really good.

Just don’t tell any of your friends to open their own kombucherie. Please.

Soulstice Kombucha
Cideries & Kombucheries