Funky Fermenteria
Artisanal kombucha and fermented products workshop – Nervesa della Battaglia (TV), Veneto
Infusions, time, and microorganisms: live, alcohol-free bubbles in the heart of the Prosecco kingdom.
Don Quixote in the Kingdom of Bubbles
There's a place in Italy where opening a non-alcoholic beverage laboratory requires special courage: the Veneto region of the Prosecco hills, where the glass is a liturgy and bubbles are identity. It's precisely there, between Conegliano and the Piave River, that Funky Fermenteria has planted its flag. Talking about non-alcoholic beverages in Veneto is a bit like Don Quixote tilting at windmills—but this time, the mills are turning in the right direction: because these bottles aren't the renunciation of something, they're the discovery of something else. Welcome to an effervescent laboratory where you can discover fermentation.
It all started with some vases on the counter at home
The story begins as the best things begin: out of passion and necessity. During Covid, in a kitchen near Treviso, the first fermenting jars appear—a home remedy for a loved one's digestive problems, an experiment that quickly turns into a joyful obsession. Three years of experimentation, trial and error, tastings, and notebooks follow, as the jars multiply on the counter. Until it becomes clear that the project wasn't a hobby: it was bubbling away in the kitchen, begging to become a profession.
The good madness
In October 2023, the next big thing happened: a small corner of the Treviso area became a domestic food business, and Funky Fermenteria officially opened its doors. It's an ultra-artisanal space, where everything is handled in-house, from the label design to the last drop of kombucha in the bottle. They had a year to figure out if it could work: make or break. It went so well that today the lab has grown, but the philosophy has remained the same—small batches, about 300 liters per month, because larger productions change the flavor. Growth here doesn't mean doing more: it means making lots of small batches, all done well.
What does funky mean?
In the gastronomic lexicon, "funky" describes eccentric and unconventional tastes: a slightly wild natural wine, a raw milk cheese that doesn't ask permission. But funky also means carefree, lighthearted, playful. The name of the fermentery stems precisely from this dual spirit: a curious and informal approach to new ways of drinking, exploring the less traveled path of non-alcoholic beverages. Because this is the question that started it all: if I don't drink alcohol, what do I bring to the table that isn't as banal as water and can hold its own against a plate? The poor non-alcoholic beverage, socially bullied as a second choice among sugary drinks and artificial flavors, finally deserved a serious answer. And the answer is lively and sparkling.
The SCOBY ritual
It all starts with the SCOBY, the "mother" of kombucha: a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that transforms tea into a fizzy drink, reducing its sugar content. The ritual is simple and uncompromising: first, brew the tea as you would at home, but larger, respecting the timing, water temperature, and the best leaves, because only good tea makes good kombucha. Then the SCOBY and a little sugar, a clean cloth over the top, and the patience to let the microorganisms do their work. After about two weeks, when the sugar has almost entirely been metabolized, spices, herbs, or fruit arrive; finally, the wait for the effervescence and bottling. These are living products, never pasteurized or microfiltered: inside each bottle remain the probiotics, organic acids, B vitamins, and antioxidants that make kombucha an ally of the microbiota—that "second brain" that plays a major role in our well-being.
The Creatures of the Fermentation
Funky Fermenteria's creations are inspired by a sommelier's understanding of non-alcoholic beverages, focusing on three factors: body, aromas, and acidity. Cardamom and Ginger is a blend of Assam and Ceylon black teas fermented with cold-pressed ginger juice and cardamom pods, a tribute to the Indian culture of spice infusions. Hemp and Lemon, made from Chun Mee green tea, is the most tart and herbaceous, designed for slightly fatty vegetable dishes because it cleanses and refreshes. Sichuan Pepper and Citrus plays with grapefruit, lemon, and orange zest, along with a pepper that slightly numbs the mouth, recreating the sensations of alcohol: born for Asian cuisine, perfect as an aperitif. And then there are the adventures: the Kombucha Lagunare with inula marina, a saline plant rediscovered with the Tidal Garden environmental project; the recipes commissioned for bars; the small batches of kimchi, sauerkraut, and fermented lemons. Because here we believe in connections and networking: collaborations with friendly businesses, workshops, and custom recipes.
Today, with Francesco, an effervescent future
Today, Funky Fermenteria is led by Francesco, who carries on the original spirit with the same artisanal care: small batches, hand-picked ingredients, and no industrial shortcuts. And it's proof that you can toast in a thousand ways: mid-morning instead of coffee, post-workout, at aperitivo or at the table, pure or as a base for signature mocktails. Lively, beneficial, and alcohol-free beverages, created by blending infusions, time, and microorganisms—and a healthy dose of Venetian courage. On Al Passo Food, you can discover all the fermentation creations: different bubbles, from the land of Prosecco. Don Quixote, this time, has won.
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