issue 12// vol 46

‘Bucha Basics: an introduction
to kombucha

» All the buzz behind the fermented beverage

Jacey Gibb
Distribution Manager

 

Welcome to ‘Bucha Basics, where we
cover everything there is to know about
home-brewing kombucha.

s someone living a block away from

Commercial Drive, I’ve come to terms
with the many stereotypes I fall under. I
have a moustache. My wardrobe consists
of 75 percent plaid. I bike more than I
transit in the summer months. The natural
progression for me, as much as I tried to
deny it at first, was to start making my own
kombucha. Now, it’s a stereotype I’m happy
to bear.

Brewing kombucha at home is one
of the easiest, tastiest hobbies to get into,
and I’m happy to share all the successes
and mistakes with you in this new column,
‘Bucha Basics.

Now, if you've heard of kombucha,
then you've probably heard of the grocery
list of supposed health benefits. A quick
internet search will yield articles upon
articles claiming kombucha helps with
weight loss, liver health, cancer risk, and so
on. People love to tout the health benefits
of kombucha almost as much as they
love to drink it. A co-worker of mine with
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) swears it
helps to settle her stomach. A different
friend raves about the “healthy” bacteria for

your gut.

My parents are
very into alternative
medicine, so ’ma
nature skeptic. If
something claims to be
the cure-all but doesn't
have the track record—
or science—to back up
those claims, approach
with caution. All that
being said, I’m a dude
with an English degree,
so don't take my
advice for medicinal
purposes.

Snake oil
properties aside, I like
having kombucha on
hand for other reasons.
It’s the perfect drink for
when youve hankering
for something more
flavourful than tap
water, but you don’t
want the sugar-laden
alternatives like fruit juice. Kombucha
is also a great alternative for folks who
don't drink or are the designated driver.
My initial foray into making kombucha
actually came from wanting to keep
kombucha on hand for sober friends, but
not wanting to pay several dollars per
bottle.

 

In direct contrast to that last
suggestion, I’ve also been experimenting
with using kombucha for cocktails, and the
results have been delicious. (More on that
ina future column though.)

Brewing kombucha at home is a no-
brainer. While at first daunting, home-
brewing is cheap, easy, and the supplies
for it take up considerably less space than

Stop intimate partner violence

» Know the red flags in a relationship

EG Manilag
Staff Writer

 

D eep wounds may heal, but the scars
remain. It’s been eight years now
since the death of Maple Batalia, yet her
story is still unfortunately relevant as
ever. Her death was a result of intimate
partner violence, also known as domestic
violence. It is very sad, and no one should
ever go through such pain. This needs to
end. Whenever one sees someone (be it

a stranger or a friend) being abused by
their partner, they should not be afraid to
get help. Speak up—because you, as an
individual, can make a huge difference.
Additionally, to those who feel like their
partner is getting abusive, don’t stay, get
out and seek help. Violence is a serious
matter—it can spread like wildfire if

not stopped. Of course, not all abusive
relationships look the same, but here are
some common (but not necessary) red
flags of a harmful relationship to be on the
lookout for:

Being physically, verbally, and mentally
abusive

I attended a presentation on “Violence

in Relationships” last Wednesday at the
Coquitlam RCMP. I witnessed Maple
Batalia's three closest friends explaining
how abusive Maple’s ex-boyfriend/killer
was. He would call her names, accuse her
of cheating, control her, punch her, and
even intimidate her by threatening to
attempt suicide.

 

Stalking

Stalking, also known as criminal
harassment, is acrime. According toa
document called “Stalking is a crime called
criminal harassment” released by the
Department of Justice of Canada, the main
motivation for stalking another person is
the desire to control, particularly in cases
where the subject is a former partner. This
is true in Maple’s case. Her ex-boyfriend

Illustration by Athena Little

would stalk her and constantly text her,
which is cyberstalking. He would refuse to
recognize that their relationship was over,
and his prevailing attitude was the all too
common, “if I can’t have her then no one
else can.”

Jealousy
Is it normal? Well, pretty much—to
acertain extent. For Maple though,

life & style // no. 13

 

other brewing hobbies, like making beer.
Even the start-up cost pales in comparison
to other past times, since you probably own
half of the equipment needed.

Check back next week when I review
everything you need to get started on your
first batch of homemade kombucha—your
taste buds will thank you.

she experienced an extreme form of
jealousy that was corrosive. During the
presentation, Maple's friends talked about
how jealous her ex-boyfriend was when it
came to other people talking to her. One
time, he beat up Maple’s co-worker because
he believed that the guy was hitting on her,
forcing the co-worker to transfer in fear of
getting beat up again. He also tended to get
jealous of her success and would constantly
tell her that she wasn't good enough.

This is a severe case, so a reminder that
jealousy is normal is important. As long as
the emotion is dealt with through peaceful,
rational, and healthy means. Constant and
extreme jealousy, like what Maple suffered,
is not normal. Not only is it harmful to you
and your partner, but it also builds distrust
ina relationship.

Who can help?

For those who need help or are considering
helping, know that anyone can help.
Strangers, friends, and family. Help can also
be found at the Victim Services & Violence
Against Women Program Directory, which
“provides contact information for service
providers across British Columbia that
assist victims of crime and women and
children impacted by violence,’ according
to their website. Additionally, VictimLink,
a 24-hour, 7 days a week support line can
provide help, their website states that it “
provides information and referral services
to all victims of crime and immediate crisis
support to victims of family and sexual
violence.”