Photos courtesy of Baba’s Bucha
Phoenixville-based Baba’s Bucha offers an Eagles-themed kombucha flavor ahead of Super Bowl LVII for game-day sipping.
Olga Sorzano wasn’t born into Eagles fandom. In fact, she grew up 9,500 miles away from Philly in a small Siberian town. Coming to the states in 2000 as part of a student exchange program, she made her way to the City of Brotherly Love and was intrigued by what she describes as “Philadelphia’s raucous fan culture.”
“After a particularly exciting battle of Eagles fans versus greased poles, I decided to watch a game to see what could inspire such a frenzy, and I was hooked!” she explains. “I quickly found myself screaming, ’Go Birds!’ while sporting an Eagles jersey on game days.”
As a child in Siberia, Sorzano spent a lot of time with her great-grandmother “Baba.” Quite the resilient women, Baba lived through the Russian Revolution, survived two wars and mothered four children on her own. She was the one who poured her great-granddaughter her very first glass of kombucha.
“Kombucha was probably one of the first words I learned from my great-grandmother,” Sorzano says. “As far back as I can remember, Baba always had a thick glass jar tucked away in the top corner of the pantry.” When she was expecting her first child, she craved Baba’s creation and decided it was time she start brewing her own kombucha. In 2015, Baba’s Bucha was born in Phoenixville.
Today, Baba’s Bucha produces the slightly fizzy drink in small batches, brewing 800 gallons per week. A source of probiotics with too many health benefits to list, Sorzano’s kombucha is vegan, raw, gluten-free and low in sugar, with no artificial flavors or colors and just 25 calories per serving.
When the Birds went to the Super Bowl in 2018, Baba’s Bucha offered a green-colored flavor called “Fly Eagles Fly,” made using organic and fair-trade juniper berries. Following their big win that year, Sorzano changed the name to “Believe” with high hopes that the team would return to the championship once again, and the flavor has become a year-round favorite.
Baba’s Bucha invites you to enjoy “Believe” on game day this year, whether you’re sipping to take advantage of its many health benefits or you’re mixing it into an Eagles-themed beverage. Sorzano suggests combining four ounces of “Believe” with one ounce each of gin, chartreuse and lime juice for a fun cocktail she calls “So Good It Hurts,” named after none other than quarterback Jalen Hurts.
You can find Baba’s Bucha at Whole Foods, MOM’s Organic Market, GIANT Heirloom Market, Di Bruno Bros., Weavers Way Co-op and the Baba’s Bucha Tasting Room. Pick it up for Super Bowl Sunday and believe that the Birds will come out on top again!
Related: Main Line Game-Day Food You Need for Your Super Bowl Party
