Last week, I had the chance to visit O5 Rare Tea Bar.
Many people pass by O5’s stylish front on West 4th Avenue and wonder what they’re all about. I’ll start by breaking down their name. And then I’ll show you what they taught me about making kombucha.
- O= Origin
- 5= Five Different Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Void)
The owners of O5 Travel to Japan, China, East India and Nepal to source out small batches of rare teas that are hard to come by. They live with the farmers and are able to know exactly where the tea comes from. They buy the teas directly from Micro Tea Farmers, which is called Direct Trade.
I met with Rosie, who is from the UK, and has an awesome accent. Rosie taught me how to make Kombucha.
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that originates from Asia, and is over 2000 years old.
Here is what you need to make Kombucha:
- Any Tea
- 1 Cup of Sugar
- SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria & Yeast)
Here is how you make it:
- You add your sugar to the black tea.
- You add your SCOBY to the tea with sugar.
- Let Sit for 5-12 Days, in large jar, covered with a cheese cloth.
Chill & Serve.
O5 Tea is now serves Kombucha by the bottle. It is so delicious, I brought two bottles home with me!
One really cool thing about O5 Tea Bar, is all the monthly events that they host!
- On Monday’s they have Japanese Culture Nights.
- On Tuesdays they have Movie Night.
- Thursday’s are Date Nights
The above event nights are free, all you are suggested to do is buy a pot of tea. Which is great because you can go with a friend, have some delicious tea, and learn something new! You can also pay $10 to attend their next kombucha class on February 2.
When I was visiting last Monday, it was a Japanese Cultural Night! Monday’s are hosted by Noriko Aramaki. Noriko taught me Ikebana, which is the art of Japanese flower arranging. I found it to be quite addictive and FUN!!
Thank you to Rosie and Noriko. I will be visiting O5 Rare Tea Bar again soon!
O5 Rare Tea Bar, 2208 West 4th Avenue, 604-558-0500, o5tea.com
Last modified: June 7, 2017
