THE ORIGINS OF STIFF TEA
What We Do
Stiff Tea is the blend of the forward thinking and innovative brewing methods seen in both the modern craft beer and ever growing traditional kombucha industries.
We are THE hard kombucha brewery in the UK. Brewing innovative boozy drinks that flip traditional kombucha on its head, pushing the boundaries and using innovative brewing processes and the best ingredients, we blur the lines and satisfy the craving for new and interesting products felt by all drinks enthusiasts.
Who Does It
Stiff Tea was founded by Zach Taylor, whose journey into brewing started during his university days. Whilst working in bars, he discovered the craft beer scene and was drawn to its rebellious DIY ethos.
Eager to deepen his knowledge, Zach completed an MSc in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University, focusing on mixed and alternative fermentation. It was during this time that a friend introduced him to kombucha, which set him on the path to Stiff Tea.
After graduating in 2018, Zach moved to Manchester to pursue his career in brewing where, whilst brewing kombucha at home, he joined Blackjack Brewery as an Assisant Brewer before being promoted to Quality Control Manager.
Kombucha Rocket
Having been brewing kombucha at home and taking it in to the brewery, Zach was put forward for a temporary consultancy role with a small Manchester-based kombucha brewery now known as Hip Pop, helping to solve some product throughput challenges before joining the brand full-time in 2021.
Heading up operations, Zach was strapped to a rocket ship that that saw the business achieve national success during a period of rapid growth, winning listings with with multiple national retails, and winning awards such as Manchester’s Independent Drinks Producer of The Year and The Grocer’s New Product and Packaging Award.
Stiff Tea is Born
It was here that the idea for hard kombucha began to take shape. Drawing inspiration from the US, Stiff Tea was envisioned as a brand that would fit neatly alongside craft beers and natural wines, complementing them rather than replacing them.
Launching in October 2024, Stiff Tea combines the love for craft beer and kombucha to create something new - a hard kombucha that’s brewed with care and rooted in tradition, and but with an eye firmly on innovation.
Stiff Tea is about bringing a new type of adventurous, flavourful craft beverage into the world. Designed to stand proudly next to the beers, wines and cocktails you already know and love and to be enjoyed in great settings with amazing people.