David Begg - REAL
#30 REAL: The sparkling tea for wine enthusiasts
Play Time:
50 Minutes
Listen/Watch on all major platforms (and most of the little ones too)
Quick quotes:
“We didn't want to be considered at all as a soft drink, so we weren't willing to go alongside that”
“We can't call ourselves a wine, although actually, in the nature of what we do, apart from the fact that we are using tea as a base, our process is probably slightly closer to winemaking than it is to kombucha making.”
“We've got the highest loyalty on the shelf in no and low once people have tried us. But the challenge is always to get them to actually pick up a bottle.”
The conversation:
What inspired a successful serial entrepreneur to transition into the world of non-alcoholic beverages?
David Begg is the founder and driving force behind REAL Drinks Co, the naturally fermented sparkling tea brand.
Inspired by his passion for homegrown food and fermentation, David turned his hobby from a garage corner operation (with his wife’s permission, of course) to, several years later, opening the first non-alcoholic fermentery based in Buckinghamshire, south-east England.
REAL is the sparkling tea brand revolutionising the low/no industry by helping everyone “celebrate life unconstrained”.
David takes us through each of his teas and the meticulous process that goes into creating them, from personally travelling the world to assess the finest quality leaves to the DNA testing to understand exactly how they deliver flavour and drive complexity.
We look at the unique intersection of winemaking and tea fermentation that Real Drinks Co. has mastered, sidestepping the traditional challenges of dealcoholising wines and beers.
Learn all about REAL’s three distinct and luxurious beverages, Peony Blush, Royal Flush, and Dry Dragon, as David takes us through each liquid's flavour profile with a sneak insight into the production process.
Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or a curious newcomer, this episode promises to enlighten and excite your palate with the art of non-alcoholic fermentations.
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