{"id":337,"date":"2019-07-31T20:53:59","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T20:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/content.principia.edu\/sites\/sustainablefood\/?p=337"},"modified":"2020-08-13T14:41:42","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T14:41:42","slug":"confluence-kombucha-an-avant-garde-stop-in-st-louis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/content.principia.edu\/sites\/sustainablefood\/2019\/07\/31\/confluence-kombucha-an-avant-garde-stop-in-st-louis\/","title":{"rendered":"Confluence Kombucha: An Avant-garde Stop in St. Louis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jolee Keplinger (C’20)
Principia Center for Sustainability
Dining Services Liaison Officer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confluence Kombucha isn\u2019t simply a local restaurant that specializes in kombucha brewing. It\u2019s a place that is passionately championing the local and sustainable food movement. It\u2019s consciously crafted, seasonally changing, compositions are true works of art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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First, if you aren\u2019t familiar with kombucha, I\u2019ll give you a brief overview. Kombucha is typically green or black tea combined with yeast and sugar. This mix is set aside to ferment. This sweet and sour beverage is ancient, and is thought to have first been brewed in China. In the United States, kombucha has the reputation of being a fizzy health drink which makes an excellent alternative to soda. Currently, Kombucha is a huge trend, and it can be found in most grocery stores. Common brands include G.T.\u2019s, Kevita, and Humm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Even though kombucha is wildly popular these days, restaurants specializing in this fermented tea aren\u2019t so common. I didn\u2019t even know these places existed until I came across one in Chicago last year. I didn\u2019t expect a restaurant dedicated to brewing kombucha would exist in the St. Louis area, but I was proven wrong. A few months ago, I randomly Googled something along the lines of \u201cKombucha Restaurant in St. Louis\u201d and discovered Confluence Kombucha gastroLAB<\/a>. This hidden gem has been located in The Grove<\/a> entertainment district since 2016. (The exterior is a bit low-key, so it\u2019s helpful to look for Urban Chestnut Brewery, and then look to the left.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After doing a bit of research, I determined that Confluence is dedicated to doing things differently, and I thought this local business would make an interesting addition to the blog. This inspired me to set up a meeting with William Pauly, Confluence\u2019s creative chef and owner. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since William has a friend that clears overgrown plants at a nature reserve, he\u2019s offered usable plants that are ideal for incorporating into the kombucha. In addition, common foraged foods that may appear on the menu include morel mushrooms,<\/a> nettles, and wild greens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farm<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Confluence offers only the best, locally sourced ingredients, which support small-scale farmers in Missouri and Illinois. William does not source the food from an average food service provider, such as Sysco, but instead, a farmer brokerage called Eat Here STL<\/a>. This St. Louis-based brokerage works with farmers and producers, bringing the finest and freshest foods to local chefs. For example, ingredients could come from PrairiEarth Farm<\/a> or DeManage Family Farm<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

William described how a chef who started Eat Here STL had many connections with farmers, and decided to start a company. This chef wanted to make farm-to-table dining less complicated for restaurants. By doing this, restaurant owners like William don\u2019t have to spend a lot of time sourcing local ingredients individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feast<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The culinary concoctions at Confluence are not only exceptionally creative, but are made predominately of wholesome, plant-based ingredients. In addition, these ingredients are grown sustainably, such as by following organic principles. About 60% of ingredients are local, which is exceptionally higher than the average restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By simply scanning the menu, you may assume the restaurant falls into the vegan genre. Technically, the proper genre is plant-based, since most of the ingredients are plants. Examples of non-plant foods on the menu are Chaga Smoked Trout, honey and ramp kimchi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Every flavor of kombucha is hand-brewed, and the Japanese inspired cuisine is hand-crafted. For example on the \u201ccuriosities\u201d section of the menu (aka appetizers) you will find nukazuke, which is a type of Japanese pickle made with an ancient preservation method which includes fermenting whole vegetables. This curiosity is also served with a beet mousse, coconut yogurt, bear butter, and house-made flax seed chips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the menu devoid of common food triggers such gluten and dairy. The average diner will most likely leave feeling refreshed, rather than stuffed full of over-processed, not-so-healthy, ingredients like refined oils, carbs, and sugars (which are staples at the average restaurant in the St. Louis area).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letting the Customers Speak \u2013 No Ads Necessary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As I talked with William, I learned that he doesn\u2019t pay for advertising, but has appeared on FEAST TV (click link to see video, Confluence is featured at 4:41)<\/a>. He\u2019s not a fan of mainstream advertising media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He believes in authenticity, and paying for advertising does not reflect who he is. Instead, he patiently waits for curious customers to discover his restaurant on their own. Word of mouth advertising definitely plays a role in this. With this advertising, Confluence attracts a special crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a bit hesitant to publish this post, just because I consider this restaurant one of St. Louis\u2019s hidden gems, and I want it to stay that way. I do feel that Confluence is a restaurant that is doing things right, so I believe it should be recognized by this blog\u2019s niche audience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n