DENVER — The pandemic forced a lot of people to make changes to daily life. And in many cases, it meant re-evaluating priorities.
A Denver mom turned her love for teaching and science into a business to take care of her family, and it's brewed an even bigger conversation about the health benefits of kombucha.
"I am a scientist by trade, middle school science teacher," said Sara Lemmon, the owner and founder of 3rd Bird Kombucha.
Kombucha is fermented tea combined with fruits and herbs that Lemmon found many people know little about.
"Kombucha is supposed to be known for its good gut health and good probiotics," she said.
"I just started brewing. I'm an avid gardener. I just started finding things, growing things that I would use. And, it just started spiraling."
The name 3rd Bird comes from her third child, who is autistic, and she wanted to find something to help make life a little easier for him.
"His stomach wasn't as tight anymore," said Lemmon. "So, simple actions like twisting and turning, getting dressed, all the sudden, weren't as hard."
All of Lemmon's ingredients are grown herself or locally sourced. She mixes flavors like pear and lavender, or apples and cloves, for healthy reasons.
"So raspberries, you're getting a ton of good Vitamin C," said Lemmon. "But then you have the elderflower which is like helping with cold and flu season."
"The whole process starts with good ol' fashioned sweet tea. It's a great alternative to energy drinks, sports drinks, and soda," she added.
Lemmon wants the 3rd Bird brand to be a symbol of community, a beverage born out of a collective effort. But, it takes some teaching on her part. She enjoys educating the public about kombucha in her neighborhood and at farmers' markets.
"People have an idea of that vinegar water," said Lemmon. "This doesn't have that, but it has all the same goodness."