What would you say if I told you there was an organic, fair trade, direct trade, ecosocial, rainforest certified, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, GMO free, vegan, non-alcoholic alternative that doesn’t taste like sawdust – brewed right here in Calgary? 

Introducing Bar Star Buch, the 2-person premium kombucha operation led by Boss Buch Suzanne Mills, the self-proclaimed former bar star on a mission to make sober – and healthy – sexy. Launched in February 2019, Bar Star Buch promotes gut health, mental health and wellness while providing a tasty, non-alcoholic alternative packed with additional nutrients and health benefits. According to Suzanne, “There are more neurons in the gut than in the spinal cord … your gut is likely filled with bad bugs, so you need the specialty ingredients, probiotics, enzymes and vitamins in our premium kombucha. Your gut is your second brain & where your immune system lives, which means that if your gut bacteria is out of balance, it directly affects not only how you feel physically, but also your mood, focus and stress levels.” 

Be it a personal preference, a designated-driver situation, recovery, or any other untold possibility, there are plenty of reasons someone may choose not to drink on a night out. However, the availability of non-alcoholic alternatives often falls short of appealing, especially in a city with a booming craft beer industry. “As a non-drinker, you have limited options,” says Suzanne, “pop, decaf coffee, or kids menu. We wanted to make an inclusive, health-conscious, low sugar alternative that normalizes not drinking in a social setting.” 

Bar Star Buch offers a variety of flavors, each with their own premium organic ingredients designed to promote overall health and wellness. “It’s not just a standard, “hippie” kombucha brand,” says Suzanne, “if you’re gonna drink kombucha anyway, you may as well get a bit of a bonus. So every single flavor has some kind of additional health benefit.”

For example, the original Basic Buch, featuring organic black tea, green tea, lime juice, ginger and spearmint focuses on gently calming overall gut upset. The Buch Slap is an organic pineapple, lemongrass and cayenne pepper combination aimed at detoxification and metabolism function. The Namaste Buches features organic wild blueberry juice, elderberries, schisandra berries and rhodiola root to boost immune function and promote relaxation. All of which taste great – it’s the adult equivalent of hiding vegetables in your child’s mac & cheese so they get the nutrients they need without even knowing it. 

In addition to the Bar Star Buch line-up of delicious, health-conscious flavors, they also feature specialty seasonal brews in support of local charities that focus on improving mental health and wellness in all of it’s forms. 100% of the profits from each specialty brew are donated to designated charities across Calgary. Previous charitable campaigns include the Fall 2019 Crazy Buch brew in support of the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, and the Spring 2020 Komboujee Brew, which raised almost $1,500 for Cerebral Palsy Kids & Families. “We intentionally support small, local organizations,” says Suzanne, “We’re very, very mindful of that. Especially in this economy, it’s the little ones that are really struggling and can benefit the most from our contributions.” 

Bar Star Buch is currently raising money for Tiny Footprints Pregnancy and Infant Loss, and will be announcing their Spring 2021 charitable partner in March. 

Right now, you can find Bar Star Buch in single serving bottles at Trolley 5 on 17th Ave and on-tap at Common Bond Bar on Stephen Ave, as well as a number of organic markets throughout the city. It is also available to Work Nicer members at several co-working spaces throughout Calgary and Edmonton.