Ezil Mathy discovered kombucha in 2022 and started brewing small batches in her kitchen. She was guided by the recipes in Hannah Crum’s Big Book of Kombucha that she customized for the Indian palate. In May, 2024 she announced on Instagram that Dramila Kombucha was available in Chennai cafes and restaurants. She’s now outgrown her kitchen and ferments in 10 L glass jars in a dedicated space. She is a one-person artisanal producer.

Chennai is one of India’s main cities with a population over over 12 million in the metro area. This makes it the fifth largest in the country. It’s located on the East coast, in South India.

She sources her teas from the Nilgiri Hills plantations located around the town of Ooty, Tamil Nadu. Teas from here are known for briskness, referring to lively fragrant flavors, a quality attributed to the climatic growing conditions.

Ezil has seen the popularity of kombucha in India grow among a range of people.

There is a range of people trying kombucha. The younger crowd want non-alcoholic drinks. They’re not  even into drinking a lot of coffee, but they’re happy having a glass of kombucha. And then a lot of people working out at the gym, and for them this more like a post-workout drink. And I see a lot of people at the cafes, wanting to have kombucha because they feel it just helps their gut.

For all of these different groups, what is very important is the taste. It’s a taste that just grows on you. I think people are just opening up to it. And when they try it they say, “Oh yeah, I really like it!”

Ezil delights in creating new flavors every month. Among the many she has listed:

• Pomegranate & Rose
• Apple Cinnamon
• Mango, Chili & Coconut
• Cherry
• Hibiscus & Ginger
• Orange & Christmas Spice
• Passion Fruit & Tender Coconut
• Blueberry Lemon & Ginger
• Rose, Kokum & Ginger
• Orange, Pineapple & Basil
• Coconut Water, Ginger, Lime & Chia
• Dragon fruit
• Nannari lemon
• Amla, Kaffir Lime & Ginger

Many of these incorporate regional ingredients and celebrate Indian culture.

My mango and cayenne pepper is a big hit. Vendors on Chennai’s East Coast Beach sell a snack called a Sundal, which has lentils and chickpeas spiced with a ginger-garlic-chili paste, coconut, and assorted toppings such as mango. So I picked out just one part of it and made a kombucha with mango, chili and tender coconut. I think it’s one of the best.

Ezil shares the story of Dramila Kombucha in this interview.

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