When Jamba Dunn first began brewing beer as a hobby, his young daughter asked, “Why can’t you make something I can have?” His response was to start making kombucha. Today, Rowdy Mermaid is one of the fastest-growing kombucha brands in the Rocky Mountain region, producing blends such as Alpine Lavender, Living Ginger and Rowdy Belly from ethically sourced herbs, roots and flowers.
The Boulder-based business took its name during a family trip to local hot springs—though the name came from the daughter’s playful energy rather than relaxation.
“My daughter had been playing mermaid all day, and when I told my wife I wanted to start the company she asked, ‘What are we going to call it?’” Dunn recalls. “At one point my daughter was jumping over someone’s head and making dolphin noises, and I told her to stop being a naughty rowdy mermaid.” The name stuck.
With a background in microbiology, Dunn leads a team that continually experiments with new flavors and refines their SCOBYs (the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast at the heart of kombucha brewing).
“We’re focused on crafting drinks that are both functional and flavorful, using natural ingredients chosen for adaptogenic, calming, cooling or immune- and digestion-supporting properties,” he says. All of the company’s products are non-GMO and certified organic.
Rowdy Mermaid kombucha is available at King Soopers and other local retailers. If you’re in Boulder, you can also visit their tasting room at the Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road.