Elnabrews

My new play dough, the first 𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐀 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐟.

An Asian Kombucha “𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐡” to quench one’s thirst while unpacking and climatizing to the humidity of our tropics. Always a bottle at handovers, a welcome gift to the tenants on behalf of my landlords, sharing the tale behind the brew inspiration : this one
- 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐱 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚 -
because the Asian mothers say drink Chrysanthemum when you are heaty // The Joy of Gifting 🤍

Spring, to believers - symbolizes renewal and new beginnings, it reminds us that God is all about making everything new. I collected enough calyxes from the Rosella blooms in my garden, to brew a limited pour of this auspicious and tasty, naturally caffeine-free Kombucha. I had it infused with tangy sweet pineapple for Spring//2022. The core of pineapples, while it’s less sweet, makes an edible garnish-stirrer when a shot of shochu is added for a switch-up to a cocktail. For a doubly tasty pair gifting, I added some mandarin wedges to the White Peony Yuzu Honey. Till the next rosella harvest, l’Chaim!

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝.
Joanna joined me for a brew session on Oct 31, 2020 - she liked it enough to book a private bonding session with her cousins and her fiancé Justin the following month. They returned again for a private tasting which I extended to all my brew room participants whenever I release new flavours for first fermentation. While I had been knee-deep brewing property, it is truly a blessing to execute this 30 bottles Brewed-To-Order for their wedding. Here’s my blend of blessings for the sweethearts :-
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𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐲 : This sets the foundation for the brew as first fermentation. Also known as [Bái mǔdān], it is an exquisite and famous white tea with strong body and pronounced tasting notes. When brewed well, it is fresh, mellow, slightly sweet like honey with floral aroma.
I pray your love continue to blossom on solid ground with Christ in the midst, amen.

𝐘𝐮𝐳𝐮 ゆず . 柚子 . [𝐘𝐨̀𝐮𝐳𝐢] :  Justin requested for a citrus, Elna 祝你们早生贵子 , amen.
Psalm 127:3

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 : A threefold cord is not easily broken, may the both of you always enjoy the provision and abundance in the house of the Lord. Amen.
Exodus 3:8

The above complete with handwritten name of their guests on 350ml bottles with a dainty cap wrap. Addition of fresh Dekopon [デコポン] sacs for the Bride and Groom.
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Yesterday, Justin and Joanna got married, they choose to be joined as one, always putting Jesus first. It’s lovely getting to know the couple through sharing the art of fermentation, but even more after listening to their wedding speeches. Congratulations 🤎

𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑀𝑟𝑠. 𝐾𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑦 𝑘𝑜𝑚𝑏𝑢𝑐ℎ𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑦. 𝐽𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑦’𝑠 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑦 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑤 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑔𝑒, 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐷𝑀𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐽𝑜𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦.

These edibles currently flourishing at a pace too speedy for my propertea schedule, pruned them for visual pleasure.
Chain of Love // Indian Borage // Lemon Basil.

Passionfruit is one of the most popular kombucha flavour for a few reasons. Touted as the tropical flavour bomb, it is high on carbonation when fermented. The fragrance is strong and flavour is distinctive, sweet with low level of acidity when left to ripen till its wrinkly. That’s the same time you can sow them seeds. I planted some of them in my garden last year, while I once chanced upon the unusual orange~red flesh fruit and tried to germinate them, I lost track on which is which. Earlier this month, I found many blooms and my kind neighbour taught me how to hand pollinate them. In less than 2 weeks the flower gave way to these plump fruits dangling alongside my fence. I used to love pairing Passionfruit with ginger but now - Passionfruit x Mango, both the fruits’ distinctive flavours stays true and loud post fermentation. What would you pair with this?

𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐊𝐚𝐬𝐮 [酒粕]
My favourite part of a fine dining experience is the listening to spiel of each course - the inspiration, source of produce and methods of preparation, I appreciate all of that. Last Friday’s night dinner at one of SG’s finest japanese restaurant ended with an ice cream dessert by . When introduce it as 𝑆𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝐼𝑐𝑒 𝐶𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑆𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝐿𝑒𝑒𝑠, I drew relations to the red wine lees I harvested the night before. While I’ve been drinking plenty of sake, briefly visited a sake brewery in my last trip to Hiroshima, never had I thought much about the remains. The sake ice cream was delicious, the crunchy sprinkle of Sake Lees defined the creativity on this dessert, scored with me 💯 for zero food waste. That sparked me thinking of what else I can do with those wine lees from the next batch of red rice wine. Perhaps even more, the idea of brewing some sake, is beginning to grow on me.





#酒粕

𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 #𝟏
Mrs. Kee is an advocate for fermented food - she says it’s good for blood sugar levels. She has a discerning palate and cooks the best 山珍海味， it’s a treat whenever she dishes out black pepper crab bee hoon & braised sea cucumber and she will cook extra so I can freeze them and have a quick meal in my busy schedule, erm.. brewing propertea. I want to make something special for her, was cracking my head on this. Some months back, she shared that , she had tasted very delicious home-brewed rice wine before and asked I can make them. My mom is Taiwanese and my late father, Peranakan Teochew. Red rice wine and it’s dishes are not familiar memories from my childhood nor have I tasted them before kneading the first gram of Koji into cooled glutinous rice. I have no heirloom recipe to follow except pointers from 2 overseas chinese I found on social media.
45 days into fermentation, I harvested the brew, it’s fragrant, slightly sweet and alcoholic without acidity. I quickly bottled them and had it sent to Mrs. Kee for flavour verification. She says, “𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡. 𝐼𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑓 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑛 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙-𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒.”
Mrs. Kee made Fermented Rice Wine Chicken 红糟鸡 for our lunch today, my first time eating this dish. She used Kampong chicken, lots of ginger, black fungus, the red rice wine and wine lees only, no salt or other seasoning needed - delicious. Batch 2 in the making and going out to Mrs. Lee and my favourite dermatologist.






#红糟酒 #红曲 #红糟鸡

Thank you Louis Vuitton City Guide for featuring 𝐄𝐥𝐧𝐚𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐬 in the Singapore’s Edition, I am honoured. Now available in the App Store!
𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐊𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡
Stoked to brew for my favourite skincare brand. For media guests attending La Mer Blueheart Campaign // The Ocean Therapy Experience, this noon at Sephora ION Orchard.
June 30, 2021





#红茶菌 #康普茶 #恐怖茶

𝐓𝐎𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐌 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑
My kick starter for an intense week ahead, 𝐻𝑜𝑗𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑎 - roasted green tea as F1, pairing with 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑠🍇. Intense black grapes with higher antioxidant than the red or white. Have a good one everybody, 𝐿’𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑚🍹!





#红茶菌 #康普茶 #恐怖茶 #风味 #作坊