Fill Growlers and Kegs at One Kombucha Brewery in Palm Beach Gardens

With so many breweries popping up left and right, it's not exactly startling news to announce the recent opening of yet another in Palm Beach Gardens.

Of course, this is one brewery that doesn't fit the traditional script: it brews kombucha, not beer.

One Kombucha owner Danny Mancini officially opened for business in January, producing an array of kombucha flavors available by bottle, or on tap for use in kegs and re-fillable growlers.

See also: Kombulicious: Among Florida's First Kombucha Breweries

The idea to make kombucha -- a lightly effervescent fermented drink made with black or green tea -- came to 31-years-old Mancini almost by accident. A vegan for close to 15 years, kombucha had always been a big part of his clean-eating diet, he said, but became a business prospect after he started brewing beer.

"I typically bought and drank the brands you see at Whole Foods," adds Mancini. "I had planned to open a brewery, but there were a lot of them popping up in the area. There was nothing like this in the area, so I figured: if I can brew beer, I could probably brew kombucha, too."

According to Mancini, kombucha has a variety of health benefits -- but that can vary from person to person.

"For me, personally, I rarely get sick and I find I have a lot of energy," said Mancini. "Part of that could be my diet, but I also believe it's thanks to the kombucha, which is a good source of B vitamins."

Mancini brews his kombucha on a rotating weekly schedule, producing up to 1,000 gallons at one time. He uses an Italian stainless steel wine fermenting tank, and uses only certified USDA organic produce and products to brew eight regular flavors of kombucha, including hibiscus rose, ginger lemon, apple spice, passion fruit, grape, and triple berry.

While most of the kombucha is used to fill the 12-ounce glass bottles Mancini provides to local markets and restaurants, some of it he kegs for use on tap systems. To date, One Kombucha is currently on tap at Darbster (6299 N Federal Hwy., Boca Raton); Oceana Coffee (150 N US Hwy 1, Tequesta); and soon Christopher's Kitchen (4783 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens).

"I've been really surprised at how excited local establishments are to carry kombucha on tap," said Mancini. "Again, no one was really doing it here, so it's exciting to see where it will grow."

The brewery's taproom opened to the public in January, where there are six taps dedicated to a rotating selection of each of One Kombucha's eight regular flavors, while two are reserved for rotating seasonal brews. Right now, beer lovers might be interested to sample a dry-hopped version Mancini brewed using citra hops and white oak chips.

If you like what you taste, bring some home. The brewery offers growler fills, allowing customers an easier -- and environmentally friendly -- way to drink kombucha at home. The 12-ounce glass bottles sell for $3 each, while a 1/4-gallon growler sells for $5 (first time only) with $7 refills, and a half-gallon for $6 (first time only) with $13 refills.

The brewery also sells a number of raw vegan eats and produce. Mancini is passionate about supporting local farmers, and uses the tap room to double as a pick-up and drop-off location for Kai-Kai Farm, which delivers fresh produce available for purchase several days a week.

"It's all part of my mission to help people live a healthier lifestyle," says Mancini.

One Kombucha's taproom is open from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. They can also be found at the Palm Beach Gardens Farmers' Market (4301 Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens) every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The brewery is located at 9475 A1A, Palm Beach Gardens. Call 561-469-8478, or visit onekombucha.com.

Nicole Danna is a food blogger covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.