"I learned about kombucha about ten years ago when a friend offered me a drink made from the mushroom. I found it interesting - a tea that ferments over a mushroom. So I tasted it and was captivated," says Štěpán, describing the moment that gradually led to kombucha becoming his home business.

So a few years ago, he decided to try growing kombucha at home. He set about it, but the mushroom grew so fast that he began to wonder what to do with it. The turning point was working at the well-known tea company Sonnentor in Čejkovice, where he came into close contact with herbs. At home, he started mixing kombucha with herbs and experimenting in all sorts of ways. "I was looking for different combinations, what tea goes with what herb. I still benefit from my experience at Sonnentor today," he recalls of his early experiments.

The hobby slowly began to expand as people in his neighbourhood liked his drink. So the idea to elevate the product and start selling it was born. The recipe took about a year to develop. "Kombucha has the quality that even if you make it the same way twice, it's a little different each time. There can be variations in terms of effervescence, the amount of acid and so on. That's why we try to be as precise as possible and taste everything to deliver only the best," he says. He has his production facility in his cellar at home and other family members help him.

Stepan gradually started to offer the drinks further afield. He approached cafés, restaurants, farm shops and focused on various one-off events.

"In the two years I've been operating this way, we've gone around to a number of events giving tastings, and I have to say it's been a success," he praises the growing interest in his product. It's partly because of this that he has now reached the point of opening an e-shop. He has gradually reduced the range to five permanent flavours and two seasonal specials, which he has spent a long time selecting and fine-tuning in order to go "skin-deep".

"I bought a huge number of teas, which I gradually selected until I was left with the five best varieties. These I then combined with herbs in various ways. I then held several tastings, which eventually led to the best versions of each flavour," he says.

For example, the rosemary and thyme flavour goes well with meat. So does chilli, but this flavour is for those who like spicy - and the longer you leave the pepper in the bottle, the spicier the experience.

Herbs are, as the name suggests, one of the key factors for Herbucha. In the future, Štěpán would like to grow them himself.

Now he is most busy with the creation of the e-shop. He expects a weekly production of 240 bottles. The price of one will be 90 crowns.

Of course, he has to combine all these activities with his job at Energy Storage, where he works in shifts. As a commercial dispatcher, he deals with transport capacity, balancing the gas markets and also nominating storage customers whether they want to inject or extract, and passes on instructions to Uhřice or Dambořice.

If you are interested in Štěpán's products, visit his e-shop or drop by his office in Hodonín, MND, in Úprkova Street.

Next year Štěpán plans to send his Herbucha to London for the Great Taste Awards. Let's keep our fingers crossed!