Local family launches alcoholic kombucha, brewed in Unanderra

Saint + Sinner, an alcoholic kombucha handcrafted and brewed in Unanderra, has launched to market, offering Australian drinkers a more health-conscious drink option which is low sugar and gut-friendly.

Organic, vegan, gluten-free, low in sugar and free from preservatives, Saint and Sinner is the new business for the Kembla Grange-based Lord family, and offers three natural, carefully-crafted flavours, to offer a great tasting booch that’s free from nasties, with one standard drink per bottle.

Saint and Sinner is the result of a ‘pandemic pivot’ inspired by Linda Goldspink-Lord’s personal experience and desire to find a healthier drink for celebrating good times.

“After suffering my own major health crisis a few years ago, I started prioritising my gut health and cutting right back on sugar. But I struggled to find alcoholic drinks which were low in sugar, and having even a few glasses of a sugar-laden wine left me feeling rough the next day,” says Linda.

When the first COVID-19 lockdown hit last year, Linda’s son Riley had to press pause on his plans of starting his legal career in Sydney, and instead decided to run with his mum’s idea to create an alcoholic or ‘hard’ kombucha for the Australian market which tastes great and is better for you.

“The more we researched the market, the more we were convinced that there was a need for this kind of product for savvy drinkers. So many of the ready to drink options out there are full of sugar and preservatives – we were determined to create something which people could feel good about drinking. It’s alcohol on its best behaviour,” says Riley Lord. “Not only does Saint and Sinner taste great, it’s also better for the planet – our small batch fermentation process means every bottle is ethically and sustainably created, and our amber glass bottles help keep those good bacteria (and the planet!) alive and well.”

With many ready-to-drink options having up to 8g of sugar per 100ml, kicking-back with a few drinks on the weekend can be a calorie and sugar-laden trap. As more Australians embrace a healthy, low-sugar lifestyle, Saint + Sinner is providing an alternative which tastes wickedly good, without all the nasties of traditional ready-to-drink options.

Based in Kembla-Grange and Unanderra, the Lord family are also behind Poseidon Animal Health, which provides supplements for horses and dogs.

“Entering the alcoholic beverage industry is completely new territory for us. We’re exploring the potential of Saint + Sinner as a pandemic-proof business and it’s exciting to see where this might go,” says Riley