Kombucha Craft
Big Island Booch on tap, fermented with care and poured as part of everyday island life.
Our Roots, Our Passion
The Big Island Booch Story
The Booch Bar grew out of the same Big Island Booch vision that started with one bottle sold in Kalapana back in 2013.
The story behind the bar is one of persistence, local roots, education, and building a real community around living food and kombucha.
From Kalapana Beginnings To The Booch Bar
This About page now carries the origin story from Big Island Booch, adapted here so the Booch Bar site explains where the business came from and what it was built on.
What an amazing ride it has been! The story of Big Island Booch is a story of fortitude and dedication to a dream. Brendan Roberts and I, Kela Cosgrave, started with the humblest of beginnings, where we sold only one bottle of product at our first retail showing at Uncle Robert's Awa Club in Kalapana in 2013.
In a few short years, we grew from a small home-based business into an elixir bar, then into larger spaces as we could afford them. That growth became two locations: a 7,000+ square foot Boochery where Big Island Booch Kombucha, Jun, Conscious Cultures kraut, and kimchi are fermented, and the 2,500 square foot Conscious Culture Cafe where healthy meals are served with an emphasis on sustAINAbility, organics, local sourcing, sustainably and humanely sourced meats, gluten-free options, and living foods.
The idea of kombucha is not new by any means, but what makes Big Island Booch special is the way the product has been carried in Hawaii. Through creative combinations, eye-catching bottling and branding, and hard work, the business grew from a disastrous first day with one bottle sold into a thriving local brand.
The secret was staying true to core principles: quality over growth, local over imported, and education. Because Hawaii was not a kombucha market when Big Island Booch began, the early work was less about distribution and more about helping people understand what kombucha is and how it can support their health.
Big Island Booch didn't just find a niche to operate in. It created a market through education, quality production, and an innovative breadth of products. And, as the original story says, maybe the secret is also that every ounce of Big Island Booch Kombucha touches full moonlight charged quartz crystals to help keep the vibration pono.
The gratitude for the Boochies runs deep. Their support made the growth possible, and that same spirit still shapes the food, kombucha, and hospitality that flow through The Booch Bar today.
What Matters Here
Local Eats
Fresh, approachable plates that keep the room easy, welcoming, and nourishing.
Community Nights
Music, workshops, and open gatherings that bring regulars and new faces together.
Downtown Hilo Energy
A room that feels casual, vibrant, and distinctly local without trying too hard.
The Vibe