Farm-to-Table Series: Frog Juice Kombucha
Friends, I want to introduce you to a new segment we’re starting here — one where I travel around and bring you interviews with some of the movers and shakers in the farm-to-table movement here in East TN. I am so excited to share these stories with you! My hope is that you’ll start thinking about the farm-to-table movement where you live (and if you live near any of these great producers, please go visit. Tell them the Chicken Librarian sent you!).
Meet Frog Juice Kombucha
First up in this new series is Frog Juice Kombucha. I’ve known and loved Frog Juice since my early days of moving back to Knoxville. I don’t recall exactly how we met, but it was love at first sip for me. My first clear memory of Frog and her crew (and juice) was at the Maker City Summit, but I’m sure we met long before that. When I first thought about this series, I couldn’t think of a better place to start.
What Exactly Is Kombucha?
Before we dive into all things Frog Juice, let’s talk about what kombucha is. Kombucha is a fermented drink typically made with black tea and sugar that grows a SCOBY (otherwise known as a “mother”—think apple cider vinegar that’s made from scratch and unfiltered). The natural bacteria and yeast that form the mother convert the sugars into carbon dioxide, making the drink fizzy. The bacteria then convert the alcohol into acids, giving kombucha its tangy flavor. Add fruits or herbs and you get endless flavor combinations. Some people love it; some people don’t. I happen to be firmly in the love it category.
Frog’s Journey
Frog was born and raised in Richmond, VA, and much like yours truly, hit the road as soon as she could to explore this great big world. She settled in Chicago for close to 20 years, where she made her living as a bartender — not just any bartender, though! Toward the end of her career, she was a mixologist for leading craft cocktail establishments.
After years in the bar business, Frog was ready for a change. She’d learned about the health benefits of kombucha—especially after a night of overindulging in the alcoholic variety of adult beverages. Fast forward to 2014, when Frog started Frog Juice Kombucha in Chicago.
Things were going just fine until the pandemic hit. Frog had already made her way to Knoxville by then but was still running a booming business up north. Once the pandemic hit, everything came to a screeching halt—including the making and selling of her kombucha. That’s when she decided to close shop in Chicago and make the permanent move to Knoxville. When one door closes, as they say. It took a lot of back and forth (and a lot of work) to move all the equipment and supplies south, but that’s exactly what she did.
Building The Boocherie
Production started at their facility on Central Ave in North Knox, but it wasn’t until Trailhead Beer decided not to open their second location on Sutherland Ave that Frog had the chance to open a brick-and-mortar non-alcoholic bar.
If you’ve driven down Sutherland, you’ll see the aptly named bar, The Boocherie, nestled between River Sports Outfitters and the newly opened Flock Beer and Wine (formerly Albright Grove Brewing). Frog imagined the bar as a place for Knoxville’s mix of makers, dreamers, and doers to feel right at home (myself very much included).
If you’re in need of respite from the overstimulation of the world, step through the doors, shut it all out, and grab a specialty mocktail (menu on hand for suggestions). Activities and events at The Boocherie include Emotional Sobriety meetings, coffee and mocktail mixology, a metaphysical meetup, and herbal classes, among others. If you need socio-economic support, there are plenty of resources posted around the building as well (no need to disclose any information—just take a walk around and snap a photo of what you need). There’s even a resource station in the mixed-gender restroom. Take what you need.
The Ingredients (and the Integrity)
You’ll be happy to know that all Frog Juice ingredients are organic and fair trade, and they use local ingredients whenever possible. For example, the blueberries in the Blueberry Basil Kombucha come from Four Daughters Farm. Other local products come from surrounding farms and businesses. Frog loves to collaborate and you will see that throughout the Boocherie, from the “white label’ kombucha that is specially brewed just for Vienna Coffee Company or the Mertails elixirs kept on hand for mixing up a fancy mocktail.
And if you can’t make it to The Boocherie to purchase your favorite flavor—or if you haven’t tried Frog Juice yet—you can find them at seven farm markets throughout the summer. Or check the list for the latest places around East TN where you can grab a can (or two, or three…).
Fire Cider, Farming, and Finding Purpose
My time spent with the lovely Frog—talking about how we both ended up in this place, sharing the same ideology, and wondering how we can best help the area’s shrinking farmland—was as refreshing as the fire cider shots we took that day. Speaking of fire cider: Frog Juice is also home to the state’s first registered fire cider company.
If you can ever pin Frog down long enough, you’ll have to ask her about the hoops she had to jump through to get the state to understand just what fire cider is. She’s a busy woman—running Frog Juice’s manufacturing, production, and retail operations, building her own farmstead in SoKno, and dabbling in tincture making and other eco-conscious products.
What’s in a Name?
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention where Frog Juice got its name. “Frog” is actually a nickname her herpetologist father gave her when she was just a wee thing (I didn’t ask what her real name was, because we all know and love her as Frog—it fits!). He also drew the logo. Fun fact: kombucha isn’t Frog’s first foray into entrepreneurship—she previously owned a clothing company that her dad also designed the logo for!
Legacy and Lineage
I really enjoyed my time sitting one-on-one with this compassionate and passionate female leader. I’ve long admired her and her work but didn’t understand the depths until now. She explained that her beginnings come from a long line of farmers on both her mom’s and dad’s sides (and you know us Southerners love a good lineage story). In fact, her great-grandmother on her mom’s side farmed a 150-acre property all by herself (due to her husband’s injury that left him incapacitated) in the mid-1900s. (Do you feel as old as I do reading that?!)
Meeting Frog reminded me why this work matters. It’s about more than good food or fizzy drinks—it’s about the people behind them, the land they care for, and the creativity they pour into their craft. These are the stories that keep the farm-to-table movement alive, and I can’t wait to share more of them with you.
So the next time you’re in Knoxville, stop by The Boocherie, grab a kombucha, and say hi to Frog. Tell her you read about her here—and then stick around to soak up a little of that creative, inclusive energy she’s built.
Frog’s story is just the beginning. Over the coming months, I’ll be introducing you to more farmers, makers, and dreamers shaping the farm-to-table movement in East Tennessee and beyond. Stay tuned—and maybe start exploring what “farm-to-table” means in your own backyard.
Have you discovered your own favorite local maker or hidden gem lately? Tell me in the comments or send me an email — I’d love to hear what’s happening where you live!
‘til next time
-k
xoxo
