Hi Jacob! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background!
Jacob Kocemba, 42 years. I live in Copenhagen with my family – I have worked in the restaurants industry for 25 years all the time in the best restaurants in Copenhagen. Today I work with Sparkling Tea and as a high-end consultant for hotels and restaurants. I also have a job as a taste developer for a unit at Pernod Ricard.
Long track record from some of the finest restaurants and hotels in Copenhagen.
Developer of several new beverages products, including Gin, Sodas, Beers and Sparkling Tea.
General Manager for over 140 employees including food court, Michelin restaurant, Brasserie, Oriental Restaurant and High-end Jazz Club at The Standard.
Received and Won several awards from both Danish and international competitions.
You are one of the founders of Copenhagen Sparkling Tea – could you share a little about why you started the company?
I made the first drinks with tea in 2010 at a Michelin restaurant at hotel Nimb, and from that I developed Sparkling Tea. In 2011 I made the first sparkling tea company but I was still working in the restaurants full time as a GM. In 2016 I quit my job and wanted to go full in with sparkling tea and then I hooked up with Bo my partner and we created Copenhagen sparkling tea company.
“Sparkling Tea was developed by the award-winning sommelier Jacob Kocemba, during his time at a Michelin restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark. He realized the many possibilities within the world of tea, when he couldn’t find a matching wine for a dessert, despite a wine cellar of more than 1,700 wines. Instead, the solution came in a homemade tea extract, which consisted of a blend of different exclusive teas. The new drink became a great success and a favorite amongst the guests of the restaurant. Sparkling Tea has grown rapidly and is now sold in 16+ countries and served at more than 45 Michelin restaurants worldwide.
Currently we’re selling Sparkling Tea BLÅ, a complex non-alcoholic sparkling wine alternative. What does the production process look like?
Blå has 13 different teas – we extract the different Teas at different temperatures at different time intervals – we only use the best tea from the regions who have the best terrior for the tea we are looking for example Darjeeling, Assam, Fujin etc.
The bottles are left to rest for 8-12 weeks in order to gain the highest level of complexity in taste. Before they finally are released for sale.
We use white tea to soften the water and give it a gentle filing on the tongue.
Green to give it debts and umami.
Black to give it tannins and strength.
Aroma tea to build the flavor profile like Jasmine.
What’s your preferred way to enjoy BLÅ?
Blå can start a dinner or finish it – It is very good as an all-round sparkling drink.
My preferred way to enjoy it is during the weekdays where you need a small break and need some self enjoyment – I skip the normal glass of wine and take Blå instead. It gives me the same joy and I can skip the alcohol.
