The Best Booch on the Block: Dalai Sofia
By Lauren Vega
Charleston is known for its rich history, fantastic food, and southern hospitality. It is also known as one of the best bar & party cities in the United States and falls just behind Nashville as the top city for bachelor/bachelorette parties. This reputation attracts and perpetuates a prominent drinking culture. And while our locals love to party too, a new breeze is blowing and the desire for healthy, responsible consumption is taking the city by storm. People are becoming more aware of what makes them feel good both during and after consumption, and that means they’re demanding fresh, nutrient-dense, and often locally sourced food.
While we at Atlyss see this shift on the food side, founder and owner of Dalai Sofia, Zach Smith, welcomes this shift in the beverage world by offering his small-batch fermented kombucha. Certified Sommelier and longtime bartender with a deep understanding of flavor, Zach loved the communal aspect of the beverage industry, but what he didn’t love were the toxic aspects of overconsuming alcohol. He fell in love with kombucha in St. John, USVI, and began to make it on his own without any prior knowledge of the science behind it. A few people visiting the island tried it and said it was really good, which sparked an idea in Zach.
“I sat on the beach and wrote the entire business plan. I put the products together before putting my feet on the ground in Charleston, completed some paperwork after coming back to the states, and started immediately.”
Dalai Sofia launched in April 2017. Zach chose Charleston for various reasons, but the main reason was because it is one of the most sustainable areas for him to create his products. We have fresh water from the Appalachian mountains, sugar cane, tea, and fresh fruits from the surrounding farming regions like North Carolina and Georgia.
“I was on a mission to turn that sweet tea from the South into booch,” he laughs.
Even with the best laid plans, establishing the business was a bit of an uphill battle.
“A lot of people needed a lot of explaining and convincing to try kombucha. I feel like this little pocket in the southeast slowly comes around a decade after the west and the northeast.” Zach built relationships with store owners, restaurant managers, and bartenders across the city to grow product awareness and acceptance. He prides himself in shift of haters who once said they didn’t want to invest in a ‘trend’ who now promote the product openly and passionately.
“They kind of scoffed, but I knew I wasn’t messing with a trend. This is the right way to preserve food. It’s not the pasteurization and the chemicals.”
The ‘hater hurdle’ has also been a benefit because it has given Zach the opportunity to prove them wrong. As a cherry on top, he has been featured in GQ as one of the most innovative beverage makers in America.
So what makes Dalai Sofia so special?
Dalai Sofia prides itself in sourcing organically, locally, and sustainably. Most everything is purchased here in Charleston, and if not, they source from the Southeastern producers in Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. Most importantly, because Dalai Sofia believes in in respecting the local bounty, their ingredients are sourced here in the climate and soil native to our regional microbiome. Microbes indigenous to any given region will have their say in the flavor profile of a product, in the same way soil, weather and geography affect wine, creating a uniquely personal connection to the land. A fermented product that utilizes local produce will always represent the culture and community of its surroundings. Dalai Sofia believes that healthy individuals create healthy communities and you’re going to taste something that has a lot of passion behind it.
Not only that, Dalai Sofia then sells this product within the community that made it possible. They use aluminum because it is the only 100% recyclable product in the South. Many areas do not have a way to recycle, and things like glass and products have to be shipped thousands of miles to recycling facilities, defeating the purpose of sustainability. In 2019, Zach invested a lot of money into a canning machine, refrigerated truck, and warehouse. When the pandemic hit, the business also suffered because it couldn’t source aluminum. However, thanks to the continuing support from the Charleston community, Dalai Sofia operates year-round in West Ashley and business is picking up in a wild way since the Charleston Wine + Food Festival.
The Importance of Community
Community is one of the pillars of the company. Zach is constantly finding ways to collaborate with local businesses, support events, and help out neighboring entrepreneurs. He allows others to use his resources for their own small-batch creations, such as Sweatman's Ginger Beer or the Rarebit Mules. “The community of Charleston is so supportive. Friends and family have not only kept me on my feet, but kept me moving forward,” Zach says. He just wants to do the same for others.
The company of five is rapidly growing and doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. They just launched their hard booch line which Zach believes can spearhead the seltzer industry. What’s more, they’re right on the cusp of making a forty-seven store deal with Whole Foods. “You can definitely see Dalai Sofia being the Cheerwine of the Southeast,” he says. The company intends to stay in the Southeast and remain true to its mission as being a statement for a community and a culture doing the right thing. The right thing, Zach believes, is a small carbon footprint and a big impact on the people we serve. We wholeheartedly agree.
Where To Find Dalai Sofia
Check out their instagram for full details on where you can find their products around the region: https://www.instagram.com/dalaisofia/
They offer delivery on their website: https://www.dalaisofia.com
Atlyss now offers Dalai Sofia on our Grab & Go Trailer!