Drink

You Can Ferment Corn Masa into Kombucha

Liz Grossman

When the house-nixtamalized Oaxacan corn masa at New York City’s Empellón Midtown isn’t being used to make fresh tortillas, it’s fermented for a nonalcoholic drink on the menu called masa kombucha. “But they wouldn’t call it kombucha in Mexico,” explains Corporate Beverage Director Noah Small. “We call it that, but it’s closer to a tejuino, which is masa that’s been allowed to ferment. It’s just one of...