Today we’d like to introduce you to Madelyn Osten.
Hi Madelyn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Brewing Life started with Founder & Brewmaster, Daniel Seaburg, in 2017. Daniel began his career at an early age working in kitchens, becoming a classically trained chef in New York & South Florida. After more than a decade in the industry, he branched out of hospitality and pursued his new passion of fermentation. While exploring traditional avenues like beer brewing, he also began experimenting with home-brewed kombucha. He loved the cross section of health and flavor that he created with his brews.
Brewing out of his home, the brews were bottled and taken to the local farmers market, building a loyal community around Daniel’s unique brew style. Unlike most kombucha we don’t make a vinegary or overly sweet kombucha. The brews are super smooth, almost drinking like a soda but with only 5 grams of sugar. Hence why we say it’s a “Kombucha for people who don’t like kombucha.” With this soda-like kombucha Daniel grew Brewing Life and it’s loyal fans.
In late summer of 2023 Kareem Zarwi approached Daniel at his booth at the Coconut Grove Farmers Market and asked if he could make a kombucha out of kratom tea. Kareem, a former wine sommelier, had quit drinking alcohol 4 years prior, during that time he was introduced to kratom tea. Daniel took the tea and made our first batch of kratom kombucha.
By October 2023 Thom Fun’s Original was founded. Daniel was also looking for business partners at this time to take Brewing Life to the next level and the match seemed already made. We joined forces in early 2024 and became partners with hospitality veterans Craig Teriaca, Rafael Vazquez and Madelyn Osten joining the team as well. We make small batch kombucha both for adults looking for alcohol alternatives and for the whole family. With recent upgrades to our facility in Hialeah Gardens we are looking to the future and excited to be the new staple in your fridge.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have certainly been challenges along the way. No business is immune. A big challenge for us has been the heat in Miami. When it comes to fermentation temperature is basically one of the ingredients. With our kombucha never being pasteurized and being a live product, dealing with the heat in our warehouse has been a learning curve. Fortunately we love what we do and being adaptable has helped us figure out how to coexist with Miami heat. Making the best tasting kombucha no matter what is at the heart of what we do.
Logistics of course, we currently do all of the delivering ourselves. Which has us driving all over the state, making kombucha dreams come true. While it can be challenging (Florida drivers are crazy) we love getting to connect with our customers and wholesale accounts. They feel like extended family at this point and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
When it comes to kombucha, for the most part, people know what it is, or have at least heard about it. The big challenge there is that many people have been turned off by an overly strong kombucha they tried from the grocery store. We say kombucha, they say gross. That’s where doing farmers markets, sampling and joining events all over Miami have helped. Because really all anyone needs to do is try it and they realize we aren’t like the other guys.
As you know, we’re big fans of Brewing Life Kombucha. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We make a kombucha that drinks like a soda, bright, fizzy, and full of personality, while keeping it to just 5g of sugar. Our mission is to make kombucha for people who say “I don’t like kombucha.” We’re small‑batch and proudly brewed in Miami, and we obsess over recipes until the stuff actually tastes delicious—no weird vinegar science-experiment vibes.
What really makes us tick is that this was built from the ground up. Starting small batch in a kitchen, slinging it at farmers markets. To our larger facility in Hialeah, still just a team of 5 people but we have come a long way are are excited for every stage of this business. We are just a group of friends with a specific vision—to make a healthy drink people will actually reach for. We’re ridiculously proud of the hustle it took to get here and the community that’s rallied around us. Nothing beats watching someone who swears they hate kombucha take a sip, light up, and then buy a bottle on the spot. Even better is when customers bring friends to our farmers market booth and insist, “You have to try this.” That word‑of‑mouth love is everything.
You can grab our bottles at local farmers markets (map on the website), order local delivery in Miami through our site, or check the list of shops that carry Brewing Life on our website. Being born and brewed in Miami is the heart of what we do—we try to bottle the city’s vibrancy in every flavor. Think passionfruit, lychee, hibiscus, and our crowd‑favorite Miami Detox—each one inspired by this wild, wonderful city.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like best: Miami’s energy, the food, music, art and incredible cultural mix. It’s endlessly inspiring for a small‑batch brewer. The year‑round outdoor lifestyle, vibrant events scene, and nonstop creative collaboration give us constant opportunities to test new flavors at pop‑ups and festivals, connect with fellow makers, and grow our brand in ways we couldn’t anywhere else. Not to mention the healthy lifestyle so prevalent in Miami, despite it begin seen as a party town, so many people here care about what they put in their bodies.. There is a truly inspired community thriving in Miami and we are proud to be apart of it.
What I like least: The cost and pace of change. Rising rents and development make it harder for small businesses to secure affordable production and storefront space, and traffic can make logistics a true nightmare. Climate pressures, intense heat and hurricane season, also add operational challenges we have to plan around. Despite that, Miami’s vibrancy still makes it the right place for Brewing Life.
Pricing:
- At farmers markets it is $5 a bottle
- We do discounts so the more you buy the cheaper it gets.
- 4 pack is $19, 6pack $27, 12pack $48, 24pack $84
- Free shipping on local delivery & pack discounts when you sign up for subscription on our website
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brewinglifemiami.com
- Instagram: @brewinglifemiami
