A starred restaurant on a Friday night, no one drinking alcohol. For a long time that meant grape juice or sparkling water. Maarten Riebeek wants to offer something better. In this episode of Sparks I sit down with him to talk about Established Sparkling Tea, a premium alcohol-free bubble that treats tea with the attention of a cuvée.
Who is Maarten Riebeek
As a chef at restaurant Moon in the A’DAM Tower, Maarten Riebeek built considered tea pairings for guests who weren’t drinking alcohol. What began as hospitality grew into a product after investors recognised what he was doing. Together with chef Wesley he translated those kitchen experiments into a bottled brand: Established Sparkling Tea. His enthusiasm for what tea can do sits closer to a sommelier than a tea merchant.
What you learn in this episode
- How a tea pairing in a restaurant kitchen grew into a bottled brand
- Why the team deliberately chose the champagne bottle, cork and wire cage
- The make-up of the Magnolia blend with Japanese sencha and Chinese gunpowder
- Why the tea is cold-brewed and carbonated to six bars instead of fermented
- How Established stays low at 15 calories and 3.4 g of sugar per 100 ml without losing flavour
- What a premium price of €23.95 means for its positioning in hospitality
- Where the alcohol-free category can go in serious dining
In the glass
In a wine glass: bright amber, fine and persistent bubbles. The nose opens with magnolia, floral and lightly honeyed, with verveine’s herbal layer underneath. The palate is notably wine-like in structure. Sencha’s freshness arrives first, then gunpowder’s tannins pull the bubble longer. Magnolia adds a floral lift without going sweet, and the citrus keeps the whole thing precise.
Frequently asked questions
What is Established Sparkling Tea?
A premium alcohol-free bubble from Amsterdam, built by chef Maarten Riebeek. The Magnolia blend combines seven ingredients around two green teas, cold-brewed and carbonated to six bars, the same pressure as champagne.
How does it taste compared to wine?
More wine-like than most alcohol-free drinks. Sencha brings freshness up front, gunpowder adds tannins and structure on the back palate, and the low sugar keeps it precise rather than sweet.
What does a bottle cost and where do you buy it?
A bottle costs €23.95, comparable to a good grower Champagne. Established focuses on restaurants and serious consumers, with traction in Amsterdam venues such as Le Muse.
Who is this episode for?
Founders in the beverage industry, hospitality professionals, and anyone curious about what refined alcohol-free can mean at the table.
Listen on your own podcast platform
Sparks by VinoVonk is on Spotify, and you can watch the episode on YouTube. Listen wherever you like, and subscribe for new episodes.
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