Marius Alexander Haeckel was on a surfing trip in Bali in early 2020 when a sudden flash of inspiration hit him. He decided at that moment to write a book about one of his great passions: fermentation.

As we are all aware, the expanse of time between early 2020 and now has been tumultuous and utterly unpredictable. In some ways, however, the state of the world has made a project like this one even more compelling. Fermentation also involves time and change, but it is time deliberately taken with a definite goal in mind. There is some sense of stability in the passage of time and the anticipated end results when it comes to fermentation, and it contrasts in a reassuring way with the world we have been living in.

Priobiotic fermented dill cucumbers, Marius Haeckel.

As Haeckel says of the intervening time between his first kernel of an idea and the actual writing of the book, “Whole societies have changed and been transformed. Physical contact has been restricted to a minimum. In that silence I came to realise that we all have so much energy within ourselves. This can open up a wonderful world, especially with the restrictions placed on freedom of movement. What about making a start within our own four walls?”

For his part, Haeckel directed that energy toward writing his comprehensive book in a very impressive amount of time. It’s Alive! A Fermentation Guide was published on July 12. The book covers a range of fermented products, from lacto-fermented fruit to homemade vegan yogurt and, of course, our favorite here at Seek North—kombucha!

Haeckel first tried his hand at fermenting in 2018, using the first floor of his parents’ house as a test lab of sorts. Somebody had given him a small culture in an amber-colored liquid as a birthday present. His first attempt at kombucha was, according to him, a disaster, but his nascent interest developed into a passion and soon, he was brewing and fermenting regularly. His own kombucha became his favorite refreshing beverage at the end of a day of surfing.

This learning process is a central part of Haeckel’s message to his readers and prospective brewers. He says that he “wanted to convey that people should feel free to try new things and allow for creativity.”

Even now, this emphasis on creativity informs his approach to brewing kombucha. While he has an affinity for popular and common ingredients such as fresh ginger and green tea, he also likes to try out new things: banana bread kombucha and fermented hummus are two of the recent experiments he told us about. The improved gut health and vitamins are important to him, but he is always seeking out new horizons of flavor.

Both fermentation and the process of writing It’s Alive! during such a strange time taught Haeckel a great deal; namely, “You don’t always get what you expect to get,” but if you approach situations with a creative spirit and open mind, you can always make the best of it.

To learn more about Marius follow him on instagram -here-

Find his book on Amazon -here-

It's Alive!