This homegrown craft cola tastes like ‘Christmas in summer'

Free Malaysia Today

5 hours ago

Kenji Tee's Passa Cola is aimed at reigniting people's interest in craft cola beverages. (Kenji Tee pics)
KUALA LUMPUR : Say 'cola' to someone and, chances are, the first words that come to mind are 'sweet', 'unhealthy', 'diabetes', or 'artificial'. And it's fair enough – most of the cans and bottles that line supermarket shelves don't exactly scream 'I'm good for you!'
This is where Passa Cola comes in. This homegrown brand is the brainchild of Malaysian-Japanese data scientist Kenji Tee.
The 28-year-old, who brews nearly 200 bottles a week, makes his cola from natural ingredients using a careful, hands-on process – all from his own kitchen. The result? A drink he proudly calls 'Christmas in summer'.
'That's what a lot of people tell me: it's got that warm, cosy vibe from cinnamon and ginger, but it's also super refreshing – something you'd want to drink on a hot day,' Tee told FMT Lifestyle.
According to him, Passa Cola's flavour profile is like a cross between ginger ale and Sarsi.
Founded in February last year, Passa Cola is available online and at select local cafés. In addition to the bottled fizzy beverages, you can also purchase a bottle of concentrate to make your own carbonated drink at home.
Passa Cola began not with a business plan but a craving. In 2023, Tee's friend returned from Japan with a bottle of craft cola. 'It was so different, so clean – not artificial at all,' he recalled. 'I couldn't stop thinking about it.'
Two weeks later, Tee was in Japan, hopping from one craft cola spot to another. Back home again, he started recreating what he'd tasted, batch by batch.
Tee makes up to 200 bottles of craft cola every week. (Kenji Tee pic)
'At first, it was just for myself and my friends. I missed it. I wanted to drink it again. But then my friends started asking when I would make more cola. That's when I knew I might be on to something.'
What began as a personal craving quickly turned into a mission. 'I thought Malaysians should get to try this,' he said.
So, he got to work. The journey has thus far involved 39 batches – and counting.
With each one, Tee collects feedback, tweaking the recipe just a little. 'Some people say it's too gingery. Some say it tastes more like cinnamon. I want it to be balanced, so I keep adjusting.'
Even the smallest changes matter, 'like how thick you peel the zest. Too thick, and it's bitter. Or the steeping time – just a few minutes more or less and the flavour shifts'.
Ask Tee how long it takes to make a batch of Passa Cola and he'll casually tell you: eight hours. That's eight hours of peeling lemon and lime zest by hand ('you can imagine how many lemons that is'), steeping spices at just the right temperature, and pounding each ingredient to release its full flavour.
It's meticulous, time-consuming – and deeply intentional.
Everything is done from Tee's home kitchen, from pounding the ingredients and brewing the drink to bottling it up. (Kenji Tee pic)
This attention to detail is no accident: Tee grew up in a Malaysian-Japanese household where, as he puts it, 'my mum's cooking was always very clean, very focused on the ingredient itself'.
That sense of restraint has became part of Passa Cola's DNA. 'Even in Japanese craftsmanship,' he added, 'everything is very intentional, every step has a purpose. I try to bring that same spirit to Passa Cola.'
While his process is precise, the experience is anything but rigid. At the heart of Passa Cola is a laidback motto: 'tutto passa', or 'everything passes'.
'It's the idea is that you don't need to think too much when drinking it. It's made with real, natural ingredients, and you know it's in good hands. So just enjoy the moment.'
Find out more about Passa Cola here and follow Passa Cola on Instagram.