Growing together – Iturria as a seed for a new culture

A New World of Fermentation

In a time when more and more people are searching for healthier, more natural, and self-empowered ways of living, ancient craft traditions are quietly experiencing a renaissance. Fermentation is one of them – once essential for preserving food, now rediscovered as a key to health, vitality, and deeper connection with natural processes.

While sauerkraut, yogurt, or kombucha have already claimed their place in the world of conscious nutrition, a completely new frontier is emerging: fermentation under pressure. This method goes far beyond traditional approaches. It combines microbiological precision, unique physical dynamics, and practical versatility – not only for food, but also for skincare, plant strengthening, natural cleaning, and even energetic experiments.

In the Russian-speaking world, an active scene has already formed: dozens of Telegram groups, dedicated experimenters, microscope photos, recipes, and deep theoretical discussions. People are exchanging ideas, documenting their results, learning from each other.
In the German-speaking world? Silence. There is hardly any information, no active groups, no visible exchange. And in the English-speaking world, things remain uncertain – a few scattered references, but no system and no clear sense of community.

This is where Iturria comes in.
Iturria is a platform dedicated to building a new culture centered around health, consciousness, spiritual growth, and appreciation for craft. Out of this vision grew the project trank.iturria.life – a developing space for knowledge and practice around pressure fermentation.

It all began with a personal discovery:
A self-made fermented drink – carbonated through pressure, inoculated with lactic acid bacteria, and crafted with care – turned out to be not only delicious, but also visibly beneficial for the body and mood. This first creation was soon affectionately called the “Iturria Tonic” – a drink that nourishes more than thirst; it touches the inner terrain. That story became the seed. And the vision of a community began to take root.

Iturria – the first German-speaking community for pressure fermentation – is born.

What is Pressure Fermentation?

Pressure fermentation is a special form of lactic acid fermentation in which the carbon dioxide (CO₂) produced during the process is retained inside the vessel, creating internal pressure. Unlike traditional open fermentation, where gases can escape freely, this system remains largely sealed – similar to how sparkling drinks are made.
This seemingly small difference has a significant impact on the fermentation process, the microbial community, and the quality of the final product.

At the heart of it are lactic acid bacteria, which convert sugars into lactic acid and gases. But under pressure, their behavior changes noticeably:

• The pH tends to drop more quickly,
• certain microbes are favored while others are suppressed,
• oxidation is greatly reduced,
• and the drink develops a distinct texture and aroma.

Thus, pressure doesn’t just act physically – it has a selective microbiological effect.
The CO₂ that builds up has preservative qualities, enhances freshness, and, together with lactic acid, can effectively inhibit unwanted microbes. At the same time, many bioactive compounds are preserved, since no heat is involved. The result is a living, functional drink with tangible health potential.

This method is not part of any industrial standard, but rather emerged from a small circle of curious experimenters – first and foremost in Russia, where enthusiasts began playing with pressure, minerals, microscopes, and sensory feedback. Much of what they discovered came through experience, intuition, and consistent observation.

What is still largely unknown today may well become the next generation of fermented drinks – if we create space for shared exploration. That’s why a community is so essential.

Why Do We Need a Community?

Pressure fermentation is fascinating – but it’s also complex. There are no official textbooks, no established standards, and no single “right” way to do it. Instead, you’ll encounter a wide range of approaches: different vessels, pressures, temperatures, cultures, herbs, salts – and just as many questions. What works? What harms the microbes? How does pH change with different ingredients? And how do you know when a drink is “ready”?

This is where community-based learning becomes essential.
What works well in one kitchen might behave entirely differently in another. Only through open exchange – sharing both successes and failures – can a living, practical, and ever-growing body of knowledge emerge.

A community offers:

• collective learning through comparison and feedback
• quick access to practical solutions
• mutual motivation and inspiration
• space for creativity and new ideas

In a field this young, there are no “experts.” We are all students – and that’s exactly the strength. The community becomes a source of knowledge, a workshop, and a support system for those ready to explore and take responsibility for their own health.

Pressure fermentation needs a stage – and people willing to step onto it together.

Iturria.life – The Origin of a Movement

What now appears to be a growing network began with a very unusual encounter.
An old house, a man without internet, a mysterious bottle – and a fermented drink that turned out to be more than just a beverage. Its taste was vibrant, the effect immediate: clarity, lightness, a sense of inner shift.
This strange, almost dreamlike episode became known as “The Story of the Iturria Tonic” – the symbolic beginning of a rediscovered, living drink fermented under pressure, one that touches both body and spirit in surprising ways.

You can read the full story here: geschichte-ueber-iturria-trank

From this experience, the desire arose to share this knowledge – not through selling a product, but through collaboration, open learning, and co-creation.

This is how Iturria.life was born: a platform for connection – between people, between traditional knowledge and modern insight, between health, spirituality, and craftsmanship.

Out of this vision grew the project trank.iturria.life – a space where pressure fermentation takes center stage.
Here, people document, explore, experiment, and reflect.
It welcomes both newcomers and those deeply immersed in the process.

Iturria supports this movement through:

• Telegram groups for genuine knowledge exchange
• Workshops that connect theory and practice
• Articles, interviews, and stories
• A map that connects fermenters and curious minds

From a drink came an idea.
From the idea – a community.
And that community is growing.

What Makes Iturria Special?

There are many projects focused on health, nutrition, and fermentation – but Iturria follows a path of its own.
What sets us apart isn’t just pressure fermentation – it’s a deeper value: appreciation.
Appreciation for time, for vitality, for craftsmanship, for the quiet and meaningful connections between people.
At Iturria, it’s not about distributing knowledge quickly – but about creating spaces for real experience, trust, and shared growth.

Iturria is not a commercial project, but an organically evolving platform for those who want to contribute.
The foundation: personal responsibility, mutual learning, and joy in exploring – whether through a microscope or intuition.
Here, theory and practice meet, science and spirit converge, and everyday life touches vision.

What makes Iturria unique:

• Connection over separation – technology meets intuition, microbiology meets worldview
• Community over competition – asking questions is always welcome
• Appreciation over judgment – for time, energy, creativity, and presence

The Iturria Tonic is just one facet – a living expression of what becomes possible when we engage consciously with life’s processes.
But who knows what topics may emerge next? Water, plants, sound, spaces, art, or entirely new ways of being – Iturria remains open to evolution.

A next step is the creation of the Iturria Market:
a space for exchange, cooperation, and regenerative economy. It may one day include an internal currency called “Iturris”, rooted in time and human contribution.
The tonic might sit alongside handmade goods, consultations, plants, textiles, or music – not as products, but as expressions of living diversity.

Iturria is more than a platform. It is a movement.

Join In & Be Part of the Movement

Iturria is open. To people. To ideas. To evolution.

You don’t need to be an expert to take part – curiosity is enough.
Whether you’re exploring your microbiome, living a mindful lifestyle, crafting with your hands, seeking spiritual insight, or simply sensing that a new time is emerging – you’ll find resonance here at Iturria.

What connects us isn’t one topic, but a shared attitude:
Appreciation. Exploration. Community.
We believe transformation doesn’t come from manuals, but from real connection, from exchange, and from the courage to walk new paths — together.

Ways to join in:

• Join our Telegram groups and start connecting
• Add yourself to the map — as a maker, explorer, or contributor
• Share your experiences, recipes, thoughts, or observations
• Read interviews — or become one yourself
• Attend or co-host workshops and gatherings
• Contribute to the Iturria Market – with your ideas, offerings, or time
• Or simply: be present, ask questions, offer impulses

Do you have a project that resonates with the Iturria vision?
Reach out – we may be able to support you with our infrastructure.

Already leading a network that aligns with Iturria’s values?
Let’s build a bridge — we’re open to integration.

Whether you prefer to observe or actively co-create – you are welcome.
It may start with a drink. A conversation. Or a quiet inner yes.

Iturria grows through people like you.

Conclusion — A Movement of Change

Iturria is more than a project. More than a platform.
It’s a space that connects people who feel: the old world no longer holds — something new is ready to emerge.
This change begins quietly — in conversations, thoughts, small experiments. In how we treat ourselves, each other, and the Earth.

Some arrive through a tonic. Others through a deep longing for true health. Still others through a need for connection, creativity, or meaning.
And that’s the beauty — because diversity is strength.
What matters is not the starting point, but the shared direction:
A life of appreciation. Of responsibility. Of joy.
A culture that doesn’t divide, but heals. That doesn’t preach, but invites.

Iturria is a beginning. Not a finished system, but a living space,
where new ways of being and relating can unfold.
A call to those who feel: now is the time.

Welcome to Iturria.
Welcome to the movement.