BERKELEY – The first time Brett Johnson drank Kombucha, he thought it was "gross" and ended up throwing up.

So naturally, he wanted to find out more.

Now a freshman starter along Cal's defensive line, Johnson swears by the benefits of the fermented tea.

"The first time I ever had Kombucha, I was helping someone move," Johnson said. "They had it in their fridge and I had no idea what it was. I thought it looked kind of tasty. I sipped it, and it was kind of gross. I kept drinking it, and ended up throwing up the next day. I was like, 'There's something to this. I want to find out more.'"

Given Johnson's inquisitive and creative personality, it's not a surprise he was intrigued by Kombucha. He wanted to know why his body rejected it.

These days, Johnson is rejecting a lot of opposing blocks. He's become a fixture on the defensive line, appearing in all 12 regular-season games with eight starts and recording 24 tackles heading into Monday's Redbox Bowl against Illinois at Levi's Stadium.

"Brett is having a tremendous first season in our program," Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said. "He started strong in training camp and has never let up. We're excited to see what he will bring in the future as he continues to improve." 

Johnson has proven to be an excellent fit for Cal, both athletically and culturally. In addition to his passion for Komboucha, he also is a pottery enthusiast who has had some of his pieces appear in art shows back in his hometown of Phoenix. 

Johnson is planning on talking a ceramics class offered at Cal and hopes to get his own pottery wheel and the proper clay to continue his hobby now that he has settled in at Berkeley.

"Brett definitely seems like your hippie-type guy," fellow Cal defensive lineman Luc Bequette said. "He's got the long hair. He does pottery. But he's really just a chill guy and a fun guy to be around. We definitely welcomed him into the D-line as a little baby brother."

Johnson started turning heads in training camp and was part of the Bears' playing rotation by the time the season opened against UC Davis on Aug. 31. He's gotten only stronger as the season progressed, earning a starting role and being named to the Pro Football Focus Freshman All-America third team. He had one of his best games of the season during Cal's 24-20 Big Game win over Stanford with five tackles.

"About halfway through camp, I remember looking to my left and thinking, 'This guy is legit'," Cal defensive end Zeandae Johnson said. "I saw instincts that you usually pick up over time. He showed them as a freshman during camp. His progression has been beautiful to watch. I'm impressed with what he's done."

Bequette, a fifth-year senior, has enjoyed welcoming Johnson into the defensive line culture and said the two players have engaged in some unique and interesting conversations. That includes a spirited debate whether one modern battleship would be enough to battle the entire fleet in the movie, The Pirates of the Caribbean.

(Johnson picked the modern battleship and won the argument, according to Bequette).

"I think I brought that up to him just to see what he would say," Bequette said. "Sometimes, we'll come in from practice and he'll kind of just sit there at his locker and just stare off into the distance. I'll have to say his name a few times before  he finally responds. He's just a great guy and a real interesting guy to know."

And a guy who should keep Cal's defensive line relevant for years to come.

"My goal this year was to make some kind of impact," Johnson said. "I ended up starting and it's been great. It's definitely going to jump-start me, compared with if I hadn't played as much this year. Obviously, I'm grateful for that and going to keep working hard."