Ginger Kombucha

[Alfredo Medina]

I want to make some ginger kombucha. A local brewer in Raleigh, NC
made it so that added cayenne pepper and ginger to their kombucha and
made a spicy kombucha, amazing stuff....http://drinkbuchi.com/buchi-
fire-has-arrived

What would do recommend?

[Jared Englund]

I haven't experimented with cayenne, but certainly have with ginger.
Here's how I'd make my first experimental batch if I wanted to add a
little cayenne spice to our ginger Kombucha. If you want to just make
ginger Kombucha, leave out the cayenne step:

*Brew a standard batch of green/oolong Kombucha.
*Use a garlic press to press in ginger juice (we like to put in some
pulp as well). You can also use a juicer if you have one.
*Add a whole cayenne pepper to steep. I would leave it in for 20
minutes, then test it. Obviously, the more time you steep it, the
hotter it will get. Be careful not to oversteep - it may taste good
for a sip or two but drinking a whole bottle of cayenne "tincture"
sounds like way too much!

[Alfredo Medina]

That sounds like a good way to start. Now, how about I want that spicy
kombucha to be super carbonated like the commercial brands... do I
need CO2 to get it to that point?

[Jared Englund]

I think that our local spicy ginger cayenne brewers "Brew Doctor"
inject CO2, but for the home brewer, I think you should brew in the 1
gallon jar, then when it's done take out the SCOBY with some starter
tea, and then throw in your cayenne to steep. When that's ready,
bottle it in air tight bottles, add a dash more sugar and the ginger
(the ginger can also steep with the cayenne), and leave the bottles in
a warm spot (75+ degrees ideally).

J