Kombucha as alcohol status

My question is - to serve / sell Kombucha commercially you need to have the same type of alcohol license you would need to have a regular bar? It contains alcohol but not a lot and is sold on a commercial level where it is not classified as alcohol.

Pivzavod said:

My question is - to serve / sell Kombucha commercially you need to have the same type of alcohol license you would need to have a regular bar? It contains alcohol but not a lot and is sold on a commercial level where it is not classified as alcohol.

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My limited understanding is that is classified the same as non-alcoholic beers, assuming the alcohol is kept under 0.5%. If you're looking into actually selling it, look into your state laws and contact whatever alcohol regulatory board is in charge (generally Googling "[state] alcohol laws" will get you on the right path); definitely better safe than sorry in this kind of thing.

I wasn't aware that there was even a ban until today. GT's Kombucha has always been in stock at my local health food store. There is no warning like there is on alcohol and I never have to provide ID when purchasing it even though I look like I'm 16. From my limited understanding I don't think the same sort of license would be necessary.

Pivzavod said:

My question is - to serve / sell Kombucha commercially you need to have the same type of alcohol license you would need to have a regular bar? It contains alcohol but not a lot and is sold on a commercial level where it is not classified as alcohol.

Click to expand...

If made properly it will have less than .05% ABV it shouldn't even have that if fully fermented, any Alcohol made is converted by the bacteria into an acid of one sort or another. As long as you just say What it is and do not promise ANY health benefits from it, you should be fine. Stupid FDA rules you cant say "this has made me healthier" even if you personally FEEL the effects. You can say "this MAY improve how you feel but is not intended as a cure for any condition". Look up the advertising guidelines for herbal supplements to find out what can and cant be said.

If in doubt just say it is a fermented tea and after you drink it for awhile you can draw your own conclusions as to if it makes you feel any healthier or not.

buchababe90 said:

I wasn't aware that there was even a ban until today. GT's Kombucha has always been in stock at my local health food store. There is no warning like there is on alcohol and I never have to provide ID when purchasing it even though I look like I'm 16. From my limited understanding I don't think the same sort of license would be necessary.

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Yes that's because GT's and others reformulated their cultures after the wise public servant spotted the bulging bottles and became concerned that teenagers would buy the kombucha and get a buzz from it. GT's in particular worked with lab in Canada to come up with a new formulation. I imagine they removed or replaced some of the yeast strains.