Blog Review: Boochcraft, Chula Vista, CA

Hard Kombucha

Boochcraft is a  blog from a brewer of ‘hard’ (high alcohol) kombucha. At 7% ABV, Boochcraft took inspiration from the craft beer industry to make California’s first high-alcohol content kombucha. According to the company their drink will “give you the happiest buzz on earth.”

While for some this will be an attractive option, for others, such as the 30% of under the under 25s in the UK who no drink no alcohol this won’t be.  Indeed, many drink kombucha as an alternative to alcohol.

However, all kombucha will contain a trace amount of alcohol, which is a natural by-product of fermentation. As a general guide it can range from 0.2 to 0.5%, depending on production and ingredients.

Carded

Before being allowed to read this blog, you must first vouch that you are over 21. This is because readers based in the USA cannot legally drink alcohol under 21. Anyone who looks as if they under the that age will be asked to show their ID in restaurants and at the store, which is known as being “carded”.

This is part of the rich tapestry of life in these United States. A country where you can buy rifles like AR-15s from a licensed dealer aged 18 under federal law. But take a drink, heavens no!

It also assumes the young person who clicks on their blog is honest about their age:-)

To be fair, all websites that sell alcohol have the same requirement.

The market leader, GTs, sells a “classic” variety with 5+% alcohol, and they have the same gated access to that part of their website.

Stats

Blogging since: May, 2018
Last Updated: Nov 12, 2018
Posting Frequency: 1-3 times a month
Post Length: 500-700 words
Aesthetic Appeal: A new WordPress blog with clearly written text.
Graphics: Good combination of images and text
Categories: All, Impact, News, Recipes
Navigation: Confusing. ‘All’ seemed to list only some entries. Each of the other three categories revealed more posts for, I think, a total of 23.
Comments allowed: No
Alexa.com global traffic ranking: 1,457,803

Content

Their blog, and even more so, their Instagram feed displayed at the bottom of the blog screen, shows typical kombucha-style images of healthy young folks enjoying themselves with bottles of Boochcraft in the great outdoors.

This is a little disingenuous since there are parts of the USA where it’s still technically illegal to drink alcohol in public, whatever your age.

They address the issue of alcohol in all kombucha (typically less than 0.5%). A recent post shares the secret of making high-alcohol booch for the home brewer. A 7-14 day secondary fermentation will “upgrade your typical kombucha to a fizzy adult beverage.”

This is a blog with a conscience — there are posts on sustainability, ways to reduce plastic consumption (hint, hint Captain Kombucha), cut down waste, be mindful, and more. Boochcraft are involved in local community organizations that support family literacy programs and sustainable agriculture in the region.

There’s a selection of recipes for plant-based foods to pair with the drink.

For anyone (over 21) who wants to enjoy kombucha with a kick the Boochcraft blog is enjoyable and instructive reading