Kombucha Makers Can Land in Hot Waters With the Feds

Colorado kombucha makers  are fearing for the future of their business, the Denver Post reported. The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau monitors kombucha makers nationwide for violations of federal alcohol rules, which govern all beverages with more than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume. Because of fermentation, in some cases, those beverages happen to be kombuchas. The feds say get the drinks labeled as such or else.

Some producers are getting a brewing license to avoid the hassle. Others, like Jamba Dunn of Rowdy Mermaid Kombucha, are just stressing about it daily, losing sleep, and wondering about the faith of their company. Congressman Jared Polis who has asked the government agency to temper its enforcement efforts and demanded a different kind of testing for the fermented beverage. But there is no way to know exactly what will happen and how much of this growing segment of  Colorado's brewing industry will be affected by new regulations and enforcement.