Kombucha’s initial “open ferment” allows it to breathe and to gas off ethanol and carbon dioxide. This stage will only produce approximately 0.1% ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Home-brewers often perform a secondary sealed ferment to increase natural carbonation; however, this also increases ethanol content. When we harvest and bottle our kombucha, we do not perform a secondary ferment, nor do we force carbonation. Instead, we immediately refrigerate it below 4°C. Our product is therefore known as halal or non-inebriating. The trace ethanol in our kombucha is essentially equivalent to unpasteurized fruit juice, ripe bananas, or your average loaf of leavened bread.