GT's Enlightened: Mystic Mango

Tasted on a Sunday afternoon. While watching a presentation by Sandor Katz. Check it out: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/the_art_of_fermentation/
Snifter Served.

Appearance: This drink takes on many different appearances depending on how it is served. Allow it to settle in the bottle, and it is a raw honey yellow color with some transparency. Shake it up and serve and you get a drink highly reminiscent of a Mango Lassi on might get on Devon Ave in Chicago, with a huge oily/radioactive turbidity and color. Finally, once that begins to settle, you may find yourself looking at a fine division between liquid and fine particle on the surface. No head or carbonation.
Aroma: This is the place where the kombucha funk is most prominent here. Notes of mango are to follow with a nice tropical spice. Relatively uncomplicated here.
Taste: The front is relatively uneventful, while the mango takes stage with a fresh but unsweetened flavor. When I usually taste lasso it has a sugary backbone to uphold this tropical fruit, but here, since a lot of that mango sugars had been fermented out, you are left with a residual dryness that contributes to the mangos refreshing flavor. The mango dominates over much of the kombucha flavors. Overall, I don't think the mango pairs best with the kombucha.
Mouthfeel: That top layer that I mentioned above consisted of a gritty dense film of mango particles maintaining a very dry mango skin texture that coated the teeth
Overall Impression: Not my favorite of the line-up. When I taste mango, I expect it to be robustly sweet (perhaps from growing up with lassis') But I think the kombucha took away from that and added a strange flavor combination.

GT's Enlightened: Bilberry No 9

Picked this up in Evanston at the Whole foods off of Chicago. Tasted Sunday morning beginning of December...It's 60 degrees outside! I'm currently making a couple test bathes of kombucha too. Snifter served.

Appearance: A greyed purple color with a strong opacity and muddied haze. Before the pour, there was a lot of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Upon pour the liquid erupted in carbonation and soda-like fizz with flocculated particles throughout. There is even a slight head present around the perimeter of the glass. A lot of carbonation bubbles cling to the sides. There is a lot of movement from within.
Aroma: Funk, must, tart and free berries. Aroma here is very minimal otherwise.
Taste: A lot more tart than the rest I have tried, but incredibly balanced against with the fruit additives. At the start, a tart, neutral lactic flavor is central, followed by a fresh blueberry flavor gives character to the traditional flavor. Next comes a fizzy carbonated flavor in the back of the throat. Finally the kombucha finishes with a faint musty wood character common to the beverage. The aftertaste returns to the berry flavor.
Mouthfeel: Still some sugary body present that adds substance and texture to the high carbonation that is follow. The carbonation is very concentrated and refreshing. It doesn't bite the tongue, but encourages a tingling numbness over the palate. Some cloy is present in the back of throat.
Overall Impression: This variety falls middle of the road. I enjoyed the flavor, but was looking for more of a funk in the aroma. The flavor was very balanced and drinkability was high. Certainly one of the fist ones of GT's to try if you are unfamiliar with

GT's Enlightened: Original Kombucha

I though about doing a separate Kombucha blog, but I feel my following is too large on this blog to have another side project to take away from Beer To Try. So I'll be adding Kombucha here because it represents an alternative to fermented beverages. Picked this up for $2.69 at Whole Foods in glenview on Thanksgiving after Running the Tall Trees Turkey Trot in 15:49 - I was a bandit.

Appearance: A turbid blod color with very little action occurring from within. Some large bubbles cling to the side of the glass, but there is no carbonation deliberately trying to escape the liquid it's immersed in. Some SCOBY is present, but not in a consistent form of the glass, more so just pieces.
Aroma: A floral fragrance, compounded with notes of vinegar and honey. Quite sweet smelling and attractive, but with notes of funk, and must derived from an uncontrolled fermentation. I dig.
Taste: To start I get peaches and nectarines making up the majority of the fore-taste. Backed by the essence of honey, complete with undertones of clove and spices. Next comes the refreshing an funky taste of alternative fermentation by-products. A bit cidery after a big gulp and examined at a holistic perspective.
Mouthfeel: Light, but still maintaining an adequate textured sweetness to make a full drinking experience. The lack of carbonation is certainly made up for by the acetic/lactic acidity. Not soft, but the dryness in the finish further adds to the refreshing light appeal.
Overall Impression: As good as it gets for a simple kombucha recipe such as this one. I think the balance between the funk and sweetness is important, and GT's does it perfectly. I almost prefer this over any of the exotic fruit flavors they produce.