• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Monitech Ignition Interlock Systems

Monitech Ignition Interlock

North Carolina's leading Ignition Interlock provider

  • Interlock Basics
    • What is an Interlock
    • Interlock Cost
    • Special Offers
    • Interlock Videos
  • Locations
    • Service Centers
  • Partners
    • Refer A Client
    • Attorneys
    • Counselors
  • Customer Support
    • Contact Monitech Ignition Interlock
    • About
    • Refer A Friend
    • FAQs
    • Reviews
    • Mechanic Code Request
    • Blog
  • 800-521-4246

Will Kombucha Give You an Alternative, Probiotic DUI?

July 18, 2017 by Editorial Staff

kombucha alcohol duiKombucha has had two bursts of fame in recent days.  First, for becoming a popular social drink (and thus big business) in the U.S. after about 1900 years as an obscure Japanese health tonic. Second, for the revelation that drinking it can cause one to register a fail on a breathalyzer, alcohol monitor or ignition interlock.

The second flurry of publicity stems from the DUI arrest of Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd, whose blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was recorded at .044 by his alcohol monitoring device. Floyd claimed that he was drinking kombucha and did not realize that it contained alcohol.

Kombucha is a fermented tea drink; the fermentation process produces alcohol. Some brands have very little of it, but others have about half the kick of beer, so much that stores are cautious about selling the stuff to minors.

Not everyone buys Floyd’s explanation, and in truth it does sound as if Floyd was really chugging down the kombucha in order to reach that high a BAC. But most of us do not have the NFL and the sports press breathing down our necks – we just want to know if having a bottle of kombucha in the cup holder can land us in jail.

Beware the breath

The truth is, even if kombucha alcohol can’t land you in jail, it could easily get you as far as the police station. If it’s fermenting, just drinking it could turn your mouth into a mini-brewery. So, for that matter, could fruit juice or even bread, which contains yeast. You could easily take a swig of kombucha and send a breathalyzer off the charts. Once a blood test was done you’d be exonerated, but no one would want to let it get that far.

This video demonstrates how kombucha alcohol in the mouth can cause a deceptively high BAC rating. Moreover, if you brew your kombucha at home, it will be unpasteurized, so the fermentation can continue and raise the alcohol content.

It goes without saying that if you have an ignition interlock installed in your vehicle, you should avoid kombucha when driving, and rinse out your mouth well if you’ve been drinking it that day. Ignition interlocks are designed to react to alcohol, so they’ll register the contents of your mouth as well as your system – it all exits through the breath.

Whether kombucha benefits the health is a question for medical experts. It’s proven beyond doubt, though, that drinking it can be bad for your breathalyzer results. So be warned.

Category: NewsTag: Blood Alcohol Concentration

About Editorial Staff

The editorial staff is a group of writers and contributors with wide-ranging areas of expertise. The editorial staff provides news and analysis of topics that are focused on community and driver safety.

Previous Post:Another NC Drunk Driver Causes Blackout. Will They Ever See the Light?
Next Post:Ignition Interlocks for All North Carolina DWI Offenders – Is It Time?

Free First Month

Call a North Carolina expert now at 800-521-4246 to claim your Free First Month!

Call Today
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Call Toll-Free

800-521-4246

Interlock Basics

What Is An Interlock

Interlock Cost

Interlock Videos

Locations

Service Centers

Partners

Refer A Client

Attorneys

Counselors

Customer Support

About

Refer A Friend

FAQs

Reviews

Mechanic Code Request

Blog

News

Copyright © 2023 Monitech, LLC.

Customer Support · Contact · ISO Certification