Kombucha and Cold Brewed Coffee

[ElceeExtraordinary]

So I plan on making gallons of home brewed Kombucha and cold brewed organic coffee (along with organic creamer and sugar!)

I plan on bringing enough to share with friends out on the Playa. Do I need to take any special precautions or need any permits to give any away in kind gesture? I guess this goes with any food or drink I bring.

I can't live without Kombucha, it is my spiritual elixir, and I love making it, and I would love to share my favorite drink with people I make friends with.

Also if you have not had cold brewed coffee, you have not had coffee, I promise.

[GreyCoyote]

Dunno what Konbucha is, but generally speaking, anything more complicated that plain coffee will need a permit from the Nevada Health Dept. Lots of good info at the Nevada website, and they even have a special section just for Burning Man!

Edit to add link: http://health.nv.gov/BFHS_EHS.htm

[AntiM]

If you are sharing with campmates and neighbors, no permit required. Setting up anywhere else, technically, yes you do need a permit.

[GreyCoyote]

If you are sharing with campmates and neighbors, no permit required. Setting up anywhere else, technically, yes you do need a permit.

Good point, AntiM. I should have been clear: foodstuffs offered for general public consumption are subject to permit.

[Canoe]

Sharing with your camp and neighbours is not regarded as "public".

There is both a Permit and rules specific for Burning Man (of course based on the Nevada requirements).

Public requires a permit (obtained in advance - NOT available on the playa) & safe handling rules must be met, depending on what it is you're preparing or serving.

• Sitting at the edge of the street and offering is public.
• Walking/driving around the playa offering is public.
• Also required when your camp reaches a certain size.
• Operating a bar is public, but Bars are exempt from a Permit, unless they're serving fruit or dairy with their drinks which triggers the Permit and the safe handling rules.
  viewtopic.php?f=276&t=56525&start=30#p967713
• Ice must be from Nevada approved sources
• Individual Serving sizes Individually Packaged by a commercial facility that do not require refrigeration are exempt (i.e. individually packaged cookies)
  (technically, a plate of unpackaged cookies on a plate being passed around on the street is a violation: how was it prepared, and the public is handing food on the plate - wash hands after porta-pottie?).

For example, you could serve the public coffee, but only if there was no dairy. Non-dairy creamer is o.k..
Add dairy and the whole nine yards of the permit & food handling rules would kick in.

Here's a whole thread regarding a camp wanting to serve cookies & coffee.
viewtopic.php?f=276&t=65598


Even if the permit/rules will not apply to your intended use, it's an interesting read on food safety on the playa.

The above is from LAST YEAR's info (2013). It may change for this year.

[EspressoDude]

If the coffee is any good, it does not need contamination with "organic" creamer (wtf that is?) or sugar

[ElceeExtraordinary]

If the coffee is any good, it does not need contamination with "organic" creamer (wtf that is?) or sugar

I just like my creamer, especially in cold coffee, but I do agree, good coffee shouldn't need any, I just prefer it that way. My creamer is made from goat milk/cream and organic cane or brown sugar, plus occasionally homemade caramel. Mmmmmm

Hot coffee I do however prefer black if it's good quality coffee

[CaffeineGirl]

Canoe nailed it. If serving to public, add dairy based creamer = permit.
Its all about food safety. Making/serving coffee just needs clean hands/coffee utensils/water. Dairy products are much more of a challenge to avoid spoilage. And serving into the drinkers cup saves washing cups, or supplying moopy paper ones.

[Canoe]

Canoe nailed it. If serving to public, add dairy based creamer = permit. Its all about food safety. Making/serving coffee just needs clean hands/coffee utensils/water. Dairy products are much more of a challenge to avoid spoilage. And serving into the drinkers cup saves washing cups, or supplying moopy paper ones.

When I phoned Winnemucca last year, they said that only "staff" following the food safety rules could handle and pour from dairy containers, same as serving slices of fruit for bar drinks (no trays of fruit where "customers" could reach or touch), to ensure "customers" couldn't accidentally contaminant anything except what they themselves were personally handling/drinking/eating.
And that dairy had to be stored at a safe temperature, and all of the related food handling/storage rules.
Also applies to non-dairy "creamers" if they have to be refrigerated.