Kenickie what's the flavor of your "extra-fermented" kombucha? Does it taste like a dry cider plus a mild, but flowerey, dry white wine? I've never gotten mine to that stage. And to be honest, I'm not quite anal enough to monitor it closely enough to get the flavor I exactly want. Does it really give you an alcohol effect? I've never noticed that with Kombucha. I mean, its usually really low (ie. unnoticeable) alcohol.
My ex-, who is an ultra-anal home "everything-er", makes a kombucha that tastes like a combination between a very, very dry high-quality cider and a sauvignon blanc, but I've never noticed an overwhelming alcohol effect. It tastes incredible. But I have IBS and digestive stuff and I like kombucha for the positive healing properties.
I'm back to brewing my own and I can't quite get it to be as subtle and delicious as what my ex produces. My favorite of his involves adding a pan full of sliced ginger, slightly simmered, then added to the Kombucha. Bulbs and bulbs of ginger. It's phenomenal and delicious!
As far as the Whole Foods thing, they're covering their asses. Kids drink it. They're a massive chain and they could get smacked with a lawsuit. Whole Foods. Blech. Fuck them.