• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

Brain Strain pain

I bought some brain strain pods last week from Cappy and I just tried 1/4 chunk. This is my first year growing and trying super hots so i tread carefully after hearing stories here. After i tried a red 7pod i was growing, i thought that was the hottest pepper as it got me running! Bhuts, nagas, 7pods, habs, i could handle.

But man, it was ok at first, then it started to burn real bad and real fast. Especially the tips and edges of my tongue. Then my whole tounge as on fire. My tongue felt numb-ish. I asked my wife to get milk fast, i tried washing my mouth with it. Didn't help. I then ran to the kitchen and put sugar in my mouth, did not help. Tried honey and it helped a little. Even after 10 mins i still feel the heat. Wow, this was a serious butt kicker. Number one super hot so far in my books.

Question for veteran superhot eaters, is the brain strain hotter than a butch t?

I'll be drying the rest of the pods and making flakes to add to food. Phew! No more raw brain strains. Here's a pic of what cappy gave. Give him your business. Cool guy!

P1020002.jpg
 
Depending on the growing conditions and your particular tongue genetics it could be. Scorpions and 7's have different burns for me so it is hard to compare. I find a 7 burn more painful than a scorpion but the scorpion makes my whole mouth ache versus the 7 burning my throat. I definitely prefer the scorpion burn and I also prefer the scorpion taste but I think I am in the minority on that as I read here that most like the 7 flavor better.
 
Everyone last year put it higher than i did,but i had a very late season pod. and i think judy's brown might have just been a freak of nature. growing both to find out.plus i'm hoping Matt might throw a pod or two my way since he lives right there. i put it third last year. right there with the douglah. things might be different this year though.
 
I ate one fourth of a "Brain Strain" the 1st time I grew them. It messed me up for 12 hours. In one year, I got a lifetime supply of pods. :cool: For a quickie hot sauce with out cooking - get a 5 oz woozie - add 1/2 teaspoon of BS flakes or powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and fill with Apple Cider vinegar. Let sit for 2 weeks or longer. It will kick your butt hard and is shelf stable.
 
I find the Trinidad scorpion-BT to be the hottest thing I've ever tasted but quite terrible in the flavor department. To me its like eating battery acid with a slight fruitiness. As for the Brain strain, I've never tried it personally but I'm sure its in the top 10 for heat and most likely a much better flavor
 
I find the Trinidad scorpion-BT to be the hottest thing I've ever tasted but quite terrible in the flavor department. To me its like eating battery acid with a slight fruitiness. As for the Brain strain, I've never tried it personally but I'm sure its in the top 10 for heat and most likely a much better flavor

That's funny because I've tried to get you to grow the Brain Strain 7 Pod for years and you always decline. Top 10 is pretty harsh especially since you haven't tried one yet. :(
 
Taste is subjective. But I didn't find the Butch T to be terrible at all. It actually surpised me with some sweetness.

As far as heat goes, on certain days a good 7 Pod strain can beat Butch T and vice versa. It gets kind of hard to differentiate at these levels. They're all worthy.
 
I didn't mean to be harsh, and there is no point starting more arguments dude.
You realize that top 10 is extremely hot, and I did not say it was number 10 on the list, but I doubt its number 1. I'd guess its somewhere in between but growing conditions, stress, and many other factors can make a huge difference, and there are so many differnt variations and crosses going on that all are so very close in SHU
Personally I no longer seek out the hottest peppers around, I did that for over 10 years and am now tired of all the B.S. and arguments. I have way to many projects going on these days to be concerned about hottest pods but that doesn't mean I won't share my opinion and years of experience when asked.
Personally I think there are different versions of the Scorpion-BT going around. For 5 or so years every review complained about the battery acid taste and extreme heat of the BTs but now people are saying they like the taste which makes me a bit suspicious.
 
Sure there is a world record that says the ButchT is the hottest so what, in my opinion and my garden the Brain Strain 7 Pod is the king of pain. Top 10 is just not right the capsaisin oil is oozing from the inside of this pepper like nothing I've ever seen before bar none. I bet the OP will have a different opinion after trying and tasting a 1/4 chunk of :hell: Please let me send you some seeds POTAWIE I'd send you fresh pods if I could.
 
Some day I'll try them Cappy but as I already told you, I'm not really into super-hots anymore other than a few overwintered plants and a few crosses I'm working on.
Have you tried a Scorpion-BT yet?
 
I also grow the ButchT scorpion side by side and have eaten my share of each to say they are differnt burns. The 7 Pod is a very fruity and deceiving at first where as the scorpion hits you smack in the face right away. The amount of discomfort and torture I get from the 7 Pod when it kicks in is horrible and do not like eating them at all raw myself. I am offering to send stealth a box of Brain Strain 7 Pods from my garden if you will accept, my pleasure. I would really like to get your true opinion on this strain of peppers.
 
Ranking the flavors of the 7's, I would put the BrainStrain as my favorite Red and 2nd or 3rd favorite overall. The best flavor for me has been the Brown and Chocolate 7 (Not Douglah) then the BrainStrain and Ed's Savannah 7. Since the Savannah is still an unstable hybrid it really can't be put in the list but I thought I would mention it because when and if it finally does get stabilized it tastes great. As of right now, If I only grew one Red 7 it would be a BrainStrain. This year I am growing Barrackpore and Primo's. I'm looking forward to comparing their flavors to the BrainStrain. The other bonus is the BS looks awesome. I think the only other seven that competes in looks is the Primo but I understand that they are much smaller in size, I'll know after this season.

Edit: Thinking about it... I think the Chocolate 7 I had was an F2 (Like the Savannah) so my list should be Brown 7 then BrainStrain.
 
Personally I think there are different versions of the Scorpion-BT going around. For 5 or so years every review complained about the battery acid taste and extreme heat of the BTs but now people are saying they like the taste which makes me a bit suspicious.

There might be. I only know of Neil's Butch T. He's probably been the major supplier in recent years. I'm glad he's not flooding the market with the battery acid one.
 
Here is a comparison shot of the different Trinidad varieties that I have growing today surrounded with appropriately Sara's Hot Nipples with Brain Strain 7 Pod top below that Douglah and Yellow 7 Pod and bottom 7 Pot Primo and T. Scorpion ButchT. All major hitters heat wise and make a pretty picture together in a family photo. :drooling: I got a PM and will mail his 7 Pod BS tomorrow. :D
IMG_5344.jpg
 
The Butch T that I tried and loved so much was sent to me by Judy (Peperlover). There was a thread a while back of someone wondering if her source was Taylor but it never was confirmed. Hopefully I can get someone to send me a Hippy Butch T to try and compare this season. Sorry PepperJam I know this is off topic.

So I will also add something related to the discussion…. Does anyone know how much the flavor is altered by the growing conditions. I know Bontanicae sells ferts that are supposed to enhance the flavor of the fruit. Also if you simply feed organic vs. chemical or grow in a high clay soil or etc... Seems like any of these variables could cause a Brainstrain or Butch T to taste more like battery acid or be a bit sweeter and more flavorful. Just thinking out loud… PRF in all the years you have been growing the Brainstrain has the flavor ever varied enough for you to notice?

Edit: Great Picture.. The Butch T's I tried did not look anything like yours.
 
Back
Top