chinense Red Brain Strains

[cycadjungle]

Many years ago I was lucky to have purchased my red Brain Strain seeds directly from Cappy. I grew them for about 6 years and didn't save any seeds. Big mistake! I've bought genetics from 6 different people and none are like Cappys plants. The form was perfect, and the pods were great tasting. One of the best attributes of Cappys plants is that for some reason, his plants always naturally branched from top to bottom and became super fat, thick plants that help up for several years. The plants I've been growing have a tendency to get a little thin at the bottom. I bought some chocolate brain strain seeds from Cappy and still am working with his genetics. The chocolates do the same thing and are really bushy. I'd love to be able to find some red Brain Strain seeds that came from Cappys genetics. Does anyone know if Cappy still plays with peppers, or if anyone has any of these great peppers still growing? I guess I was spoiled. Red Brain Strains have always been one of ny favorite hot peppers, but tge genetics I've been buying in just hasn't cut it. Tom

 

[MarcV]

You make me curious. Do you have any pictures?
Where do your current seeds come from?

 

[cycadjungle]

Not at the moment. I've got seeds or plants from Duffy, and Jeff Contonio most recently growing now. Jeff's plants have a good taste and heat but all over the place on pod form. Duffy are closer to pod form but the taste can get bitter. Neither have the thick form I love. I did take a picture of the row of plants earlier this week. Let's see if I can get this picture up.

 

[Flamecycle]

I was interested in truest genetics for BS a few years ago and read up a lot on this via old forum posts, though I don't have much insight as a grower since I have a bit of a black thumb and usually how my plants grow is mostly just about how badly I mistreated them rather than genetics. If you want to know the early history of the strain this thread is invaluable, seems this is actually where the pepper was dubbed "Brain Strain" for the first time and theres some discussion and photos of some of the ppl who got seeds directly from Cappy early on:

7 Pod skin porn..

I can't wait to get some yellow 7s growing off your plants AJ. :) I'm excited about that one (and 50 others..lol). Chris

thehotpepper.com

Regarding Duffy's acquisition of Brain Strain seeds in 2011 or so - seems he was never really convinced BS was even a different from Moruga Scorpion and his source doesn't seem to be direct from Cappy, so its possible he never had a good seed stock to begin with (or possible he's right and it was never different at all ). see below

Brain Strain vs TS morouga

Cappy I only grew Brain Strain once and it was Ronnie who gave me seeds in 2011 and he only gave me about 30. Last year was the first time I grew them. A guy named John gave a few in 2010 and it grew out to be chocolate hab. I have never gotten any seeds from Candice. Only person who ever gave...

thehotpepper.com

Also should point out that according to Cappy at the time he was just sending everyone seeds from a single plant with the correct phenotype and it was not even believed to necessarily be stabilized. https://thehotpepper.com/threads/7-pod-skin-porn.6330/post-200194 - so theres a decent chance the branching genetics you are looking for were never really stabilized for...

I recall a few years ago I was convinced Judy/PepperLover was a decent source of original BS genetics but cant recall how I landed at that conclusion, probably somewhere in the thread linked at the top - but i dont know if I really trust pepperlover as a seed source anymore, last few orders from them have had terrible germination, slow turnaround, etc - not like when Judy was still running it.

Generally speaking I always trust Semillas - but cant attest to his brain strains specifically

Sorry I cant help more than that - I'm sure someone more knowledgable will pipe up