With such a funny name, the brain strain pepper might seem cute and unassuming, but trust me when I say, this tiny thing can stand up to some of the hottest peppers known to man.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 15 years, chances are, you’ve heard of something called the “Hot Pepper Challenge.” Popularized by YouTubers and other influencers, the challenge typically consists of one or more people eating one of the world’s spiciest peppers and seeing how long they can last without drinking anything.
In the past, the most popular forms of the challenge have incorporated the Ghost Pepper or the infamous Carolina Reaper, but these are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of variety. There are actually over 4,000 types of chiles in the world and they all range dramatically in terms of how spicy they can get, from the relatively mild chipotle to the terror inducing “Dragon’s Breath” that certainly lives up to its namesake.
While the 7-pot brain strain is a relatively new contender, its unique name and brain-like appearance have recently been garnering it more attention in the community.
Where Did the Brain Strain Come From?
https://gty.im/505985183
David Cappeillo began breeding this special pepper in 2008 by collecting seeds from other hot peppers over multiple years. He kept the ones with the characteristics he wanted, namely those with a wrinkly brain-like appearance, and kept repeating the process until he produced the brain strain, we know today.
The full name comes from an old saying that originated in Trinidad. Any pepper with “7 pot” in front of its name implies that a single pepper can spice up 7 whole pots of food. Considering the brain strain pepper has another 7 pot, the Moruga scorpion, to thank for its creation, it’s no wonder that it would keep up the tradition of including 7 pot in its name.
How Hot Is the Brain Strain?
While not the hottest pepper on the market (that title goes to pepper x), the brain strain measures a whopping 1,350,000 SHU or Scoville Heat Units. For comparison, the jalapeño usually hovers around 5,000. This pepper is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Calvin from Pepper Geek described his experience of trying their brain strain as excruciating yet somehow enjoyable:
“In the short time I had to register a flavor profile, I remember the Brain Strain pepper being pretty tasty. It was fruity with a punchy, almost smoky flavor.”
Calvin did note that the pepper took a few minutes to kick in, unlike some other more popular varieties that seem to hit the taster with an instant case of mouth-on-fire. But perhaps that’s what makes the brain strain even more frightening.
Where Can I Get Brain Strain Peppers?
Popular hot pepper varieties can usually be bought fresh at your local grocery store or farmers market and many of them can also be ordered online in the form of dry spice, chips, or even chocolate. However, if you’re looking to do your own hot pepper challenge with the brain strain, you may have to delve a little deeper into the culture of the self-proclaimed “chiliheads.”
A brief Google search yields a few promising results, such as this bottle of brain strain pepper flakes from Amazon. But if you want the fresh kind, one of the only ways to get it is by growing a plant for yourself. But if that seems like too much work for the suffering, you’re bound to endure for trying one of these little beauties, maybe just stick to watching your favorite YouTubers suffer in your place.
For More Great Content
Total Apex is an all-encompassing content producer. We provide heavily detailed articles every day on entertainment, gaming, sports, and so much more! Check out all our great sports content at Total Apex Sports. Check us out on X @TotalApexEandG and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
