It’s alive! Jars of kombucha are brewing in this Brooklyn office.

          Holding the slimy, dense chunk of raw, concentrated probiotic culture in my hand, I hesitate before bringing it to my mouth. So this is where food curiosity has brought me. At first bite, the alien-like blob is bitingly sour, followed by an intense candy sweetness. It is impossible to chew – the cellulose is too strong to be broken by mere human teeth. I mash it into a pulp in the back of my mouth so I can swallow it.

Office manager Will Donnelly prepares SCOBY (raw kombucha culture, bottom left dish) and veggie tempura.

          “It’s something between a starburst and squid,” explains Jessica Childs, one half of the married authors of “Kombucha! The Amazing Probiotic Tea that Cleanses, Heals, Energizes, and Detoxifies” (Avery, $20). Crusaders for all things fermented, Jessica and her husband, Eric, are celebrating the upcoming release of their cookbook with a tasting of selected recipes, all featuring the intimidating, living blend known as kombucha.

Oddly tangy, this carrot-ginger soup was worth a return trip to the buffet.

          I’m here to be converted. Or at least to enjoy a healthy meal with a nice view from the old Pfizer building in South Williamsburg at their book party. Typically served as a fizzy, tea-like drink filled with bits of floating live culture, kombucha has long been hailed as a digestive aid, loved by health-crazed liberal arts students nationwide. What’s newsy here is that Eric and Jessica are actually cooking with kombucha, even in clots like the one I gamely swallowed raw.

          Here to taste are 8-Grain Sourdough Kombucha Bread with Spicy ‘Buch Mustard, Kombucha Rub-N-Sauce Tofu, Blueberries Pickled in Kombucha Vinegar. As I slog my way through a plate of tartly flavored kombucha-braised kale with almond slivers, Eric cheers me on. This isn’t just food – it’s a lifestyle. He promises clearer skin, weight loss, energy boosts.

          I move on to carrot ginger SCOBY soup. The unmistakable taste of tangy-sweet fermentation strangely complements the soup, and I find myself returning for seconds.

           Same with the cocktails – a new-age take on the whiskey sour using kombucha’s natural funkiness to replace sour mix is surprisingly good. But the real winner of cocktail hour is the “Dykotomy”, a tequila drink with lavender kombucha, cinnamon agave, a squeeze of lemon, and a few floating raspberries. Allegedly, kombucha helps to counteract the effects of a hangover.

          So, am I the next ‘buch missionary? Jury’s out. I leave feeling sated, warm, and full of energy to pick up some bacon grilled cheese makings for breakfast.

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