It just so happens that a 2000-year-old fermented tea drink actually tastes great with alcohol.
The mildly fizzy beverage has become one of the latest crazes when it comes to maintaining good gut health and keeping your body working like clockwork. And it just so happens that knowing how to make a hard kombucha means you’ll be drinking healthy cocktails. And who doesn’t want that?
So how do we turn this on trend drink into a much loved cocktail? And let’s be honest, what the heck even is kombucha?
We’ll explain how to make a hard kombucha, with the result of you being able to combine your favorite after-work tipple with a mixer full of antioxidants and probiotics. What more could you ask for?
What is kombucha? (And how on earth do I say it?)
Kombucha (come-boo-cha, and we like to put a real emphasis on the ‘cha’ bit to make it sound cooler), is made from green or black tea, and is fermented (brewed) for up to a month by adding different strains of bacteria, yeast and sugar.
This results in creating a ‘SCOBY’, (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) which kind of looks like an overly wet mushroom. The SCOBY is used to create your tasty kombucha drink, resulting in a large dose of healthy bacteria for your gut and a great alcohol mixer.
Nowadays, most well known shops and supermarkets will sell kombucha, and what really sets them apart is flavor – KÖE kombucha being my favorite. Whether you buy it by the can, bottle or tea bag, most will have a specific flavor which can be then be matched with your alcoholic drink (although you might want to avoid the teabags and leave that for the hangover).
Americans are drinking kombucha post workout, or first thing in the morning to ‘set their stomachs up for the day’. This is due to the bioactive compounds and probiotic compounds that can actually lead to better digestion, a reduction of inflammation in the body and the protection of your liver. All from a fermented tea.
Why am I learning how to make a hard kombucha?
If you haven’t already guessed it, kombucha cocktails are way healthier than your standard sugary alcoholic drinks.
Knowing how to make a hard kombucha will result in you drinking a cocktail with less sugar, keeping it light and refreshing, as well as having antioxidents and it being totally gut friendly (well, apart from the alcohol part, but at least we’re trying).
Am I getting drunk off kombuha alone?
Unless you’re about to neck at least eight bottles of commercial kombucha and have an extremely low alcohol tolerance, you’re not getting drunk off the ‘bucha alone.
Its alcohol content is only 0.5%, meaning even eight bottles of the drink is only the equivalent of one average sized beer. You’ll need to add the alcohol part yourself to feel anything (unless you’re planning on drinking it for breakfast).
Become a kombucha cocktail expert
Knowing how to make a hard kombucha doesn’t take a genius, but there are a few important things we think you need to know before you start mixing.
- Add the kombucha last, after any other flavourings or alcohol. This preserves the carbonation (fizziness).
- Taste your kombucha before you recklessly pour it into your well-thought out cocktail. Each kombucha batch and SCOBY is unique, so some may vary in taste and sweetness.
- Try experimenting with different flavours. Fruit, bitters, juices; it is’t just hard kombucha cocktails we can make – you can even experiment with virgin cocktails to work out what combinations are best.
3 tantilisingly good kombucha cocktails you just HAVE to try
It’s time to put your mixing skills to the test and add some ‘bucha to these classic cocktails for a unique and tasty alcoholic drink.
- Grab your copper cup and whip yourself up a Kombucha Moscow Mule. With a 2 minute prep time, the ice cold, refreshing mule is an easy healthy cocktail to have after a long days work.
Simply swap out the ginger beer for ginger kombucha and prep the rest of the mule as you normally would (adding part vodka and lime).
Not a fan of vodka? Swap it out for any other white spirit to change up flavours.
- Fan of a standard G&T or have a liking for a pink gin and lemonade? The Strawberry Pink Gin and Kombucha drink contains less sugar and fat than your average cocktail, and is totally on trend with the latest pink gin craze.
Simply mix strawberry or berry flavoured kombucha with your desired gin (pink or regular if you don’t fancy too much sweetness), soda water, fresh strawberries and a hint of lime.
- Prefer something spicier? Give your classic Dark and Stormy a twist by swapping out the ginger ale for kombucha. Mix your dark rum, lime and spices to create a unique Caribbean blend of spice and sour.
