Kombucha: A tea that is so much more
If you and your friends aren’t up to speed on the kombucha trend, educate everyone with a party that shows the many shades of the fizzy, fermented drink.
Kombucha is actually a tea, but one that’s gone rogue and exhibits few of the traditional tea-like qualities of calm and warmth that make a suitable complement to small sandwiches.
Kombucha has more of a kick than its tea cousins. It’s fresh and tangy and built for good times. Some advocates have compared it to Game of Thrones: Kind of weird at first, but something you become devoted to.
The weird part comes from the vinegary pucker, the result of fermentation. But fermentation also produces beneficial bacteria – which means you are physically superior to people who don’t drink kombucha -- and fizz, which adds sparkle to your experience.
Straight or spiked
For a party, you can offer unflavored for the stout-hearted; varieties flavored with fruit juices for friends who want to test the waters before jumping in; and versions spiked with alcohol for those who aren’t that interested in kombucha but like to hang out with you.
A drink with a kombucha base needs strong flavors that will stand up to the tea. These drinks do that. They can also serve as mocktails by leaving out the alcohol.
Kombucha peach daiquiri
Ingredients
- 6 medium fresh peaches, skinned and pitted (or 20 ounces canned peaches, sliced)
- 4 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup dark rum
- 1 cup plain, unflavored kombucha
- 2 cups ice
Add the peaches, sugar, orange juice concentrate, vodka, rum, and kombucha to a blender. Blend until well mixed, about 5 seconds. Add additional alcohol and sugar to taste, if desired. Add ice and blend until smooth. Divide into 4 glasses and serve. (Drinking Divas has glasses for that. Shop here.)
Campari and gin, and kombucha
In a tall glass with ice, combine 1 ounce of gin, 1 ounce of Campari, and 3 ounces of kombucha. Give a quick stir and add 2 ounces of club soda. Garnish with orange slices.
Kombucha whisky sour
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Kombucha
- 2 ounces whiskey
- Seeds of ¼ pomegranate
- Several ice cubes
Place pomegranate seeds in a glass and pour whiskey and kombucha. When ready to serve, add ice cubes. (Recipes from Food & Wine, Yoga Journal, and Brit+Co.)
Impress your friends
Making your own kombucha takes time, but isn’t difficult once you acquire the Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast, or SCOBY, which kick-starts the fermentation. You can show off your product to your guests but you probably won’t have enough on hand to supply a house full of drinkers. So it’s OK to keep your home brew for private consumption.