Mango Mojito Kombucha Mocktail
This Mango Mojito Kombucha Mocktail is based on the classic mojito, a Cuban cocktail that features rum, lime, mint, sugar, and club soda. The mocktail version replaces the rum and club soda with mango kombucha, and adds ginger simple syrup, over-steeped tea, and habanero tincture for extra flavors and depth. Like the classic mojito, the Mango Mojito Kombucha Mocktail features fresh mint leaves muddled with lime juice and sugar to release the essential oils and flavors.
The addition of ginger simple syrup, over-steeped Tea, and Habanero Tincture create complexity in the mocktail and give it it the characteristics of alcohol but in a healthier take on the classic mojito.
What is a Kombucha mocktail?
A mocktail is similar to a cocktail, but without the alcohol. A Kombucha Mocktail features kombucha as a wash in the base of the mocktail.
There are several reasons people choose not to drink such as health, religious, or a personal preference. Kombucha mocktails are great option for those who want to enjoy a satisfying social beverage while abstaining from alcohol. Just because mocktails do not have alcohol doesn’t mean they have to be sweet, boring or unsatisfying.
Kombucha mocktails, in addition to being delicious and satisfying, also contain additional health benefits. Apart from omitting alcohol, additional benefits come from the probiotics and antioxidants in the kombucha, especially in fruit flavored kombuchas.
Click here to read more about how to make great mocktails.
Equipment to make a Mango Mojito Kombucha Mocktail
Cocktail Shaker: A cocktail shaker or mixing glass to quickly and thoroughly combine and chill the ingredients. I have a basic 2-tin one, an upgrade to an OXO Insulated one and recently bought an Elevated Craft Shaker during their Kickstarter campaign (affiliate links ↗).
Cocktail Glasses: Two cocktail glasses for serving your mocktails. For this recipe I used rocks glasses.
Ingredients to make a Mango Mojito Kombucha Mocktail
Mango Kombucha: Mango kombucha forms the base of the drink and provides a delicious, effervescent foundation on which to build your mocktail
Fresh Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice has a tangy and acidic taste, with a bright and refreshing aroma. It is often described as having a slightly sweet and sour flavor, with a subtle bitterness and adds a zesty and tart flavor that can balance out sweetness and enhance the overall taste.
Ginger Simple Syrup: When ginger is boiled to create syrup, a derivative called shogaol is formed, which is even spicier than gingerol and will replicate the sensations of alcohol in a non-alcoholic drink. It also also adds viscosity to the drink, giving it a smooth and velvety mouthfeel that enhances its texture. Here’s how to make your own ginger simple syrup.
Fresh Mint: Mint has a subtly sweet taste and cool sensation that comes from the menthol contained in the herb. The menthol sends a message to the brain that it’s consuming something cold, triggering a chilly sensation that simulates the effect that the herb is cooling the mouth. Spearmint is the most commonly used variety for cocktail and other beverages and has a subtler, lighter flavor, vaguely sweet flavor
Over-steeped Tea: Over-steeped black tea mimics the “drying” effect and causes astringency of ethanol due to its naturally-occurring tannins. Over-steeped tea can also add bitterness to a drink, making it a readily-available alternative to cocktail bitters that use harder-to-find herbs. Here is the recipe for over-steeped tea.
Habanero Tincture: A habanero tincture, made from vodka or vinegar is used in mocktails to add a touch of heat which can create a similar sensation to the “burn” of alcohol. Habanero peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that stimulates the same nerves as alcohol, giving the drink a more complex and satisfying flavor profile. Here is the recipe to make a habanero tincture.
Garnish: Fresh mint sprigs and lime wheel
Ice: for mixing and serving – try clear ice!
How to make a Mango Mojito Kombucha Mocktail
Muddle: Muddle the mint leaves
Mix and Chill: Mix the main ingredients with ice until thoroughly and chilled.
Fill: Divide the chilled mixture evenly between the glasses .
Garnish and Enjoy: Garnish each glass with mint and lime. Cheers!
Mango Mojito Kombucha Mocktail Recipe
Yield: 2 mocktails • Active time: 5 minutes • Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
12 ounces juicy mango kombucha
2 ounces fresh lime juice
1 ounce ginger simple syrup
12 mint leaves, plus additional for garnish
6 drops Over-steeped Tea
8 drops Habanero Tincture
Lime wheel, for garnish
Ice, for serving (try clear ice!)
Instructions:
Muddle: In a cocktail shaker or large glass, muddle the mint leaves until well mashed.
Mix: Add ice, add, kombucha, lime juice, ginger simple syrup, over-steeped tea and habanero tincture. Stir or shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until thoroughly combined chilled.
Prepare Glasses: Fill two rocks glasses with with large ice cubes.
Fill: Strain the chilled mixture into the ice-filled glasses.
Garnish: Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh mint a fresh lime wheel or wedge.
Tips & Tricks:
Smack the garnish: Good bartenders smack mint they are using as garnish to release the essential oils in the leaves, enhancing the aroma and flavor of the drink. The essential oils are concentrated in the tiny pockets on the surface of the leaves, and by smacking the leaves, these pockets are ruptured allowing the oils to be released into the drink.
Nutrition Information:
You Might Also Like
Helping you learn to brew kombucha, find inspiration for new kombucha flavors and use kombucha to make kombucha mocktails
The materials contained on this website are intended to be used for educational purposes only, and the website’s use is solely at your own risk. It is important to use good judgment when consuming kombucha. Never consume kombucha that looks, tastes, or smells unpleasant. Further, before consuming kombucha or any other fermented or cultured food, you should receive full medical clearance from a licensed physician. Author and publisher claim no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material on this website.