Blackberry Mint Julep Kombucha Mocktail
The Blackberry Mint Julep Kombucha Mocktail, made with blackberry kombucha, is a beautiful deep purple color with specks of green from the mint leaves. It has a sweet and tangy aroma from the blackberries and kombucha, with a refreshing hint of mint.
Upon taking a sip, you’ll immediately taste the sweet, fruity flavors of blackberry and kombucha, perfectly balanced with the zesty tartness of lime juice. The mint adds a refreshing and herbaceous note that complements the fruity flavors, making the drink even more refreshing.
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 Blackberry Mint Julep 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 Blackberry Mint Julep Kombucha Mocktail
Blackberry Kombucha: Blackberry kombucha forms the base of the drink and provides a delicious, effervescent foundation on which to build your mocktail.
Fresh Blackberries: Blackberries: Blackberries (also known as brambles) are one of largest of the berries around. Ripe blackberries have a deep inky sheen with purple highlights. They are juicy, succulent, soft, and juicy. Their flavor is sweet, slightly tart, with earthy undertones.
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.
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: Oversteeped black tea mimics the “drying” effect and causes astringency of ethanol due to its naturally-occurring tannins. Oversteeped 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
How to make a Blackberry Mint Julep Kombucha Mocktail
Muddle: Muddle mint and blackberries
Mix and Chill: Mix the remaining ingredients with ice until thoroughly and chilled.
Fill: Divide the chilled mixture evenly between the glasses.
Garnish and Enjoy: Garnish each glass with a fresh mint sprig.
Blackberry Mint Julep Kombucha Mocktail Recipe
Yield: 2 mocktails • Active time: 5 minutes • Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 bottle blackberry kombucha
1/4 cup blackberries (fresh or frozen since they are being muddled)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 drops Over-steeped Tea
4 drops Habanero Tincture
Ice for mixing and serving
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
Instructions:
Muddle: In a cocktail shaker or large glass, muddle the fresh blackberries and mint until well mashed.
Mix and Chill: Add blackberry kombucha and lime juice to the muddled blackberries and mint along with the oversteeped tea and habanero tincture. Add ice and stir well until thoroughly combined and chilled.
Fill: Pour the mixture into rocks glasses filled with ice. Strain if preferred.
Garnish: Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh mint before serving.
Variations:
More authentic version: use 1 ounce of a non-alcoholic sprit such as Kentucky 74 to add even more bourbon character to your mocktail
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:
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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.