This Mango Habanero Kombucha Margarita Mocktail glows with a bright yellow-orange color and the glass is coated with chili salt, adding a blaze of red to the rim of the glass.
Aromas of fresh mango and a hint of lime burst from the glass upon each sip where you are greeted by a burst of sweet tropical mango with a hint of citrus and lime. The over-steeped tea , ginger simple syrup and habanero tincture work in tandem to impart a mild bitterness and a touch of burn at the back of the throat, replicating the sensation of drinking alcohol.
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.
Shallow Dish or Plate: For rimming the glasses
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.
Mango Habanero Kombucha: Mango habanero kombucha forms the base of this mocktail 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!
Rim Glasses: Rim glasses with chilli powder and salt.
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 lime. Cheers!
Yield: 2 mocktails • Active time: 5 minutes • Total time: 5 minutes
12 ounces mango habanero kombucha if you can also use tangy mango kombucha and muddle a tiny bit of habanero in the cocktail shaker before shaking.
2 ounces fresh lime juice
2 ounces Ginger simple syrup
6 drops Over-steeped Tea
8 drops Habanero Tincture
Lime wheel, for garnish
2 tsp salt, for rimming the glasses
2 tsp red chili powder, for rimming the glasses
Ice, for serving (try clear ice!)
Rim Glass: Mix salt and chili powder and rim glasses with the mixture. Fill glasses with ice and set aside to allow rim to dry and adhere better
Mix: In a cocktail shaker or large glass, mix ice, mango habanero kombucha, lime juice, ginger simple syrup, over-steeped tea and habanero tincture. Stir or shake vigorously for about 30 seconds until thoroughly combined and chilled.
Fill: Strain the chilled mixture into the ice-filled glasses.
Garnish: Garnish each glass with a fresh lime wheel or wedge.
Rimming glasses: To chili-salt rim a cocktail glass, you will need a shallow dish or plate and some salt and chili powder. First, mix the chili powder and salt and spread into a thin layer on a shallow dish or plate.
Moisten the rim of the glass to help the sugar stick. I like to use a piece of cut fruit that complements the drink such as lemon or lime.
Dip the moistened rim of the glass into the chili-salt mixture, rotating the glass gently to ensure that the mixture adheres evenly to the rim.
Once the rim is coated with the chili-salt mixture, gently tap the glass to remove any excess that may be loose. Allow the glass to sit while you make the drink which allows the rim to set.
Helping you learn to brew kombucha, find inspiration for new kombucha flavors and use kombucha to make kombucha mocktails
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