Kombucha Margarita

Before you start

Kombucha is fermented sweet tea, tart and lightly fizzy, and the ginger versions sold in most grocery stores bring spice and acidity that pair naturally with tequila and lime. In this original build, a smaller margarita base is shaken without orange liqueur, then lengthened in the glass with kombucha, which gives a tall, sparkling drink that is less sweet and lower in alcohol than a standard margarita.

Two rules matter. Never shake the kombucha, since it will foam over and go flat; add it at the end. And taste your bottle first, because sweetness and acidity vary a lot between brands. Use commercial, refrigerated kombucha rather than a home brew; home-fermented bottles can build unpredictable pressure.

Ingredients

• 45 ml (1½ oz) blanco tequila
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh lime juice
• 10 ml (⅓ oz) agave syrup — agave nectar diluted 1:1 with water
• 90 ml (3 oz) ginger kombucha — store-bought, well chilled
• 1 tsp coarse salt — for a half rim, optional
• 1 lime wedge
• as needed ice cubes
• 1 thin slice fresh ginger — optional garnish

Method

1. Run the lime wedge around half of the glass rim and dip it into the coarse salt. Fill the glass with fresh ice.
2. Add the tequila, lime juice and agave syrup to the shaker with ice. Shake for about 8 seconds, just until the tin is cold.
3. Strain the base over the ice in the rimmed glass.
4. Slowly pour the chilled kombucha down the side of the glass so it keeps its fizz.
5. Lift the ice gently once with a bar spoon to mix, rather than stirring hard.
6. Garnish with the lime wedge and a thin slice of ginger, and serve straight away.

Tips for success

• Taste the kombucha first. If it is quite sweet, drop the agave to 5 ml; if it is very sour, raise it to 15 ml.
• Kombucha tends to be a little less fizzy than soda. A very cold bottle keeps more bubbles, so store it at the back of the fridge.
• Other flavors work: hibiscus kombucha makes a ruby drink, and plain kombucha gives a more tart, tea-forward margarita.

Substitutions

Ginger kombucha

Ginger beer gives more spice and sweetness without the tea tang; cut the agave entirely. Soda water makes a very lean, dry drink.

Blanco tequila

Mezcal pairs well with the funky kombucha notes. Reposado tequila adds vanilla and oak.

Agave syrup

Honey syrup works at the same amount and complements ginger. Or omit sweetener if your kombucha is sweet.

Variations

Kombucha margarita, no alcohol

Shake 15 ml lime and 10 ml agave with ice, strain over ice and top with 120 ml ginger kombucha.

Troubleshooting

The drink foams up and overflows

The kombucha was poured fast or shaken. Pour it slowly down the side of the glass at the very end.

It tastes vinegary

Some kombucha is strongly acidic. Reduce the lime to 10 ml or choose a gentler brand.

It is flat

The kombucha was warm or long opened. Use a freshly opened, cold bottle.

Storage

Serve immediately; once poured, kombucha loses its fizz quickly. Keep unopened kombucha refrigerated, and recap opened bottles tightly and use them within a couple of days.

Safety notes

Contains 45 ml of 40% tequila, about 1 U.S. standard drink (roughly 14 g of pure alcohol). Kombucha itself can contain a small amount of alcohol and some caffeine from the tea. For adults of legal drinking age only; never drink and drive.