Kombucha Cocktails And Mocktails: Perfect For Every Occasion And Season
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What Is A Kombucha Cocktail?
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What Does A Kombucha Cocktail Taste Like?
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Does Alcohol Kill The Kombucha Health Benefits?
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Making Your Kombucha Cocktails
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Non-Alcoholic vs. Mocktail vs. Virgin Kombucha Cocktails
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Tips For Making Kombucha Cocktails
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Kombucha Cocktail Recipes
What Is A Kombucha Cocktail?
Kombucha cocktail refers to any possible combination of raw kombucha and alcohol mixed and at times with additional flavoring ingredients such as fruits. A kombucha cocktail offers a classy and much more indulging way of consuming alcohol while also taking in the other health benefits, including probiotics, of kombucha.
What is kombucha?
Kombucha is a fermented beverage prepared using freshly brewed and sweetened tea and a SCOBY to ferment the tea. The results of this 7 to 14 days fermentation is a fizzy, probiotic-rich and almost sugar-free brew that's also slightly alcoholic due to the release of ethanol by the yeast cells as they feed on the sugar dissolved in the tea.
What is a cocktail?
A cocktail refers to any mixture of alcoholic drinks with other ingredients for flavor improvement. Cocktails can be prepared using just about any form of alcohol, but most recipes prefer spirits as they do not have a robust taste and smell, making it easy to match them with just about any other flavor.
What Does A Kombucha Cocktail Taste Like?
A kombucha cocktail will retain slight hints of the sweet flavors associated with raw kombucha with a slight tartness and the burning sensation of the alcohol used. In terms of smell, the alcohol and ferment mask each other.
Does Alcohol Kill The Kombucha Health Benefits?
Adding alcohol to kombucha doesn't have any significant impact on the health benefits other than increasing the calorie count of the drink. This is because alcohol does not interfere with the kombucha yeast and bacteria culture, so the probiotic benefits are still retained. Alcohol does not interact with caffeine found in kombucha, and therefore, it remains the same.
Making Your Kombucha Cocktails
To obtain the perfect blend of flavors in a kombucha cocktail, you will have to either follow recommended pairings or experiment with various combinations until you achieve the ideal fit.
Recommended Pairings
These are flavors that match perfectly, and the recipe has been perfected over time. Recommended pairings are also much easier to prepare and will only require at most three primary ingredients. The most preferred flavoring ingredients that are added to raw kombucha and liquor include fruits, spices, and herbs.
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Pomegranate Gin Kombucha
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Vodka Kombucha
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Kombucha Bourbon
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Tequila Lime Kombucha
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White Wine Kombucha
Experimenting
This involves trying out various flavor blends and adjusting the amount of liquor and raw kombucha until you find the perfect combination of flavors and aroma. This is not only fun but also offers a much diverse number of possible combinations to try out. It gives you the flexibility to create your own cocktail to suit your preference.
Non-Alcoholic vs. Mocktail vs. Virgin Kombucha Cocktails
Non-alcoholic drinks refer to any temperance drink that's made without alcohol, or the ethanol present has been reduced to below 0.5%.
Mocktail, on the other hand, is a type of non-alcoholic drink that's prepared by mixing fruit juices, soft drinks, and beverages such as kombucha.
Virgin kombucha cocktail is a mix of alcohol-free ingredients with raw kombucha. As a result, hard kombucha cannot be used to prepare virgin kombucha cocktails as it contains a considerable amount of alcohol.
Tips For Making Kombucha Cocktails
Use high-quality ingredients
There's no overstating the importance of high-quality ingredients and their overall impact on the quality of the cocktail. For this reason, ensure that you use raw kombucha, premium liquor, and fresh flavoring ingredients.
Measure out the ingredients accurately
When working with recommended pairings or a recipe that strictly specifies the amounts of ingredients to use for a cocktail, it is recommended to ensure that the quantities measured out are as per the instructions. This is because even the slightest deviations may result in an uneven balance of alcohol. Ensure that you have a high-quality jigger to measure out the required proportions.
Add kombucha to avoid losing carbonation
The shaking process that's required to mix the ingredients usually removes the dissolved carbon dioxide in the kombucha. To retain the carbonation, kombucha should be added last, which prevents it from getting shaken too much.
Only add ice after shaking the primary ingredients
When mixing a cocktail, it is recommended to start with primary ingredients such as liquor, kombucha, and the flavoring ingredients and ensure that they are thoroughly mixed in. Ice should be added towards the final shakes to avoid diluting the drink with melted ice.
Consider using a cocktail shaker
Heavy shaking is required to mix the cocktail ingredients thoroughly. This task can be simplified by getting a cocktail shaker. Having one makes it much easier to mix in the alcohol fully.
Kombucha Cocktail Recipes
Healthy Kombucha Recipes
Dark and Stormy Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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4 oz ginger-flavored kombucha
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1 lime
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2 oz dark rum
Directions:
1. In a high ball glass, add the rum and a squeeze of the lime.
2. Top off with kombucha and crushed ice.
3. Garnish with thinly sliced lime wheels and serve.
Ginger Kombucha Cocktail - Recipe
Ingredients:
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2 oz ginger berry-flavored kombucha
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1 oz orange juice
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6 mint leaves
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4 orange slices to garnish
Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker, mix the kombucha, orange juice, and ice cubes.
2. Garnish with mint leaves and orange slices.
Alcoholic Kombucha Recipes
Pomegranate Gin Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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4 oz sparkling water
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2 oz pomegranate flavored kombucha
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2 oz gin
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1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Use a cocktail shaker to shake fresh lemon juice and gin thoroughly.
2. Add ice and shake for about 8 shakes.
3. Pour the pomegranate flavored kombucha into a highball glass.
4. Strain the gin and lemon from the shaker and pour on top of the pomegranate flavored kombucha.
5. Garnish with a cherry or lemon peel and serve.
Tequila Lime Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1 part tequila, silver or white
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4 parts raw kombucha
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1 part lime juice
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A dollop of honey
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Fresh berries, to garnish
Directions:
1. Pour the tequila, lime juice, honey, and raw kombucha into a cocktail shaker and shake thoroughly.
2. Pour into a glass and garnish with fresh berries or herbs as per your preference and serve.
Vodka Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1.5 oz vodka
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0.75 oz fresh lime juice
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2 tsp simple syrup
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3 oz ginger-flavored kombucha
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Lime wedge, to garnish
Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, simple syrup, lime juice, and kombucha. Shake until they are evenly mixed.
2. Add ice and give the shaker a final shake.
3. Strain and serve with a lime wedge.
Kombucha Bourbon - Recipe
Ingredients:
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4 oz bourbon
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4 oz kombucha
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1 cup fresh orange juice
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1 tsp grated ginger
Directions:
1. Pour the bourbon, kombucha, fresh orange juice, and grated ginger into a cocktail shaker and give it a thorough shake.
2. Add ice and give it a final shake before dividing the drink into 2 martini glasses.
3. Garnish the cocktails with a twist of orange peel.
Whiskey Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1/2 cup whiskey
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1/4 cup lemon juice
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1/4 cup pomegranate juice
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5 dashes of aromatic bitters
Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker, add lemon juice, kombucha, bitters, pomegranate juice, and whiskey. Shake until the ingredients evenly mixed.
2. Strain out the cocktail and serve with ice and lemon garnish.
Pomegranate Prosecco Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1 part pomegranate juice, chilled
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2 parts prosecco, chilled
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2 parts raw kombucha, chilled
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A slice of blood orange to garnish
Directions:
1. Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until all the ingredients are evenly mixed.
2. Add ice and give the drink a final shake.
3. Serve with a slice of blood orange garnish.
Kombucha Campari - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1 oz Campari
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0.75 oz vodka
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1 dash angostura bitters
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Lemon twist garnishing
Directions:
1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail mixer and shake well.
2. Fill with ice and give it a final shake well.
3. Garnish with a lemon twist and serve.
Beer Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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2 oz beer
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1 oz ginger-flavored kombucha
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1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
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1/2 tsp finely grated ginger
Directions:
1. Mix the beer, ginger kombucha, lemon juice, and ginger in a cocktail shaker and give it a vigorous shake.
2. Add ice and give the shaker a final shake before garnishing and serving.
White Wine Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1 cup kombucha
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1 cup white wine
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A lime twist, to garnish
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Crushed ice
Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker, mix the kombucha, white wine, and crushed ice and give it a thorough shake.
2. Garnish and serve chilled.
Champagne Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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4 oz champagne
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2 oz chilled kombucha
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Ice
Directions:
1. Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and give it a thorough shake.
2. Add the ice and give the cocktail a final shake before serving.
Moscow Mule Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1 part vodka
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3 parts kombucha
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Half a lime
Directions:
1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add half of the vodka and top off with half of the kombucha. Repeat with the remaining amounts.
3. Add a squeeze of lime and a lime wheel to garnish.
Mocktail Kombucha Recipes
Lavender Love - Recipe
Ingredients:
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16 oz kombucha
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1 apricot Lacroix
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6 crushed lemon balm leaves
Directions:
1. Mix the kombucha, apricot Lacroix and lemon balm leaves in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add ice and give the mocktail a final shake before serving.
Passion Berry
Ingredients:
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4 oz passion berry-flavored kombucha
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4 oz mango LaCroix
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4 oz pureed mango
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6 crushed mint leaves
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5 slices jalapeno
Directions:
1. Mix the passion berry-flavored kombucha, mango LaCroix, pureed mango, and crushed mint leaves in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add ice and give it a final shake, garnish with jalapeno slices and serve.
Mixed Kombucha Drinks
Spiced Apple Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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1 cup apple cider
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1 cup spiced rum
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1 cup kombucha
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4 cinnamon sticks
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Apple slices
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4 tsp fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Combine the apple cider, spiced rum, and kombucha in a cocktail shaker and shake until evenly mixed.
2. Add cinnamon sticks and ice cubes and give the last shake.
3. Garnish with apple slices and serve.
Rose Sangria - Recipe
Ingredients:
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750 ml of dry rose wine
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1 cup fresh raspberries
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1/4 cup brandy
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3 tbsp raspberry liqueur
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1 cup kombucha
Directions:
1. Mix the brandy, kombucha, liqueur in a pitcher and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Pour into glasses and garnish with raspberries.
Fruity Kombucha Cocktails
Blueberry Mojito Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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65 oz kombucha
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3/4 cup fresh blueberries
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1/3 cup water
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A squeeze of lime juice
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1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
Directions:
1. Mix the kombucha, blueberries, mint leaves and pour into glass bottles, seal the bottles airtight for 3 days.
2. Strain out the blueberry-flavored kombucha and garnish with fresh blueberries and serve.
Grapefruit Kombucha Margarita - Recipe
Ingredients:
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8 oz tequila
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4 oz lime juice
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4 oz fresh grapefruit
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4 oz kombucha
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Thinly sliced lime
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6 tbsp simple syrup
Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker mix the tequila, lime juice, grapefruit, kombucha, and simple syrup.
2. Add ice and give the cocktail a final shake.
3. Garnish with sliced lime and serve.
Seasonal Kombucha Cocktails
Winter and Christmas Kombucha Cocktail Recipes
Mulled Wine Kombucha - Recipe
Ingredients:
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4 oz mulled wine with spices
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4 oz raw kombucha
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2 oz orange juice
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4 drops orange bitters
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Crushed ice
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Orange slice, to garnish
Directions:
1. Fill a highball glass with crushed ice.
2. Pour the mulled wine, kombucha, and orange juice into the glass and gently combine the ingredients.
3. Top off with a few drops of orange bitters and garnish with an orange slice before serving.
Cranberry Kombucha Mimosa - Recipe
Ingredients:
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2 oz cranberry juice
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2 oz cranberry flavored kombucha
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1/4 cup frozen cranberries
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4 oz hard cider, chilled
Directions:
1. Place the frozen cranberries in a highball glass.
2. Gently add the cranberry juice, hard cider, and flavored kombucha on top and gently stir before serving.
Fall Kombucha Cocktails
Pear Inspired Hard Kombucha Cocktail - Recipe
Ingredients:
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3.5 oz pear flavored kombucha
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1 oz bourbon
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3.5 oz chai ginger tea
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5 oz lemon juice
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5 oz simple syrup
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Brandy cherries, to garnish
Directions:
1. Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and give a thorough shake.
2. Strain over fresh ice and pour into a cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with brandy cherries and serve.
Spiced Rum Fig Kombucha Cocktail - Recipe
Ingredients:
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3 tsp fig syrup
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2 oz spiced rum
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2 oz orange juice, freshly squeezed
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Crushed ice
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3 oz raw kombucha
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Quartered fresh fig, to garnish
Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker, mix the fig syrup, spiced rum, orange juice, and kombucha. Shake vigorously.
2. Strain into a high ball glass with ice and garnish with a fresh fig.
Summer Kombucha Cocktails
Strawberry Mojito Kombucha Cocktail - Recipe
Ingredients:
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4 mint leaves
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3/4 cup fresh strawberries
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1 cup ice
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4 oz vodka
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2 tbsp lime juice
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8 oz kombucha
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Strawberries and lime wedges, to garnish
Directions:
1. Use a pestle and mortar to mix the mint leaves, strawberries, and lime juice until you form a puree.
2. Pour the puree into individual glasses and add 4 oz of kombucha, 2 oz vodka.
3. Top off with ice and stir gently.
4. Garnish with strawberries and lime wedges.
