Eisbär Mule

A few years back, I indulged in a refreshing escape from the scorching summer heat. I drove to a German ski resort typically bustling in winter but blissfully deserted in the summer months. This cherished memory resurfaced on my Facebook feed, igniting the spark for my latest creation: an Après-ski inspired Mule.

While Kombucha might not be your conventional cocktail ingredient, it often proves to be an excellent stand-in for ginger beer, particularly in select scenarios. Curious to experiment, I reached for a bottle of Mani Kombucha's invigorating Kaffir Lime infusion. The initial sip from the bottle was all it took to confirm its seamless compatibility with a Moscow Mule-style drink.

To infuse a touch of sweetness, I introduced a half-shot of Kleiner Feigling, a German Après-ski liqueur crafted from vodka and succulent figs. This addition lent a unique character to the mix, elevating the entire drinking experience.

Eisbär Mule

Ingredients
40ml Jenever
20ml Kleiner Feigling
100ml Mani Kombucha Kaffir Lime

Method
Add the jenever and liqueur to a Mule mug with lots of ice. Give it a good stir. Add the Kombucha and stir again. Top with even more ice and add some dehydrated citrus. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Consulting unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Yellow Fever II - A unit drink

Let’s talk about “unit-drinks”. What??? 

Imagine craving a nice drink, but you’re driving your car. You would like a cocktail, but you want to make sure you’re within the legal limits for driving. Of course, you should try to avoid drinking and driving, but in Belgium up to two units is still safe and allowed. 

Or maybe you want to have a drink, but you are worried about your health and you want to stay within limits as published by the government. Reports state you will stay healthy if you don’t drink more than 10 units per week. If you know that some cocktail recipes hold 2, 3 or even 4 units of alcohol, you might need to think this over. 

One unit of alcohol in Belgium is 12,7ml or 10g of pure alcohol. Other countries might use different limits. In the UK one unit is only 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol. Because alcoholic drinks come in different strengths and sizes, units are always an excellent way to display how strong your drink is. 

It also shouldn’t be wrong to ask your bartender how many units are in a specific drink, or ask if they serve “unit-cocktails” that contain exactly (or maximum) one unit of alcohol. 

This week I was experimenting with unit recipes and I will share some in the next few days. Often these are longdrink recipes, using a mixer that’s spiked with a relatively small amount of spirit. These drinks won’t give you a real kick of alcohol, they are lighter drinks perfect to serve for a conversation with friends. You’ll keep a clear mind and still enjoy a tasty drink. 

Yellow Fever II

Ingredients

20ml Whisky

20ml Clément Creole Shrubb (or Triple Sec)

10ml Simple syrup

200ml FERM Kombucha Ginger & Lemongrass

Method

Add whisky, syrup and triple sec to your highball glass with a few ice cubes. Stir for 10 seconds. Add more ice, top it with the kombucha and give it a few more gentle stirs. Garnish with citrus or lemongrass. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations

Black Vodka Smash (with Kombucha)

I don’t think I’ve ever mixed up a drink with kombucha, so let’s do that. We have a huge blackberry bush (in Dutch: “Braambessen”) in our garden and my better half just made some nice marmalade with those tasty berries. I knew this would work extremely well in a cocktail.

Using kombucha in a cocktail sounds more difficult than it actually is. You can try to substitute Ginger Beer with kombucha, just make sure your kombucha has a nice ginger taste. In lots of drinks, this will work just fine. The bottle of kombucha I used is labelled gluten-, alcohol- and sugar-free, the sugar which is added during production has been “eaten” during fermentation.

If you don’t have blackberry marmalade, you could also prepare this drink by muddling fresh blackberries. The resulting serve would be messier.  

Black Vodka Smash

Ingredients

50 ml Vodka

2 barspoons of homemade blackberry marmalade

Remedy Kombucha “Ginger and lemon” 

Method

Add the marmalade to your favourite tumbler. Add the vodka and use the backside of a barspoon to dissolve the marmalade. Add ice. Top off with kombucha and give it a few gentle stirs. Garnish with fresh blackberries. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.