Kombucha (or “booch” as it’s popularly called) is an excellent cocktail mixer. With its slightly acidic taste and gentle fizz, kombucha can easily replace soda in mixed drinks. In this tequila kombucha mule recipe, ginger-flavored kombucha replaces the Moscow mule’s ginger beer to create a lively drink that’s both familiar and intriguingly different.
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Commercial flavored sodas—including ginger beer—can be rather sweet, though kombucha is a fermented tea drink that is naturally acidic and just slightly sweetened. Using it as a soda substitute can create wonderfully refreshing cocktails with a more exciting and deeper taste. Available in various flavors (e.g., citrus, ginger, pomegranate, etc.), kombucha also offers a boost of flavor.
Tequila gives this drink a wonderful earthy background flavor. Fresh lime juice highlights the tart spiciness of ginger kombucha, while a bit of agave nectar brings in some necessary sweetness to balance out the flavor. Mango is an excellent pairing for both tequila and ginger, so adding mango nectar marries the main ingredients wonderfully and completes the sprightly cocktail.
“This cocktail is grade-A delicious. I’m new to mixing with kombucha and I’m never looking back; it’s not as sweet as soda but still provides the bubbles and flavor you want. And you can’t beat the classic combo of ginger and lime.” —Laurel Randolph
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila
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1 ounce mango nectar
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3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, from about 1/2 large lime
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1/2 ounce agave nectar
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3 ounces ginger kombucha
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Lime wedge, for garnish
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a cocktail shaker, pour the tequila, mango nectar, lime juice, and agave nectar. Fill the shaker with ice.
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Shake well for about 10 seconds.
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Strain into a double old-fashioned or highball glass over fresh ice cubes.
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Top with ginger kombucha and garnish with a lime wedge.
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Tips
- If you have a scoby and a week or so to spare, you can make kombucha at home (the ginger flavoring is added during secondary fermentation).
- Or, for a quick alternative, look for ginger kombucha in the refrigerated section of your grocer’s natural foods section.
- Since it’s so popular, there’s also the chance that you can find a local kombucha brewer who sells the bottled drink.
Recipe Variations
- If ginger kombucha is slightly too acidic or not fizzy enough for your taste, cut it in half and pour an equal amount of seltzer.
- You can also leave out the mango nectar, and simply use an additional ounce of kombucha or an ounce of seltzer for a more straight-forward mule.
- Switching from tequila to another liquor can provide interesting results. For instance, pour mezcal for a smoky touch, citrus vodka for a subtle flavor enhancement, or gin for a slightly more botanical cocktail.
- Muddle fresh berries with the lime juice and agave nectar before adding the other ingredients and shaking the drink.
How Strong Is a Tequila Kombucha Mule?
Regular kombucha contains a negligible amount of alcohol (around 0.5 percent alcohol by volume), so the tequila is really the only intoxicating element in this drink recipe. When made with a standard 80-proof tequila, this cocktail weighs in at just 9 percent ABV (18 proof), placing it right between the strength of beer and wine.
