Prickly Pear + Cucumber Kombucha Margarita
Our latest seasonal kombucha, prickly pear and cucumber, was quite the showstopper at the farmers market opening weekend. And not because of anything on our end, but because of the bright beautiful prickly pears we source from Homestead, Fla. These fruit are absolutely gorgeous. This particular batch was soft when ripe, lightly sweet berry taste, with just a hint of bubblegum. And the color, oh that color! Its psychedelic fuchsia rivals Joseph’s technicolor dreamcoat. The viscosity of the prickly pear juice gives this beverage a bit more body in all the right ways. The added cucumber and lime to this brew also rounds things out to a refreshing stasis.
What’s more? It’s October, in which occurs a phenomenon known as Sober October. A time where folks give their bodies a break from booze. And it’s good timing, too. Right before all the holiday festivities. But sobriety is having a much bigger moment than just for 31 days. Our local bars and restaurants seem to be accommodating non-alcoholic options more and more. Zero-proof spirits, wines, champagnes, and mixes are taking up more space than ever on retail shelves, too. Even large chain liquor stores are carrying brands like Seedlip, Ritual, Three Spirit, Vera, and the like.
As fermented food enthusiasts and kombucha brewers, we know the impact cultured beverages have recently had in western cuisine. To see this growing trend of mirror people’s tastes is pretty dang exciting. Kombucha as a non-alcoholic option is delicious on its own, sure. But it makes an awesome mixer for both classic and fusion non-alcoholic cocktails.
All in the mix.
For our kombucha margarita, I opted for Ritual Zero Proof’s tequila alternative. Guys, it’s phenomenal. And tastes like tequila, which is kinda wild. You really feel like you’re drinking a margarita, and not just some salted sweet lime juice. Use a 1:1 ratio of tequila alternative as you would traditional tequila. In case you’re wondering, I’m not sponsored in any way by Ritual. However, if anyone from Ritual happens to be reading this and wants to send some zero-proof spirits down to Florida, I will gladly accept.
As for the kombucha, its role in this beverage is to add flavor, a mild acidity, and a bit of bubbly. And in this case, some color, too! Most of our kombucha flavors would pair excellently with this sort of spin on a margarita. This time around, we’re going with prickly pear + cucumber. It gives a refreshing desert vibe, if there ever was such a thing.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a margarita without lime. It’s gotta be fresh, no short cuts. You’ll need to juice about 1 lime. Normally, I would say if you don’t have lime to use lemons instead. Not this time though. Limes. Period. Have an extra lime on deck if you’d like to make some garnishes.
If all this beverage talk is making you thirsty, then you are not alone. Let’s get into it.
Ingredients
one to two limes
sea salt
Ritual Zero Proof tequila alternative
St. Pete Ferments prickly pear + cucumber kombucha
LSD — Lime, Salt, Drink.
Order is important for a margarita. If you forget to salt your rim first, then you are f@*%’d. If you don’t like salt with your margarita, well there’s no helping you. JOKING. All jokes. I prefer a salty margarita though, so if that’s not your style then just skip it. But if you’re like me, just remember LSD — Lime the rim, Salt the rim, then add your Drink. (I need help remembering even the smallest things, hence the acronym…)
First, run a a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Then dip the rim in salt to coat.
Add your fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker. The prickly pear + cucumber kombucha is already a tad sour and has a hint of lime, so I go a little bit lower and add 3/4 oz of juice. You don’t have to use a shaker. But if you happen to have one around, they are helpful.
Next, add 2 oz of Ritual Zero Proof tequila alternative and some ice to the shaker. Shake it up till your hands get cold? Do what feels right.
Strain your icy lime tequila mix into your salted glass, atop fresh ice. In an 8 oz tumbler, this comes up about half way, which is what you want.
Lastly, top off with your prickly pear + cucumber kombucha. I don’t add this to the shaker, because it’s carbonated — it will bubble and make a huge mess. Drop in some fresh lime wheel.
¡Salud!