5 kombucha cocktail recipes to try at home, from Nashville's Walker Brothers


Brew kombucha? Or perhaps you bought some and think it's a bit gross? We're here for you. Just put it in a cocktail.
Walker Brothers, a Nashville-based kombucha brewery that makes completely delicious and decidedly not-gross kombucha, has teamed up with industry veteran Will Benedetto to develop some craft cocktail recipes for you to try at home.
If you're abstaining from alcohol, this is a great opportunity to experiment with spirit-free "liquors" such as Seedlip, which will benefit from the fermented flavors in kombucha.
Walker Brothers’ non-alcoholic kombucha is unpasteurized to preserve the nationally occurring probiotics that arise during the traditional open-fermentation process. Hot take: the Cucumber Melon is the best of the flavors.
Violet, You’re Turning Violet!
1 ounce gin
1 teaspoon crème de violette
½ ounce simple syrup
½ ounce lemon juice
7-8 fresh basil leaves
2 ounces Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Blueberry Jasmine kombucha
1 lemon wheel, dehydrated
Instructions
In a shaker tin, combine gin, creme de violette, simple syrup, lemon juice, 4 basil leaves and ice. Shake until incorporated. Pour into a Collins glass and top with Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Blueberry Jasmine kombucha. Garnish with additional basil leaves and dehydrated lemon wheel.
Kombucha Fizz
1 ounce brandy
1 ounce wheated Bourbon
½ ounce heavy cream
½ ounce rich simple syrup*
½ ounce lemon juice
2 drops orange flower water
1 egg white
2 ounce Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Citrus kombucha
Lemon salt*
Instructions
In a shaker tin, combine brandy, wheated Bourbon, heavy cream, rich simple syrup*, lemon juice, orange flower water and egg white. Shake until incorporated. Add ice and shake again. Strain over ice into a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish the rim with lemon salt**.
*Rich simple syrup indicates a 2:1 sugar to water ratio.
**To make lemon salt, zest lemon rind over salt and let sit for 2-3 hours until dry.
Walker’s Breakfast
2 ounces Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Cucumber Melon kombucha
1 ½ ounce spirit of choice (choose from gin, vodka, tequila, or mezcal)
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 turn of ground black pepper
3 lime wedges
Salt to taste
Instructions
In a shaker tin, combine Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Cucumber Melon kombucha, spirit of choice, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, lime wedges and salt. Muddle well. Add ice and shake until incorporated. Pour all contents into a rocks glass.
Gel Pen Club
1 ½ ounce cucumber vodka
¼ ounce simple syrup
¼ ounce Midori Melon Liqueur
2 drops habanero tincture*
¼ ounce lemon juice
Pinch of salt
3-4 ounce Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Cucumber Melon kombucha
Fresh cilantro
Cucumber, sliced and dusted with Tajin
Cantaloupe, balled
Instructions
In a shaker tin, combine cucumber vodka, simple syrup, Midori Melon Liqueur, habanero tincture, lemon juice, cilantro, salt and ice. Shake until incorporated. Strain the mixture into a rocks glass over ice. Top with Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Cucumber Melon kombucha. Garnish with Tajin-dusted cucumber slice and balled cantaloupe as desired.
*To make your own habanero tincture, steep chopped habaneros in 100-proof vodka or tequila for one hour. Strain.
Not Your Uncle’s Mule
1 ½ ounce bourbon
¼ ounce lemon juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
½ ounce Campari
4 ounce Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Ginger kombucha
Lemon wedge
Instructions
In a shaker tin, combine Bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and Campari. Shake until incorporated. Pour into a rocks glass over ice. Top with Walker Brothers Non-Alcoholic Ginger kombucha and garnish with a lemon wedge.
Mackensy Lunsford is the food and culture storyteller for USA TODAY Network's South region and the editor of Southern Kitchen.
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Reach me: mlunsford@southernkitchen.com