Kombucha Mimosa

Elaborately garnished Bloody Marys and bubbly Mimosas are a staple of any brunch service, but they often lead to a two-hour power nap after eating and a lethargic rest of the day. But it doesn’t have to be that way, as many bartenders and restaurant owners have discovered more enlivening morning concoctions. Jennifer Peters, the founder of Denver’s gluten-free café Just BE Kitchen, developed her own take on the Mimosa, swapping its usual orange juice for kombucha, the naturally fermented, lightly effervescent tea drink. “People go crazy over the Kombucha Mimosas,” says Peters. “The best part is you’re getting probiotics in your bubbles.”

The Kombucha Mimosa is perfect as a morning pick-me-up with a healthy brunch, or as an afternoon treat during tea time. It’s festive, bright, fun and bubbly, but its best aspect may be its versatility: There are dozens of kombucha flavors on the market, with a variety of tea bases, fruit flavors and levels of sweetness. Citrus kombuchas are an obvious fit in a Kombucha Mimosa, mimicking the usual juice, but other flavors can also work well. Try using a gingery or cinnamon kombucha during the winter months for a cool weather drink, or mint-infused kombucha for summertime drinking. Kombucha made with black or green tea will have more caffeine, while ones made with herbal teas deliver a more mellow experience.

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Along with a variety of flavors and styles there are also numerous companies producing kombucha, from small, local brands making individually bottled versions to bigger companies getting in on the scene with large-scale production. You could even try your hand at making your own kombucha; along with baking sourdough bread, it’s become a popular hobby in recent years. Once you’ve got a healthy scoby going (that’s the name for the culture that creates kombucha), you can make repeated batches of it, and add whatever kind of flavoring best suits your tastes.

While the kombucha is one important aspect of the drink, the other ingredient to contend with is the choice of sparkling wine. Champagne is always a good bet, but for breakfast drinks like the Kombucha Mimosa, sometimes something bright and lighter, like cava or prosecco, is the way to go. Whatever the case, be sure to balance the levels of sweetness in the wine and kombucha or a risk an overly sweet, or overly tart, drink.

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