Imagine you are having a dinner at the restaurant with loved one or friends. You have ordered delicious treats - wild mushrooms roasted in tarragon infused sunflower oil, asparagus with basil and roasted pumpkin seed pesto. But this evening you are not in the mood for alcohol. What options are on the menu? Cola, juices, lemonades or other highly sweetened drinks? These days abstinence from alcohol has become quite common - a healthy lifestyle has become a mainstream, many of us, consciously simply do not "drink" - the following day we have yoga, or we want to keep alkaline-acid balance in the body, or we are just lazy to cope with hangover. Many restaurants have noticed this emptiness and introduced kombucha to the menu, which is a super alternative to alcohol, it has much in common with good quality white wine, has a rich fermentation flavour, it can remind us sparkling chardonnay or light prosecco. Alcohol has no flavour, all of the complexity in wine or whisky is a by-product of the fermentation process. Same is happening with kombucha except that there is not alcohol in the final product.
Kombucha is now available in number of Michelin star restaurants. With complex aromatic profile and a sweet-sour taste, it blends well with food. Like wine, kombucha is easy to pair with fine dishes. Sommeliers say that kombucha opens a whole new palate receptor, so the possibilities for combination are limitless. Ideally it should be served chilled and in a glass for white wine. For example, light kombucha is great with salads, fresh fruits or Asian dishes. Stronger, more mature kombucha - works well with heavier and spicy foods.
Kombucha is also a great base for creating alcoholic, low or non-alcoholic cocktails. Due to the low sugar and high acidity it lifts flavours of gin, whiskies, rums and other spirits.
So, restaurant looking for a way to improve their low or non-alcoholic offering, kombucha is a great solution. It can easily be on the space of champagne, wine or craft beer.