Spring Gin, Kumquat & Kombucha Cocktail

Name: Spring Gin, Kumquat & Kombucha Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ½ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup water; 5 sprigs of fresh thyme; 4 kumquats (sliced thinly); Ice; 2 oz Gin; 1 ounce thyme & kumquat syrup; 6 ounces kombucha; Additional fresh thyme and kumquats to garnish

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Cheers my friends — we’ve officially made it to Spring! Mix up a batch of my Spring Gin, Kumquat & Kombucha Cocktails to toast the new season with friends. This sparkling refresher is layered with the fresh flavors and colors of a world bursting with longer days and new growth. In short, it’s perfect for brunch (or any patio sipping!) in your near future.

About This Recipe

Aren’t the first showings of spring marvelous? The bright chartreuses, fervent yellows, and countless beautiful blossoms are just what I need after the cold, dark winter. It does wonders to my soul.

So, to this magnificent season, I dedicate my Spring Gin, Kumquat and Kombucha Cocktail. Made with a delightfully botanical gin, a homemade thyme-kumquat simple syrup, and tart, bubbly booch, this liquid love letter hits all the right flavor notes — it’s sweet, tart, herbaceous, refreshing.

Since no shaking is required, this lovely libation can be batched for a pitcher. It’s perfect for the return of what inevitably feels like a more sociable season, when it stays light out long enough to enjoy a few post-work cocktails with friends.

The homemade thyme-kumquat simple syrup can also be made well in advance, meaning you can easily transition from work day to the best of the day. And, as if that weren’t enough, adding kombucha to the mix adds a healthy dose of probiotics to the mix, so you can feel ever so virtuous as you sip.

For more info on infusing simple syrups with flavors, check out my guide here!

Ingredients

This simple spring gin cocktail comes together with just a handful of ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Botanical Gin - Gin comes in several types, from ubiquitous London Dry styles (the ones that taste strongly of juniper and Christmas) to the smoky Old Tom. Reach for something a bit more delicate here. I happen to like Empress 1908, Hendrick’s, and The Botantist, but there are tons of options out there nowadays. You might even find something local to you!
Thyme & Kumquat Syrup - Made with just fresh thyme sprigs, a few sliced kumquats, sugar, and water, this is a snap to make.
Kombucha - Much like gin, kombucha comes in a variety of flavors from a variety of companies. There are also lots of people out there who like to brew their own; more power to them! Feel free to play around with what flavors you reach for. I happen to like plain, or anything infused with citrus, cucumbers, or ginger for this.
Fresh Thyme and Kumquats - Make sure you save a few extra to garnish.

Equipment

All you need to make this delicious kumquat gin cocktail with kombucha is:

A pretty glass (or pitcher). You can batch up as much as you need. Use the recipe card to 2x or 3x your measurements. Choose something that looks gorgeous on a table and feels good in your hand.
A cocktail spoon. While you can technically stir cocktails with other spoons, the long, swirled body of a cocktail spoon makes it perfect for stirring in even a single collins glass. The spoon portion can also be used as a measurement, and the red tip on the other end of the spoon can swap in as muddler-lite in a pinch.

Spring Gin, Kumquat & Kombucha Cocktail in a serving glass.

How To Make Kombucha Gin Cocktails

These beautiful spring cocktails are a snap to make. Here’s how it’s done:

Make Thyme-Kumquat Syrup: Pour equal parts sugar and water into a saucepan and heat on medium. Cook, stirring the mixture until your sugar has completely dissolved.

Add fresh thyme & kumquats and continue heating for 30 seconds before removing from heat and adding a lid to the top of the pan. Allow syrup to infuse for half an hour.

Remove the thyme and kumquat slices and allow the syrup to cool completely before using, or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Assemble Cocktail: Add the ice, gin, syrup and kombucha into a glass stirring gently to combine. Before serving, add a few fresh thyme sprigs and slices of kumquat to garnish. Cheers!

Expert Tips

Stir gently. Kombucha is lightly carbonated, so you don’t want to be too vigorous as you handle it. Also, stirring is supposed to cool the cocktail to the perfect temperature; if you agitate the mixture too much, the ice will melt and dilute the cocktail more than it should be.
Don’t make too big of a batch. Again, this spring cocktail has kombucha, which is lightly carbonated. If you let it sit out without being corked, you’ll risk losing the effervescence.
Garnish to feel glamorous. Happy hour at home is always elevated when you take the extra step to garnish your drink. Not only do you get to sip and savor this kombucha cocktail’s flavor, but you also get to imbibe it with your eyes! I see it as a small but effective form of self-care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I can’t find kumquats?

If you can find kumquats, I suggest you give them a try. They’re tart and sweet citrus fruits with tender skins that you eat. They’re a sunshiney delight! However, I know they may not always be available. In this case, you can use peeled segments of mandarins, clementines, sweet oranges, or, if you can find them, calamansi. Otherwise, consider substituting in season berries.

Can I use dried thyme?

Don’t use dried thyme to garnish your beverage, but in a pinch you can steep the syrup with some dried thyme tied up in a piece of cheesecloth or packed into a teabag.

What is the best kind of kombucha for cocktails?

This is honestly a very personal thing. Kombucha is brewed by a lot of folks, and there are many different infusions to choose from. Some of my favorite are Synergy and Health-Ade brands. For this particular cocktail, you could go with any botanical, citrusy, herbaceous, or even gingery infusions.

How long does kombucha last after opening?

As an effervescent beverage, I’d say it’ll taste best within the first 24 hours of opening. That said, depending on how well you can keep it sealed (e.g. with a cork or screw-on top), open kombucha should be fine for up to a week in the fridge.

More Springtime Libations

As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try this recipe for my Spring Gin, Kumquat & Kombucha Cocktail, please share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!