This Product Is How I Get My Kombucha Fix When I Have No Room in the Fridge
I’m addicted to these Korean drinking vinegars.
If you love kombucha, you know the anguish of finding you’re down to your last bottle in the fridge. Aside from the supposed health benefits kombucha offers, the sparkling, fermented drink is satisfyingly sweet – and tart. It hits just right, in the most refreshing way.
The problem is the drink’s beloved bubbles and active cultures make it difficult to stock up on. You must finish an opened bottle within a day or two – or it’ll go flat. And if you buy bottles in bulk, you’ll have to sacrifice precious real estate in your fridge to store them. But what if there was a way to get the same taste of kombucha without having to stake out a whole section of the fridge? What if there was a way to have fresh bubbles, every time?
Allow me to introduce you to: Korean drinking vinegars – a fruity, acidic beverage concentrate that will change your life.
I started drinking Korean fruit vinegars a few years ago, when my mom picked some up from H Mart, a Korean-American supermarket chain.
The vinegars come in a variety of flavors like white grape, pomegranate, apple, peach and pineapple (my go-tos are the grape and pomegranate) and are essentially ready-made shrubs, which are drink syrups made by infusing vinegar with any combination of fruits (and sometimes herbs and spices) over the course of a few days. The fruits are strained from the mixture and the resulting sweet, acidic liquid is typically used in cocktails but can also be used to flavor non-alcoholic drinks.
You’re meant to dilute the concentrate with a liquid of your choice. I personally mix the vinegars with cold water in a 2-to-1 ratio and keep my servings small. It’s like taking a strong shot of apple cider vinegar (but so much better) – the ratio is potent enough to satisfy a sweet tooth without having to commit to an entire glass of a sugary drink. And it’s acidic enough to refresh and cleanse the palate. I always drink my “shots” alongside more indulgent meals or snacks to cut through the heaviness of dairy or fat.
The vinegars can also be mixed with seltzer or club soda for a drink that resembles kombucha – though we can’t vouch for any health benefits here. If you’re feeling adventurous or want to play bartender, try mixing the vinegars with beer, sparkling wine or liquor for a different flavor. The beauty of the concentrate is that depending on what you mix it with, you can get a flavor that fits your palate.
Bottles of the Korean drinking vinegars don’t need to be refrigerated until opened – so think of the product as your way to shelf-stable “kombucha.” It’s also a great product for easy 2-ingredient “cocktails.”
Just a little of these vinegars can go a long way, so grab a bottle and give them a try.
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