This kombucha sangria recipe is a perfect sipper on a hot summer day.

This season is perfect for finding fresh berries & rhubarb at the market so I’m taking full advantage of both fresh fruits in this recipe.

Combining my love for kombucha and summer sangria recipes, I created this Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria for all of your summer sipping needs! First, start off by making an easy, homemade rhubarb simple syrup which packs a nice tart and sweet flavour. Then add in berry kombucha and fresh strawberries to kick up that berry flavour. The limes help bring all of the flavours to life in this bright and cheery sangria! And of course a little mint garnish and rhubarb stalk is the perfect finishing touch to this fun drink.

So, what is kombucha? It’s a ‘bubbly fermented drink’ that is full of many probiotics and enzymes that are good for gut health. And, a bottle of kombucha is one of my go-to drinks! I really enjoy sipping on a kombucha in the afternoon or on a hot day.

Why you’ll love this berry rhubarb kombucha sangria

• This Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria is a little tart and a little sweet for the perfect summer sip.
• Easily made into an alcohol-free option by using a non-alcoholic rosé.
• If you love traditional sangria, you’ll love this summery version!
• Make sure you use refreshing, cold kombucha in this sangria recipe.

Ingredients needed for this kombucha sangria

Kombucha: you’ll need two bottles of kombucha, specifically berry kombucha, approximately 3 cups or 24oz total

Rhubarb: rhubarb along with sugar and water is used to make an outstanding simple syrup as the base of this sangria

Strawberries: fresh strawberries are a must in this kombucha sangria

Lime: fresh lime slices add a tartness and brightness to this kombucha sangria

Rosé: I love the addition of rosé to this sangria; a dry rosé works best for a light and refreshing sangria and pairs well with the rhubarb simple syrup.

How to make sangria

Step 1: Make the rhubarb simple syrup by adding 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water and 2 cups chopped rhubarb into a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Set a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer so most of the liquid is in the bowl. *Note: save the rhubarb solids that are strained out as it tastes just like a jam and is delicious on yogurt, oats or toast**

Step 3: In a large pitcher mix kombucha, rosé and rhubarb simple syrup. At this step you could refrigerate and add the fruit (strawberries, rhubarb, limes) just before serving.

Step 4: Pour sangria into ice-filled glasses, garnish the top of each glass with fresh mint and an optional rhubarb slice. Sip & enjoy!

Expert tips

• Make the rhubarb simple syrup ahead of time. The simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• This can be made into a non-alcoholic sangria too! Just substitute the rosé with another bottle of kombucha or non-alcoholic rosé and add some sparkling water to your tastes if desired.
• Kombucha is readily available at your local grocery store or health food stores. It’s a great option to use in sangria instead of fruit juice.
• Freeze the strawberries or use frozen strawberries to keep the kombucha sangria cool for longer!

common questions

Can I use a different flavour of kombucha?
I highly recommend using a kombucha with berry flavours as this goes best with the other ingredients in this fun cocktail recipe. You can use any type of berry flavour you like – mixed berry, raspberry or strawberry!

What type of rosé should I use?
A dry rosé works best for a light and refreshing sangria and pairs well with the rhubarb simple syrup.

Can I make this ahead of time?
I recommend making the rhubarb simple syrup ahead of time.  Then just put the rest of the sangria together before serving – if you let the bubbly kombucha sit in the fridge for too long it will loose its fizzy nature.

how to store this kombucha sangria

This kombucha sangria is best enjoyed as soon as it’s made! You can make this ahead of time and then add the kombucha just before serving so that the drink stays fizzy.

more summer cocktails to love from the blog

Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch

The Best Peach Basil Wine Spritzer (White Wine)

The Best Sparkling Blackberry Vodka Drinks Recipe

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Summer Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria (with rosé)

This Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria is a bright and cheerful sip for the summer! With berries, rhubarb, kombucha & rosé, it's summer in a cup!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword kombucha, rose, sangria

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8 people

Author Jess

Ingredients

Rhubarb Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb approx. 1 inch pieces

Sangria

• 2 355mL bottles of True Büch Very Berry Kombucha
• 1 bottle rosé
• 2 cups halved strawberries
• 1 cup chopped rhubarb approx. 1 inch pieces
• 1 lime, sliced into rounds
• mint for garnish
• small rhubarb stalks for garnish

Instructions

• Make the rhubarb simple syrup by adding 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water and 2 cups chopped rhubarb into a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Set a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer so most of the liquid is in the bowl. *Note: save the rhubarb solids that are strained out as it tastes just like a jam and is delicious on yogurt, oats or toast**
  
• In a pitcher mix kombucha, rosé and rhubarb simple syrup. At this step you could refrigerate and add the fruit (strawberries, rhubarb, limes) just before serving.
  
• Pour sangria into ice-filled glasses, garnish with mint and optional rhubarb slice. Sip & enjoy!
  

Notes

• This can be made into a non-alcoholic sangria too! Just substitute the rosé with another bottle of kombucha, non-alcoholic rosé and add some sparkling water to your tastes if desired.
• Make the rhubarb simple syrup ahead of time. The simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• Freeze the strawberries or use frozen strawberries to keep the kombucha sangria cool for longer!

The post Summer Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria (with rosé) appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Days are starting to get longer, the sun is shining and there’s way more warmer-weather ingredients to enjoy.

So let’s cheers with these divine Spring cocktails for happy hour on a lovely Spring day!

When the calendar turns to Spring I get super excited to mix up more fresh and light food AND drinks.

I love to experiment with different cocktail flavours especially when the market is brimming with fresh herbs and fruits. And of course, I like to add in my personal favourite Spring-Summer sip, rosé, whenever I get the chance.

What ingredients are in Spring cocktail recipes

Lavender: If you’re unsure about lavender in these cocktails, I’m here to tell you it simply elevates the flavour! I am not someone who enjoys ‘floral-forward’ recipes but the lavender bitters are such a lovely accent.

Mint: Mint is so vibrant when used in a cocktail and it really complements other produce like cucumbers and lime.

Citrus: Bright and fresh, citrus fruits like lemon, lime and grapefruit are divine in any Spring cocktail

Rosé: My personal favourite to add to cocktails, it’s love to experiment with rosé’s that are more on the dry side, fruitier or bubbly!

So which Spring cocktail recipes should you definitely make this season?!

Lavender French 75 Cocktail: A French 75 cocktail, elevated by the violet-hued Empress 1908 Gin and a few dashes of lavender bitters. An perfect cocktail to cheers with in Spring and Summer!

Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz: Mint and cucumber combine with gin in this refreshing cocktail that is topped with prosecco for the perfect, sparkling spritz of the Spring season!

Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch: Strawberries are combined with lemons for a tasty lemonade base in this Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch. Then, everything is mixed together with sparkling water, gin and of course, rosé for a refreshing summer cocktail!

Campari Rosé Spritz: Made with just 3 ingredients, this Campari Rosé Spritz is a beautiful, vibrant cocktail made for the Spring or Summer season.

Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail: Fresh and bright, grapefruit pairs with lavender for the most delightful and refreshing sip!

Whether you crave something fresh, fruity or sparkling, there’s sure to be a cocktail for you!

More warmer-weather cocktails from the blog:

Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria

Peach Basil Wine Spritzer

8 Must Make Summer Sangria Recipes

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post 5 Best Spring Cocktails to Make This Season appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Anyone else feel like you blinked and all of a sudden it was May!?

I sure do but I did have an awesome trip to Arizona I can’t wait to share with you PLUS my favourite recipes, cookbooks and brunch ideas for Mother’s Day!

April was an odd month in Calgary; I SO wanted to cook lighter, brighter dishes but the weather had other ideas.

So, I brought out the slow-cooker one more time and made this cozy beans recipe. They totally hit the spot for our ‘snowy April days.’ (So now we can just bookmark that for after summer 🙂 )

Then we had a nice sunny break in Arizona and ohhhh it was so worth it! We lounged by the pool and read a ton of books.

A couple books I read that are perfect for summer reading: Something in the Water is a thriller that had me hooked from the first page! I also really enjoyed The Wife Between Us and for a fun beachy read I loved When Life Gives You Lululemons.

In between all of my poolside reading, we took a trip to Sedona; it was magical!

And of course we enjoyed some delicious food, the tamales we had at this little café were super tasty.

Now, we’re back into the swing of things and I think the Spring season has finally returned which means all of the fresh, bright produce is starting to hit the stores and that brings us to What’s In Season for May!

Asparagus – Market Spring Vegetable Salad

Basil – Easy Basil Pesto

Blueberries – Blueberry Bliss Smoothie

Cucumbers – Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz

Tomatoes – Tomatoes

Rhubarb – Strawberry Rhubarb Toasted Oat Sundaes

And if you need some Mother’s Day Brunch recipe ideas, I’ve got you covered too.

I can’t wait to share with you what I make this month from two new cookbooks I just checked out of the library: Bake the Seasons and A New Way to Food.

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Monthly Favourites appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Cucumber and mint are refreshing flavours and they pair perfectly with gin.

And, taking a cue from one of my other favourite cocktails, the French 75, this Spritz is topped with prosecco for a sparkling touch!

I love to make cocktails that use seasonal and fresh ingredients so this Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz fits in perfectly. The last couple of week’s we’ve been enjoying local cucumbers from our YYC Growers Harvest Box. So, I knew as soon as we started to feel the beginnings of Spring it was the perfect opportunity to use the cucumbers in a cocktail to celebrate.

If you haven’t had mint and cucumber in a cocktail yet, you’re in for a treat! The two provide the most refreshing flavours when muddled together and combined with gin.

Then, this cocktail is topped with prosecco for a perfectly bubbly sip!

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Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz

Mint and cucumber combine with gin in this refreshing cocktail that is topped with prosecco for the perfect, sparkling spritz of the Spring season!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword cocktail, spring cocktail

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cocktails

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 6 slices cucumber
• 10 mint leaves
• 2 ounces gin
• 8-10 ounces prosecco or other white sparkling wine
• extra mint leaves and cucumber slices for garnish
• ice

Instructions

• Add mint leaves, cucumber slices and gin to a cocktail shaker or mason jar.
• Use a muddler or wooden spoon to crush and mix mint, cucumber and gin so the flavours get released and then let sit for 5 minutes.
• Strain into two champagne flutes (or glass of your choice) and pour 4-5 ounces of prosecco into each glass.
• Add some mint leaves and fresh slices of cucumber to garnish and 1-2 ice cubes and enjoy!

This Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz is wonderful for brunch, Easter or Mother’s day. And, even just sipping in the sunshine during the Spring or Summer!

This recipe is a lovely way for me to celebrate my 4th year of blogging here on Cooking in my Genes! I can hardly believe I’ve been creating and photographing recipes to share with you for four years; it’s gone by in a flash! I’ve enjoyed every minute of this experience so far. This blog is such a lovely way to connect with you, family and friends through the love of food. So THANK YOU for all of the love and support; I truly wouldn’t be doing this without you!

So, let’s grab one of these Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz’s and CHEERS to an amazing 4 years plus more to come!

And, if you need some more Spring cocktail inspiration, check out my Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail.

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

The natural tartness of the grapefruit is very refreshing, and when paired with a touch of lavender it’s a beautiful harmony of flavours.

This delicious cocktail recipe is inspired by my friend Erin! She gave me the most lovely lavender bitters as a birthday gift. I knew once I tried the lavender bitters, I HAD to use them to create a cocktail which featured the beautiful, floral flavour.

Why you’ll love this Spring cocktail

I like to keep my cocktails fairly simple and really easy to execute so whether you’re making this Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail for just you or for a group of guests, you spend more time enjoying the cocktail than making it!

This would be the perfect Spring sip to enjoy on a warm, sunny day or even for brunch.

If you love my Lavender French 75 Cocktail, you’re sure to love this one too!

Do lavender and grapefruit go together?

The beautiful floral flavor of the lavender bitters pairs beautifully with the tart grapefruit juice. They share similar floral and citrus aromatics. The tart nature of the grapefruit balances the floral-forward lavender. Balance is key so start with 1-2 dashes of the lavender bitters as they can be overwhelming if you use too much.

What liquor pairs well with lavender?

A floral-forward gin pairs very well with lavender. A nice selection of gin’s to choose from for this drink are: Hendrick’s, The Botanist and Empress 1908 (which has a gorgeous lilac hue).

Ingredients needed for this Spring blossom cocktail

Lavender bitters: You will need 1-2 dashes lavender bitters (my personal favourite are Scrappy’s Bitters)

Grapefruit juice: I like to use fresh squeezed grapefruit juice for the most tart, fresh flavor; if desired, you can use store-bought fresh or bottled grapefruit juice (from about 1 grapefruit)

Gin: You will need 2 ounces of gin; I like to use a more floral gin like

Simple syrup: Make a batch of simple syrup before making this cocktail.

How to make simple syrup

To make simple syrup you will need equal parts water and granulated sugar. For this grapefruit lavender cocktail I like to make a batch of simple syrup with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. The simple syrup can be stored in the fridge in an airtight glass jar (or container) for 2-3 weeks.

Combine the sugar and water in a small pot or saucepan. Stir and then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes until the dissolved. Set aside and let the simple syrup cool.

How to make a grapefruit lavender cocktail

First make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small pot. Stir and then heat the mixture on medium-high until simmering. Turn to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let the simple syrup cool. You can also transfer the simple syrup to a glass container, uncovered, to help cool faster.

To make the cocktail, fill one cocktail glass about 2/3 full with ice.

Then, to a cocktail shaker add 1-2 dashes of lavender bitters (depending on how floral your taste is, use 1 dash for less floral notes), fresh grapefruit juice, gin and simple syrup. Shake and then pour into an ice-filled cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and if you so desire, dried lavender buds or a sprig of dried lavender.

Tips & Tricks

• Cool the simple syrup: You can transfer the hot simple syrup to a glass container, uncovered, to help cool faster.
• Make this cocktail for more people: You can easily make a big batch of this cocktail. Double, triple or quadrupole this recipe to make more cocktails for a larger group.
• Add club soda: If you want to make this cocktail a bit lighter, add a splash of club soda, tonic or sparkling water.
• Garnishes: The lavender garnish is optional.

FAQs

More Spring cocktail recipes to love from the blog

• The Best Rhubarb French 75 Cocktail Recipe
• Minty Cucumber Gin Spritz
• Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

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Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail (with gin)

This Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail is a beautiful sip for the Spring. With gin, fresh grapefruit juice & lavender bitters, it's a delight.

Course Drinks

Cuisine american-inspired

Keyword grapefruit, lavender

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 1-2 dashes lavender bitters
• 2 ounces gin
• 3 ounces fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1/2 ounce simple syrup
• ice cubes
• slice of grapefruit for garnish
• optional: dried lavender for garnish

Instructions

• First make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small pot. Stir and then heat the mixture on medium-high until simmering. Turn to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside and let the simple syrup cool. You can also transfer the simple syrup to a glass container, uncovered, to help cool faster.
• To make the cocktail, fill one cocktail glass about 2/3 full with ice.
• Then, to a cocktail shaker add 1-2 dashes of lavender bitters (depending on how floral your taste is, use 1 dash for less floral notes), fresh grapefruit juice, gin and simple syrup. Shake and then pour into an ice-filled cocktail glass. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and if you so desire, dried lavender buds or a sprig of dried lavender.

The post Grapefruit Lavender Spring Blossom Cocktail (with gin) appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.