I did not plan on making this drink. I had a jar of kimchi in the fridge that had been sitting there for three weeks, and I was pouring the brine down the sink when I stopped and thought — this smells too good to waste. Tangy, a little funky, cold from the fridge. I held the jar over a glass and poured some in with lime juice and sparkling water on a total whim.
Noah walked in, looked at the pink-red fizz in my hand and said “what is THAT.” I made him taste it. He went quiet for a second and then said “make two.” That was six months ago and this kimchi mocktail has been in our fridge rotation ever since.
This kimchi mocktail is a sparkling strawberry-lime spritz made with fresh muddled strawberries, kimchi brine, lime juice, and sparkling water. It comes together in five minutes flat, tastes like the grown-up version of a fruit punch you never knew you wanted, and does something genuinely good for your gut every single time you drink it.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 5 minutes — muddle, shake, pour. There is genuinely nothing to it.
- Tastes nothing like you expect — the brine adds tang and depth, not kimchi-jar flavor. It makes the strawberry and lime pop in a way regular mocktails never do.
- Actually good for your gut — live probiotics from the kimchi brine, every single sip. Pair it with our Prebiotic Iced Tea Lemonade for a full gut-health drinks week.
- Totally adaptable — swap strawberries for mango, peach, or watermelon. Add more brine for more tang, more honey for sweetness.
- Beautiful deep rose color — looks like something you would pay $16 for at a restaurant.
Ingredients You'll Need
- 85g (1/2 cup) fresh strawberries, hulled — the riper the better. Frozen works if you thaw them first and keep all the juice.
- 2 tbsp kimchi brine — straight from the jar. Start here and add more to taste. The funkier your kimchi, the more complex the drink.
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice — about half a lime. Bottled works in a pinch but fresh is noticeably brighter.
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup — just enough to balance the tang. Leave it out if your strawberries are very sweet.
- 120ml (1/2 cup) sparkling water or ginger beer — ginger beer adds a spicy warmth that leans into the kimchi beautifully. Sparkling water keeps it lighter.
- Pinch of flaky salt — optional but do not skip it. Salt closes the sweet-acid-savory triangle in a way nothing else does.
- Ice
- GARNISH (optional): fresh strawberry halves, thin lime wheel, pinch of gochugaru on the rim
Note on the brine: All kimchi brine is different. A fresh, mild kimchi brine adds light tang. An aged, very fermented brine is intensely sour and funky. Taste yours before you pour. Start with 2 tablespoons and adjust up from there — you can always add more but you cannot take it back out.
How to Make a Kimchi Mocktail
Step 1: Muddle the strawberries.
Add the strawberries and honey to a cocktail shaker or sturdy glass. Use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to press them down firmly until they release all their juice and break down into a rough pulp. You want juice and texture, not a smooth puree.
Lora’s Tip: If your strawberries are on the firm side, slice them before muddling. They’ll break down faster and you’ll get more juice out of them.
Step 2: Add the brine and lime.
Pour in the kimchi brine and fresh lime juice. If you have a cocktail shaker, add a handful of ice and shake for about 10 seconds. If not, stir everything well with a spoon; both methods work.
Step 3: Strain into your glass.
Fill your glass with ice. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer over the ice, pouring from a little height for a light froth. If you don’t mind a few strawberry bits, skip the strainer; it’s a different kind of good.
Step 4: Top, taste, and serve.
Pour the sparkling water or ginger beer slowly down the side of the glass to preserve the fizz. Add a pinch of flaky salt, stir once gently, then taste. Add more brine if you want more tang, more honey for sweetness, or a squeeze of lime if it needs lifting. Garnish and drink immediately.
Lora's Kitchen Tips
- Taste your brine first. Kimchi brine varies wildly between brands and age. A 2-week-old kimchi is mild. A 3-month-old kimchi is intensely funky. Always taste before you pour so you know what you're working with.
- Pour the sparkling water last and slowly. Pouring down the side of the glass preserves the carbonation. If you pour straight in from the top you'll lose half the fizz immediately.
- Don't skip the salt. A pinch of flaky salt at the end is what makes the drink taste complete. It lifts the sweet, brightens the acid, and rounds out the savory note from the brine.
- Batch the base ahead. The muddled strawberry, brine, and lime mixture keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed jar. Top with fresh sparkling water per glass when you're ready to serve.
- Ginger beer over sparkling water when you can. The spicy warmth of ginger beer against the fermented tang of the brine is a combination that tastes like it took someone much longer than 5 minutes to develop.
Variations and Substitutions
Swap the fruit: Mango and kimchi brine is a combination that works brilliantly the tropical sweetness absorbs the savory tang in a way that feels slightly richer and more Asian-inspired. Watermelon is lighter and perfect in summer. Peach is softer and sweeter, great for anyone who’s skeptical of the whole idea.
Make it spicy: Stir 1/2 teaspoon of gochujang into the brine before shaking. The heat from gochujang is different to fresh chili it’s deeper and warmer, and it rounds out the drink rather than spiking it.
No kimchi brine? Sauerkraut brine is a direct substitute also fermented, also tangy, just without the gochugaru heat. The drink becomes a little less complex but still very good. A small splash of apple cider vinegar with a pinch of ginger works in a real pinch.
Turn it into a cocktail: This mocktail pairs naturally with soju, gin, or tequila for a kimchi margarita riff. Add 30-45ml of spirit and reduce the sparkling water by the same amount.
What to Serve With This Kimchi Mocktail
This drink is bold enough to hold its own against strong flavors and fatty textures. It cuts through richness the way a good pickle does which makes sense, because that is essentially what kimchi is.
- Our Crispy Air Fryer Banana Pepper Coins — same tangy-savory energy in solid form, and they look great on the same table
- Our Crispy Salmon and Rice Bowl — the drink’s brightness cuts straight through the richness of the salmon
- Our Bang Bang Chicken Bowl — bold meeting bold, and it works every time
- Korean-style pancakes (pajeon), dumplings, or anything grilled
- A weekend brunch spread in place of orange juice
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Best served immediately: Once you add the sparkling water, it starts going flat within 15 minutes.
- Make-ahead base: The muddled strawberry and brine mixture (before adding sparkling water) keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed jar. Shake, strain, and top with fresh sparkling water when ready.
- Do not freeze the finished drink: carbonation is lost and the strawberry texture becomes watery on thawing.
- Batch for a party: Multiply the base by how many guests you have. Keep it cold in a pitcher and top each glass to order with ice and fresh sparkling water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the questions I get most about this kimchi mocktail:
Does this actually taste like kimchi?
Not in the way you’re imagining. The brine brings tang and a faint savory note think more grown-up limeade than fermented cabbage in a glass. The strawberry and lime carry the flavor. The brine is the background.
What if I don't have kimchi brine?
Sauerkraut brine works as a direct substitute also fermented, also tangy, just without the gochugaru heat. The drink becomes less complex but still very good. You can also add a small splash of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of ginger as a non-fermented approximation.
Can I use store-bought kimchi?
Yes any store-bought kimchi works. Just check it’s naturally fermented, which it will say on the label as “live cultures” or “probiotic.” Avoid pasteurized kimchi as the brine from pasteurized versions lacks active probiotics.
Is kimchi brine the same as kimchi juice?
Yes kimchi juice, kimchi liquid, and kimchi brine all refer to the same thing. It is just the liquid sitting at the bottom of the jar.
Can kids drink this?
Absolutely. The brine amount is small enough that the flavor stays subtle. Use a mild kimchi brand and 1 tablespoon of brine instead of 2, and serve over lots of ice. The pink color alone will get them interested.
There is something that happens when you put a savory, fermented ingredient into a drink that is supposed to be sweet and fizzy. It should not work, and then it absolutely does, and then you find yourself standing at the fridge pouring kimchi brine into everything and wondering why you were not doing this before.
This kimchi mocktail is one of those recipes. Simple enough to make on a Tuesday afternoon, interesting enough to serve to guests who will ask you what is in it. I hope you love it as much as Noah does. Come back and tell me when you make it.
With love and a little fermented funk,
Lora x
Kimchi Mocktail (Strawberry-Lime Spritz) 5 Minutes
1
serving5
minutes65
kcalIngredients
85g (1/2 cup) fresh strawberries, hulled
2 tbsp kimchi brine (straight from the jar)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
120ml (1/2 cup) sparkling water or ginger beer
Pinch of flaky salt
Ice
GARNISH: fresh strawberry halves, lime wheel, pinch of gochugaru for the rim (optional)
Directions
Add the strawberries and honey to a cocktail shaker or sturdy glass. Muddle firmly until the berries are fully broken down and have released all their juice.
Add the kimchi brine and lime juice. If using a shaker, add ice and shake for 10 seconds. If not, stir well with a spoon.
Fill your serving glass with ice. Strain the mixture over the ice, pouring from height for a light froth.
Top slowly with sparkling water or ginger beer poured down the side of the glass. Add a pinch of flaky salt, stir once gently, taste and adjust. Garnish and serve immediately.
