San Diego Sips: Spice up cocktail hour with kimchi and corn liqueur

This week’s drink recipes pay homage to Korean cuisine

Have you ever added kimchi to a cocktail?

Recently I was inspired by the bold flavors of Bloody Marys and the comforting richness of Korean corn cheese to incorporate the juices and fermented radish from Twins Premium Kimchi into a new set of cocktail recipes.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean food staple of salted, fermented vegetables — typically napa cabbage, green onions, carrots and radishes — seasoned with chili pepper, seafood, garlic, ginger and other spices.

With its tangy, spicy, and umami-rich brine, kimchi adds flavor to rice, noodles, savory pancakes and other dishes.

While considering possible ways to use excess juice from a finished jar of kimchi, I initially thought of a new version of a dirty martini. 

In my first attempt shaking vodka and kimchi juice together, I felt the mixture was missing some body and flavor, but then I eyed the corn liqueur on my shelf and it was just what the drink needed. 

In the Squid Gametini, I mix the Locals Only Vodka from Pacific Coast Spirits in Oceanside with kimchi juice for a cocktail reminiscent of a bloody mary. Adding Nixta Licor de Elote from Mexico pays homage to Korean corn cheese while giving the cocktail body and a balance of flavors. 

For this week’s non-alcoholic cocktail, savor the refreshing Seoul Eater Mule, a mixture of kimchi and lime juices with cane syrup topped with Fever Tree Ginger Beer. Each sip provides an unforgettable experience, blending the traditional Korean ingredient with a classic cocktail flair.

This is an excerpt from my newest food writing project, San Diego Tides & Tacos. Visit this article on Substack to learn how to make the Seoul Eater Mule and Squid Gametini.