Craft Cocktails & Kombucha at the Wellspring Elixir Mixer

Alcoholic drinks and digestive health are often seen as opposites, which is a shame because most of us want to feel good without entirely cutting out the booze. Fortunately, there is such thing as a probiotic drink so versatile that it could work as an alcohol substitute, mixer or hangover cure, and it’s starting to blow up in the mixology scene.

You might have heard the term kombucha at a bar or coffee shop but been too indifferent, confused or attached to your regular order to try it. Or you might not have heard of it at all. You might be reading this and thinking, “What the hell is kombucha?”

Simply put, kombucha is a variety of fermented, lightly effervescent tea drinks. Its natural fermentation process involves a living colony of bacteria and yeast, making it a probiotic beverage that enthusiasts say improves digestion, mental clarity and mood.  

In a city popular for its many breweries, this so-called health elixir doesn’t get left behind. Wellspring Kombucha has been supplying Gainesville with the drink since 2011.

Next week, Wellspring Kombucha and Springful will host the inaugural Wellspring Elixir Mixer, a cocktail mix-off in downtown Gainesville that promises creative drinks, music and community. The event will contribute funds to the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute.

“Why not get drunk and be healthy at the same time?” said Gainesville bartender Akil Babb, who will emcee the event Tuesday. “I want to show the range of what kombucha can do. The sky’s the limit.”

Kombucha and craft cocktails are “near and dear to my heart because that was the first state competition I went to,” Babb said, referring to the time he qualified to take Wellspring Kombucha to a mixology competition in Orlando after facing other Gainesville bartenders. “I’m very proud of that.”

Held at Dutton’s Vault and The Bank Bar & Lounge, the Wellspring Elixir Mixer will feature 10 bartenders from several Gainesville bars who will compete to create the best kombucha-based cocktail. Their challenge is to find the best combination of liquor and mixers to go with Wellspring’s six flavors: grape, pineapple, mango, ginger, and hibiscus.

In each of five rounds, a pair of bartenders will receive random flavor. They will then create a cocktail using a maximum of six ingredients, including spirits (vodka, tequila, rum, gin and whiskey), mixers (agave syrup, simple syrup and lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange juices) and bitters (Angostura, Peychaud’s, Orange, Hellfire and Barrel-Aged).

Bartenders will make four identical drinks. Two will be for the couple of judges who will supervise each round, and another will be divided into samples for the audience to taste. The fourth drink will be for a secret judge in another room who will vote based on the taste of the drink only, blind to the bartenders’ performances and the audience’s reaction.

The judges will deliberate to pick each round’s winner until the top two bartenders are selected. Additionally, the audience will vote to pick a third winner – the people’s choice bartender. The winning drink will be featured at Dutton’s Vault for a month. The first-place prize also includes a Wellspring Kombucha keg for the winner’s bar.

“I’d love to see the public come out and have a good time but also learn a little bit about our springs,” said Heather Obara, associate director at the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute, who will be at the event to accept the donation and speak about springs conservation.

“A lot of people might visit them and not know what the issues are,” she said. “I hope they leave with a different perspective about our environment.”

The participating bartenders will be Jacob Holland (The Dime), Erica Barrero (Madrina’s), Kira Helman (The Social), Ryan Schaufert (Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grill), Ryan Rummel (Original American Kitchen), Zax Roberts (Fluid Lounge), Matt Alexander (Saboré), Geno Schmecle (Mother’s Pub & Grill), Rob Bailey (Dutton’s Vault) and Jon Mateer (The Social).

Although Babb bartends at Dutton’s Vault on Fridays, he will not be competing. He will, however, be making the two cocktails attendees will choose from for their complimentary drink.

People interested in attending the event may RSVP through Eventbrite for $5 or just show up and pay $6 at the door. The competition will start at 7 p.m.

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