American Vinegar Works Rice Wine Junmai-Tai
This is our take on a classic Mai Tai. By using our California Junmai Rice Wine Vinegar instead of lime we create a more nuanced acid layer which works particularly well when you shake this one with mint.
If you haven't encountered orgeat before, it is a sweet milky-looking syrup that is most often made with almonds. You'll be able to find it in just about any liquor store and it is commonly used when simple syrup is just too simple. It is relatively inexpensive and worth trying to purchase one that is made from quality ingredients, like cane sugar, instead of corn syrup.
We can't decide if we think our Junmai-Tai is a summer cocktail that brings us cool beach breezes or a deep-dark winter cocktail delivering liquid sunshine. So we drink it all year long.
This recipe features our California Junmai Rice Wine Vinegar.
Which vinegar to use, and why
Junmai rice vinegar is soft enough to work as a drinking acid, where a wine vinegar would be too aggressive. We use California Junmai Rice Wine Vinegar here. It is slow-fermented and aged in oak at our mill in Worcester, Massachusetts, which is why it seasons the dish rather than just souring it.
Make it ahead and keep it
Mix to order. For a batch, combine everything except the ice and anything fizzy, chill it, and finish each glass as you pour.
What to cook next
Try Vinegar Spritz, or browse all our vinegar recipes. If you have not cooked with craft vinegar before, a mini bottle sampler set lets you taste across the range before committing to a full-size bottle. Orders over $85 ship free within the contiguous US.
