Alcohol-free and homemade in the Kaiserküche

OLDENBURG The days when "no alcohol" in restaurants meant that guests had to make do with water or juice spritzers are over. Non-alcoholic drinks are in demand and more exciting than ever. The Oldenburg Kaiserküche serves an innovative beverage accompaniment to every menu that is not only alcohol-free, but also home-made. Maria Neumann knows what is important when it comes to alcohol-free drinks.

"Many guests like to drink less alcohol these days and we want to inspire them with alcohol-free drinks," says restaurant manager Maria Neumann from the Kaiserküche. In Clarissa and Malte Ibbeken's Oldenburg restaurant, the 28-year-old therefore not only looks after the classic wine selection. The trained chef also prepares suitable, non-alcoholic drinks for each course and benefits from her many years of experience in the kitchen.

Homemade instead of bought in

Instead of using pre-bottled alternatives to spirits, Neumann favours home-made products and uses what the kitchen and pantry have to offer: "I use various methods to process seasonal vegetables, fruit and herbs, nuts and dairy products. I like to use the same ingredients as in the menu or simply whatever is left over." Like everything in the Kaiserküche, the regional ingredients are utilised holistically. "I refine our cucumber and dill lemonade with the whey from the homemade cream cheese. Pomace from juicing carrots or apples is ground into a powder that tastes nice and intense on the rim of the glass." Accordingly, little is bought in. "We serve almost 100 per cent of our own drinks," reveals Neumann, adding: "Not just because it's more sustainable. I can simply control the flavour better." A few exceptions are non-alcoholic sparkling wines and Priseccos or sometimes a gin alternative for an aperitif. "My first thought is always: how can I make it myself?"

Variety in a glass

The result is a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks that are precisely tailored to the flavours and textures of Malte Ibbeken's North German cuisine. "I mix mocktails from fresh juices, teas, extracts and essences or we use them as a base for homemade vermouths, espumas and granités," explains Neumann. Ferments are also added to the glass. "I particularly like using kombucha because I really like the full-bodied, complex flavour. The "scoby" required for fermentation, a type of mushroom culture, is a little more sensitive and the drink can take ten days to ferment, but the variety is great," says Neumann. On the shelves of the Oldenburg restaurant, jars lined up with labels such as "camomile kombucha", "elderberry kombucha" or "meadowsweet kombucha with caramel and thyme" bear witness to this. She likes to serve kefir with starters and desserts. "The lively acidity is refreshingly light and, unlike kombucha, kefir is usually ready to drink after just two days. This spring, we had a "wild herb kefir with apple rim" and "rhubarb kefir with strawberry crisps."

The essence of quality: craftsmanship and hygiene

It's not just ideas and skill that are needed in production. "Experimentation is part of it, but above all you have to work meticulously clean and very disciplined, because otherwise a batch will spoil quickly or the scoby mushroom, for example, will die," says the drinks expert. Experience is also needed for the shelf life and correct storage of home-produced drinks: "Some drinks need a constant temperature during fermentation, others spoil on contact with stainless steel." The equipment is also crucial: "In addition to a wide range of suitable glasses and special bottles, kitchen appliances such as juicers, freezers and a dehydrator are also essential for us."

Indulgence instead of sacrifice

Host Clarissa Ibbeken confirms: "The manual effort required for a good, noiseless accompaniment is comparatively high, but it is absolutely worth it. The drinks not only taste more refined, they also complement our dishes and are far more than just an alternative for non-drinkers." The offer naturally appeals to many people who have to drive or who want to avoid alcohol for personal reasons. "But our guests also go for the alcohol-rich accompaniment out of sheer curiosity, because they appreciate the new flavour without the intoxication and remorse," says Ibbeken.