Growing up, I once found a local dumpsite near my home. There, every summer, mountains of watermelon rinds would appear and fill the sweltering air with their sweet, humid scent of decomposition. Among the peaks and valleys of decay, bouquets of butterflies would thrive, losing themselves in the liquid ecstasy of watermelon juice. I, in turn, was lost in that chaotic paradise, filled with endless opportunities to chase butterflies. That striking image of delicate, swarming beauty in a landscape of decay is one of my favourite childhood scenes.
Recently, that mesmerizing sensory juxtaposition came back to me as I was experimenting with Douzhi (豆汁, fermented mung bean juice), one of China’s most polarizing drinks. It has earned a notorious reputation for the off-putting, funky, and sulphurous smell that results from wild fermentation. However, a deeply complex, savoury bean profile lies just underneath that olfactory intensity. I challenged myself to create a cocktail that elevates this love-it-or-hate-it ingredient to centre stage. By utilizing controlled lacto-fermentation under vacuum, I was able to produce a refined variation of Douzhi—retaining its signature vibrant acidity and clean legume flavour profile while eliminating the volatile aromas that typically deter the uninitiated.
I built the cocktail on an Old Fashioned framework. I chose a blended base of reposado tequila and mezcal to evoke the atmospheric weight of that summer dumpsite. I then paired the Douzhi with Giffard Green Melon and Sour Apple liqueurs. The fruit esters transform the lingering aroma of the fermented beans into an intensely layered complexity, bringing forward top notes of fresh melon alongside that rich, overripe sweetness—much like butterflies drawing life from the discarded rinds.
I call this drink Summertime (夏日).