Have a Glass of Vinegar

This Thai drink is sneaking into a stateside menu.

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Som is a drinking vinegar from Thailand. That’s right. A virgin vinegar cocktail. And Pok Pok, a Portland, Ore., restaurant, is building a following for this apple-cider-vinegar libation that sells for $13 a glass. Early adopters are comparing som to the wellness elixir kombucha, as it offers a similar energy boost and good hydration. The Pok Pok team has mixed sweet and tart drinking vinegars with soda water into a full line of staple and seasonal flavors, including Tamarind, Pomegranate, Honey, Apple, Asian Plum and Taiwan Lemon, to name a few. Select flavors are even for sale by the bottle to take home.

As any proper beverage must have an edible pairing, Pok Pok serves pub fare typical to Southeast Asia with the drinking vinegars, with the bulk of the influence coming from Thailand.

The Vinegar List

Not quite ready to take the plunge with this new trend? Try these sofi Award–winning flavored vinegars to whet your palate—they’re almost good enough to drink.

Purple Label Candidate

The Artisanal Kitchen Aceto Balsamico de Modena-Purple Label

This vinegar is a sweet full-bodied balsamic vinegar made with Lambrusco and Trebbiano grapes. On the Balsamic Vinegar leaf rating scale, the Purple Label earned 3 leaves (out of 4)—meaning it’s smooth, sweet and can be cooked or drizzled straight on meats or cheeses.

MSRP: $5.99/500 ml

Website: theartisanalkitchen.com

Chaparral Gardens Pacific Spice Vinegar

The Pacific Spice Vinegar combines chilies grown on Chaparral Gardens’ own farm in Central California, with locally sourced organic kiwis and citrus and ginger. This light, golden vinegar is great with ceviche, slaw and Asian noodles.

MSRP: $16/12.5 fluid ounce

Website: cgvinegar.com

Honey Ridge Farms’ Honey Balsamic Vinegar

The Honey Balsamic is sweeter in taste than Balsamic, but similarly tart. Honey Ridge ferments honey into a mead, or honey-based alcoholic beverage, and then convents it to a vinegar that is sulfite-free—a bonus for allergy sufferers.

MSRP: $10.99/8.45-ounce bottle

Website: honeyridgefarms.com

Les Produits Fins Fabrice Lafon’s Apple Ice Wine Vinegar

This vinegar’s unexpected smoothness will enhance the flavor of dishes while decreasing the taste of fat. It marvelously accompanies many entrees or cheeses and can even be enjoyed in small doses by itself to enliven the taste buds.

MSRP: $20/6.76 ounces

Website: fabricelafon.com

Lucero Olive Oil’s Peach Balsamic Vinegar

Lucero Olive Oil’s Peach Balsamic uses all-natural ingredients, with an aromatic bouquet of peach flavors. It’s delicious on ice cream or plain yogurt, as a glaze on pork or turkey or with any vegetable and fruits.

MSRP: $10/8.5 fluid ounces

Website: lucerooliveoil.com

The Rogers Collection’s Acetaia Cattani White Balsamic Organic

The producers use sweet must derived from select organically grown grapes. This richly perfumed must keeps its original beautiful golden color and does not change a dish’s natural look. Try on grilled vegetables, fish and white meats.

MSRP: $11.95/8.4 ounces

Website: therogerscollection.com

Rozendal Hibiscus Vinegar

Rozendal matures its Hibiscus Vinegar for 12 years creating a healthy tonic tasty enough to drink. It’s infused with delicate herbs to create a distinct flavor profile. The hibiscus flower contains high levels of vitamin C, enriching the immune system while reducing cholesterol and blood pressure.

MSRP: $24.95/12.68 ounce

Website: rozendalvinegar.co.za

Sparrow Lane Walnut Champagne Vinegar

Aged in Oak Cooperage for more than two years, the Walnut Champagne Vinegar has a light, crisp flavor with a nutty finish and the aroma of freshly shelled walnuts. This is a premium, 100-percent natural, handcrafted California product with 6 percent acidity.

MSRP: $8/6.75 fluid ounces

Website: sparrowlane.com

Viola Imports’ Acetaia San Giacomo Essenza

Made with cooked grape must, the Acetaia San Giacomo Essenza is aged in wooden barrels for eight years. This velvety smooth, moderately thick, tangy and sweet balsamic is a great accompaniment to grilled meats and hard cheeses, and will enliven meats and salads.

MSRP: $21.50/100 ml

Website: violaimports.com

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor
and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.