sparkling orange blossom and yogurt drink
a tangy, sparkly summer refreshment inspired by calpico and chabeso
the first time i tasted chabeso, i felt like i had sipped from the fountain of youth. i became jittery, happy, spritely and fresh. the flavor and the texture of this drink was so interesting, so delicious; refreshingly familiar but also completely new. from that moment on, about three things i was absolutely positive: first, chabeso was my new obsession. second, i would tell as many people about it as i could. third, i was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him—i mean—it.
if you’ve never tasted it, the closest thing i could compare it to is sprite, but that does it a horrible injustice. it’s much rounder and deeper in both flavor and texture (reminiscent of a clarified or milk-washed cocktail), with more floral hints of citrus and less in your face carbonation.
the sad part of the story is that after that first bottle, i had trouble finding it again. i wandered through späti after späti looking for it, only to come out with a sweaty forehead and two empty hands. the place i had purchased that first bottle inexplicably shuttered, the company’s website had been “under construction” since 2021, and when i would ask around about it i would be met with blank stares. there is a silver lining though, as this forced prohibition only served to deepen my curiosity about chabeso—and lactic acid drinks in general—and led me on a journey to try and recreate the flavor at home for this very recipe.
chabeso has been around since 1911 and is made with lactic acid, orange oil, natural fruit extracts, mineral water and sugar. it was allegedly made by a german food chemist who read a scientific paper that made a connection between the high life expectancy of bulgarians and romanians and their regular consumption of probiotic sour milk. interesting. lactic acid bacteria (so named for the lactic acid they produce) are used to ferment all kinds of things, from yogurt and kefir to lactofermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi. it’s also the main player in sourdough, so.. yeah, the more you know.
as i was exploring around the specific topic of lactic acid in drinks, which is the key to explaining how deliciously captivating chabeso is, i came across another drink i’m familiar with: calpis, also known as calpico, made with water, dry milk and lactic acid. it’s a japanese drink first made in 1919 that has the same sort of yogurt-y tang as chabeso, with an opaque color in a still or sparkling style.
long story short, i’m a big fan of any of any and all of these tangy, yogurt and lactic acid based drinks, from salty, foamy ayran to a cold bottle of chabeso. lucky for me, a few weeks ago i was finally able to find my precious chabeso at a späti within walking distance from my apartment, so life is good again.
the recipe below is for a sparkly soft drink that’s inspired by the flavors and textures of the drinks above, namely chabeso and calpico. it’s not a direct replica of either, and it’s perhaps closest in flavor to calpico but certainly has elements of both. enjoy, and if you’re in berlin, keep an eye out for chabeso the next time you’re at your local späti. send me a message or comment below if you’d rather go straight to the one place i know for certain has it, i’ll send you details.
sparkling orange blossom and yogurt drink
serves 2 - 4
for the base; can be made up to one week in advance
35 grams granulated sugar
70 grams full fat, plain yogurt
35 grams lemon juice (about 1/2 a big, juicy lemon; substitute: grapefruit juice)
1 tsp orange blossom water
to serve; double these amounts for a larger glass
ice cubes
20 ml yogurt base (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
80 ml cold sparkling water (substitute: still water)
to make the base, combine sugar, yogurt, lemon juice and orange blossom water in a jar or small container and mix well to dissolve the sugar. seal and store in the fridge.
to serve, add ice to a glass. add the yogurt base and top with cold sparkling water, mixing well to combine. enjoy immediately.
I haver never even heard of Chabeso (but grew up in Germany) but am super intrigued by it. Have to remember to seek it out when I’m next in Berlin! And in the meantime I might have to give this concotion a go - it sounds really delicious!