Tea Cocktails: 3 Ways Tea Can Add Interest to Your Alcohol

March 11, 2022

Tea is a wonderful way to elevate your cocktails: its botanicals make drinks more nuanced and complex, it’s easily accessible, and it lets you get creative with flavors without having to work too hard. Here are my three favorite methods for making tea cocktails.

Method 1: Tea Infusion

One easy way to incorporate a tea’s flavor into your cocktails is to infuse your spirit with tea. To do this, simply select a tea that goes well with the flavors in the cocktail you’d like to make and then allow the tea bags (or loose tea leaves) to infuse into the spirit for about 15-30 minutes. Taste the infusion as you go so you don’t overdo it: the flavor of the tea should be potent, but not too overpowering and bitter.

For this recipe, I’ve infused tequila blanco with a jasmine green tea to make a floral twist on a refreshing blueberry paloma.

Tea Cocktail #1: Blueberry Jasmine Green Tea Paloma

2 oz Jasmine Green Tea-Infused Tequila Blanco
.5 oz Blueberry Syrup (Instructions Below)
.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Grapefruit Soda to Fill
Garnish with Blueberries and Edible Flowers

Instructions:

First, infuse 8 oz of tequila blanco with 3 jasmine tea bags for 15-30 minutes (taste it after 15 minutes and adjust accordingly: the jasmine flavor should be potent but not overpowering). Second, add 2 oz of your infused tequila, your lime juice, and your blueberry syrup to a collins glass or large goblet. Then add plenty of ice and fill it with grapefruit soda. Lastly, stir to combine the ingredients, garnish with blueberries and edible flowers, and enjoy.

Blueberry Syrup

1 c Sugar
1 c Water
1 c Blueberries

Instructions:

First, bring a cup of water to a boil and stir in a cup of sugar until it dissolves. Next, add your cup of blueberries and simmer the mixture for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, turn off the heat, allow it to cool, then strain out the solids. Store in the fridge and use within 5-10 days.

@spiritedla
Tea(quila) time. #tea #recipe #learnontiktok #recipesoftiktok #teatok
♬ Meanwhile In Berkeley Square – Anne Dudley

Method 2: Tea Syrup

Another way to add tea flavor to your cocktail is through making a tea syrup. Making a syrup may sound intimidating, however, it’s quite easy and the technique opens up so many possibilities to be creative with your drinks. For tea syrup, all you need is a tea that suits your cocktail’s other flavors, a cup of sugar, a cup of water, and a stove top (although even a microwave can work in a pinch).

This earl grey old fashioned tea cocktail is an excellent example of using tea syrup to transform your drink. It feels elegant and unique but couldn’t be easier to make.

Here’s how to make it:

Tea Cocktail #2: Earl Grey Old Fashioned

2.5 oz Bourbon
.25-.75 oz Earl Grey Simple Syrup (Instructions Below)
Bergamot (or Orange) Bitters
Garnish with a Lemon Twist

Instructions:

First, add the bourbon, syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass. Next, fill the mixing glass with ice and stir 50 times before double straining it over a large rock. Finally, garnish with a lemon twist and serve.

Earl Grey Syrup

1 c Sugar
1 c Water
3 Earl Grey Tea Bags

Instructions:

Bring a cup of water to a boil and stir in a cup of sugar until it dissolves. Next, add your tea bags and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (the tea flavor should be potent but not overpowering). Lastly, turn off the heat, allow it to cool, then remove the tea bags. Store in the fridge and use within 7-12 days.

@spiritedla
Reply to @jakubjustinnn perfect for your next “tea” party. #teatok #ithastobefresh #tea #vintage
♬ Mountain Greenery – Kat Edmonson & Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks

Method 3: Tea as a Mixer

For this technique, rather than flavoring cocktail ingredients with tea you’ll use iced tea as an ingredient in your drink. This is a great technique for easy-drinking, non-spirit forward cocktails like a punch, collins, or highball.

This Bourbon Ginger Peach Arnold Palmer Punch is a large batch tea cocktail that feels perfect for day-drinking in summer.

Tea Cocktail #3: Bourbon Ginger Peach Arnold Palmer

12 oz Unsweetened Black Iced Tea
9 oz High Proof Bourbon
4.5 oz Peach Liqueur
3-5 oz Ginger Liqueur (to Taste)
5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Garnish: 2 Peaches Thinly Sliced

Instructions:

First, add iced tea, bourbon, peach liqueur, and ginger liqueur to a large pitcher or punchbowl. Second, squeeze your lemon juice (it has to be fresh) and fine-strain it into the pitcher or punchbowl as well. Third, the pitcher or punchbowl with approximately 8 cups of ice, then stir 50 times. Finally, add thinly sliced peaches as a garnish, and serve.