Tea is rich in antioxidant benefits, naturally sugar free (a teaspoon of tea brewed with water only contains 2 calories), contains the calming amino acid L-theanine and is quite impressive when it comes to its lustrous history, deep cultural roots and veritable characteristics.
Tea is the most widely drank beverage in the world beside water. Here in America, we may not have embraced a cultural ritual or a “tea time” yet, but one thing for sure is that we love our iced tea. The iced tea industry has grown and diversified tremendously over the last decade. Where we once would have only seen the classic, sweet-tea available in large grocery stores, we now experience a plethora of iced tea diversity in convenience stores, small bistros, and gourmet shops. Tea bottling companies are using more than just black tea to offer a new breath of flavor to what’s been typically referred to as iced tea. “Green, black, white, red – the vast array of tea varieties can be dizzying.” http://www.starchefs.com/features/tea/html/types.shtml
To my delight, tea companies and finer restaurants are beginning to introduce tea beverages also; Tea Cocktails, which are typically infused or blended with alcohol.
Tea stands up to more than the test of connoisseur taste buds and time, tea stands up to a multitude of preparation techniques and is joyfully blended, steeped or even mixed into a new age of cocktails. Steeped or infused from the whole leaf, tea offers us an alluring, full-bodied and nutrient rich beverage. I much prefer whole leaf to bagged tea, especially when it comes to the health benefits. I have many reasons for choosing whole leaf vs. bagged tea: Quality, Flavor, and Price is just a start. http://voices.yahoo.com/the-benefits-loose-leaf-tea-over-tea-bags-831143.html?cat=51 This topic is the subject of many articles, but for my purpose here I will introduce you to cocktails that not only taste wonderful but also contain the added health benefits of whole leaf tea. When mixed with a punch of vodka, rum, gin, or wine, tea can create a cocktail with healthful benefits. So move over glass of wine, get in line vodka & tonic, there’s a new cocktail in town!
Get started with these 5 Favorite Tea Cocktails: (The cocktail names’ are fictitious, any resemblance to another cocktail real or otherwise is purely coincidental)
1. Urban Chai – makes approx. 4 cocktails
· Add 3 tbsp traditional Masala Chai tea to 1 quart of boiling water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. For a sweeter drink, add 1 tbsp of honey to the hot water.
· Strain leaves from water and let cool. This is now a Chai concentrate.
· Pour 1 1/2oz of rum, whiskey or bourbon into a highball glass filled with ice.
· Add 1 oz of simple syrup* (vanilla simple syrup is preferable)
· Add 3-4 oz of the Chai concentrate. Pour this mix into a larger glass and back to the highball.
· Top off with a splash of soda water.
· Garnish with sprinkle of cinnamon or vanilla bean.
2. Lime-Hibiscus Martini – makes 1 cocktail
· Pour 2 oz of vodka into a mason jar.
· Add one whole leaf tea filter** containing 1 tbsp of hibiscus flower tea to the vodka (you can use only hibiscus flower if desired).
· Allow tea and vodka to infuse 20-30 minutes.
· Remove tea filter add a dash of limejuice, ice & stir.
· Strain into a 5oz martini glass.
· Garnish with lime.
3. Earl Grey G&T – makes approx. 2 cocktails
· Steep 1 tbsp strong Earl Grey whole leaf tea in 16oz boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Strain leaves, let cool.
· Add 1oz gin to an 8oz highball filled with ice.
· Add Earl Grey tea almost to top.
· Top off with a splash of tonic water.
· Squeeze lime slice into mixture. Mix gently.
· Garnish with lime.
4. Raspberry Sangria – makes approx 2 quarts
· Steep 2-3 tbsp whole leaf raspberry black tea in 32 oz boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Strain leaves. Let cool.
· Add wedges of orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime and raspberries to tea.
· Pour 1 bottle (750ml) red table wine to tea mixture.
· Serve from a punch bowl or large glass beverage dispenser into red wine glasses.
5. Spunky Ginger-Peach Melba – makes 1 cocktail
· Pour 2 oz vodka into a mason jar.
· Add one whole leaf tea filter** containing 1 tbsp of ginger peach tea to vodka.
· Allow tea and vodka to infuse 20-30 minutes.
· Remove tea filter and add a splash of peach nectar, several raspberries, 1 oz of vanilla simple syrup* and ice.
· Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
· Garnish with a peach slice.
I encourage you to experiment and try playing with different flavors, fruits, spices, and spirits; blending tea cocktails is all about creativity and fun, while being mindful to drink these extraordinary libations in moderation. Although it is my job to create tea blends, you will not need anything other than a love for tea and a desire to be creative to come up with your own favorite Tea Cocktail.
*Simple Syrup is an easy 1:2 ratio of boiling water and sugar.
**You can find Paper Tea Filters on many whole leaf tea websites. I recommend finding one long enough that you can tie a loose knot in the end to keep your tea from spilling out during infusion.
Kari Dandrea
Owner/Creator of Pureblend Tea
On facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pureblend
I was intrigued by the idea of Tea Cocktails when I named one of my tea blends “Sangria”. www.pureblendtea.com
It was my intention to use this tea as a mixer for a red wine based cocktail. I experimented one girls’ night with this tea blended with a bottle of red table wine and my girlfriends loved the result. I served the libation in a large glass container filled with slices of fruits; the result was not only delicious but also very attractive. For the past 3 years I have been blending teas specifically as mixers for Tea Cocktails as well as for a perfectly balanced, always fresh tasting iced tea. When partaking in the world of spirits, please remember to Drink In Moderation.
Tea is the most widely drank beverage in the world beside water. Here in America, we may not have embraced a cultural ritual or a “tea time” yet, but one thing for sure is that we love our iced tea. The iced tea industry has grown and diversified tremendously over the last decade. Where we once would have only seen the classic, sweet-tea available in large grocery stores, we now experience a plethora of iced tea diversity in convenience stores, small bistros, and gourmet shops. Tea bottling companies are using more than just black tea to offer a new breath of flavor to what’s been typically referred to as iced tea. “Green, black, white, red – the vast array of tea varieties can be dizzying.” http://www.starchefs.com/features/tea/html/types.shtml
To my delight, tea companies and finer restaurants are beginning to introduce tea beverages also; Tea Cocktails, which are typically infused or blended with alcohol.
Tea stands up to more than the test of connoisseur taste buds and time, tea stands up to a multitude of preparation techniques and is joyfully blended, steeped or even mixed into a new age of cocktails. Steeped or infused from the whole leaf, tea offers us an alluring, full-bodied and nutrient rich beverage. I much prefer whole leaf to bagged tea, especially when it comes to the health benefits. I have many reasons for choosing whole leaf vs. bagged tea: Quality, Flavor, and Price is just a start. http://voices.yahoo.com/the-benefits-loose-leaf-tea-over-tea-bags-831143.html?cat=51 This topic is the subject of many articles, but for my purpose here I will introduce you to cocktails that not only taste wonderful but also contain the added health benefits of whole leaf tea. When mixed with a punch of vodka, rum, gin, or wine, tea can create a cocktail with healthful benefits. So move over glass of wine, get in line vodka & tonic, there’s a new cocktail in town!
Get started with these 5 Favorite Tea Cocktails: (The cocktail names’ are fictitious, any resemblance to another cocktail real or otherwise is purely coincidental)
1. Urban Chai – makes approx. 4 cocktails
· Add 3 tbsp traditional Masala Chai tea to 1 quart of boiling water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. For a sweeter drink, add 1 tbsp of honey to the hot water.
· Strain leaves from water and let cool. This is now a Chai concentrate.
· Pour 1 1/2oz of rum, whiskey or bourbon into a highball glass filled with ice.
· Add 1 oz of simple syrup* (vanilla simple syrup is preferable)
· Add 3-4 oz of the Chai concentrate. Pour this mix into a larger glass and back to the highball.
· Top off with a splash of soda water.
· Garnish with sprinkle of cinnamon or vanilla bean.
2. Lime-Hibiscus Martini – makes 1 cocktail
· Pour 2 oz of vodka into a mason jar.
· Add one whole leaf tea filter** containing 1 tbsp of hibiscus flower tea to the vodka (you can use only hibiscus flower if desired).
· Allow tea and vodka to infuse 20-30 minutes.
· Remove tea filter add a dash of limejuice, ice & stir.
· Strain into a 5oz martini glass.
· Garnish with lime.
3. Earl Grey G&T – makes approx. 2 cocktails
· Steep 1 tbsp strong Earl Grey whole leaf tea in 16oz boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Strain leaves, let cool.
· Add 1oz gin to an 8oz highball filled with ice.
· Add Earl Grey tea almost to top.
· Top off with a splash of tonic water.
· Squeeze lime slice into mixture. Mix gently.
· Garnish with lime.
4. Raspberry Sangria – makes approx 2 quarts
· Steep 2-3 tbsp whole leaf raspberry black tea in 32 oz boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Strain leaves. Let cool.
· Add wedges of orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime and raspberries to tea.
· Pour 1 bottle (750ml) red table wine to tea mixture.
· Serve from a punch bowl or large glass beverage dispenser into red wine glasses.
5. Spunky Ginger-Peach Melba – makes 1 cocktail
· Pour 2 oz vodka into a mason jar.
· Add one whole leaf tea filter** containing 1 tbsp of ginger peach tea to vodka.
· Allow tea and vodka to infuse 20-30 minutes.
· Remove tea filter and add a splash of peach nectar, several raspberries, 1 oz of vanilla simple syrup* and ice.
· Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
· Garnish with a peach slice.
I encourage you to experiment and try playing with different flavors, fruits, spices, and spirits; blending tea cocktails is all about creativity and fun, while being mindful to drink these extraordinary libations in moderation. Although it is my job to create tea blends, you will not need anything other than a love for tea and a desire to be creative to come up with your own favorite Tea Cocktail.
*Simple Syrup is an easy 1:2 ratio of boiling water and sugar.
**You can find Paper Tea Filters on many whole leaf tea websites. I recommend finding one long enough that you can tie a loose knot in the end to keep your tea from spilling out during infusion.
Kari Dandrea
Owner/Creator of Pureblend Tea
On facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pureblend
I was intrigued by the idea of Tea Cocktails when I named one of my tea blends “Sangria”. www.pureblendtea.com
It was my intention to use this tea as a mixer for a red wine based cocktail. I experimented one girls’ night with this tea blended with a bottle of red table wine and my girlfriends loved the result. I served the libation in a large glass container filled with slices of fruits; the result was not only delicious but also very attractive. For the past 3 years I have been blending teas specifically as mixers for Tea Cocktails as well as for a perfectly balanced, always fresh tasting iced tea. When partaking in the world of spirits, please remember to Drink In Moderation.
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