According to Statista, tea is the second most widely consumed beverage worldwide, following only water. And according to the latest data, global tea production amounted to about 6.1 million metric tons.
Given the popularity of tea—as well as the wide variety of flavors and types—it makes for a great addition to a cocktail recipe. Plus, January is National Hot Tea Month!
If you're interested in adding a tea tipple to your cocktail menus, we've rounded up some tea cocktail recipes below to get you started!
Earthly Branch
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Grey Goose Strawberry
Lemongrass
½ oz Ramazotti
½ oz Soho lychee
½ oz Plum Wine
¼ oz Yuzu Sour
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz lemongrass ginger
Lychee blooming tea
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Top with lychee blooming tea.
A Bedtime Story
Ingredients:
1.5 oz chamomile tea-infused Broken Shed Vodka (recipe follows)
0.5 oz bergamot liqueur
0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
1 egg white
Garnish: 1 edible flower
Chamomile Tea Vodka:
15 chamomile tea bags
750 ml Broken Shed Vodka
Directions:
For the chamomile tea vodka, add the tea bags to a glass container. Cover with Broken Shed Vodka and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain back into your original bottle. For the cocktail, dry shake all the ingredients, then shake again with ice. Double strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an edible flower.
Apres Tea Punch
1 1/2 parts Breckenridge Bourbon
1 part Oloroso Sherry
3/4 parts The Perfect Purée Pear Puree, thawed
3/4 parts brown butter scotch cordial
1 part black tea
Directions:
In a pot, add all the ingredients, stir and serve in a tea cup. Garnish with lemon peel.
Seven Sages of Bamboo
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Haku Vodka
½ oz Giffard’s Passionfruit liqueur
½ oz Sichuan Peppercorn Honey
¾ oz lemon juice
1 oz Jasmine Pearl Tea
Directions:
Combine all ingredients.
Sugar Plum Sherry
Ingredients:
0.5oz Cutwater Hibiscus Vodka
0.5oz port wine
2oz sherry blend
1.5oz plum cinnamon tea
0.5oz simple syrup
0.5oz lemon juice
Directions:
Add ingredients to cocktail shaker with pebble ice. Shake and pour into a wine glass. Garnish with mint and cranberries dusted with powdered sugar.
The Palm Reader
Ingredients:
1 whole bottle of Breckenridge Bourbon
8 oz. Cynar
6 oz. The Perfect Purée Sweet Hibiscus, thawed
18 oz. fresh squeezed blood orange juice
10 oz. pineapple juice
6 oz. fresh brewed black mint tea
2 shaved celery stalks
8 sprigs of mint (muddle)
Directions:
Brew tea with muddled mint and shaved celery. In a large punch bowl, use a strainer and pour in the tea mixture. Add the remaining ingredients to the punch bowl, mix with ice and serve. Garnish with charcoal chili foam, dehydrated blood orange and shaved Gold Leaf Buddha’s Hand.
Afternoon Tea
Ingredients:
1.5 oz ginger green tea-infused Broken Shed Vodka (recipe follows)
2.5 oz coconut water ice cube
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
Garnish: 1 orange peel
Ginger Green Tea Vodka:
15 organic ginger green tea bags
750 ml Broken Shed Vodka
Directions:
For the ginger green tea vodka, add the tea bags to a glass container. Cover with Broken Shed Vodka and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain back into your original bottle. For the cocktail, add all ingredients into a shaker and shake until the coconut water ice cube is fully incorporated — shaker will get very cold. Double strain into a coupe and garnish with an orange peel.
Photo by Peter Marquez.
Earl Grey Toddy
Ingredients:
1 tsp. Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Lustau)
1 tsp. Honey Syrup (2:1)*
.25 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1.5 oz. Jack Daniel's Bonded
3 oz. Hot Earl Grey Tea**
Garnish: Dirty Sue Whiskey Cherry and Lemon Twist
Honey Syrup (2:1):
1000mls Honey
500mls Hot Water
Earl Grey Tea:
1000mls Hot Water
15g Earl Grey Tea
Directions:
For the honey syrup, combine ingredients, whisk to incorporate. Bottle, label, and store for use. For the Earl Grey tea, steep tea in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain tea. Keep hot for use. For the cocktail, preheat a coffee or tea cup with hot water. Discard hot water. Add all ingredients to the hot glass, adding the hot tea last. Stir gently with a spoon to incorporate. Garnish with a Dirty Sue Whiskey Cherry and a lemon twist.
Novo Fogo Paraná Punch
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Novo Fogo Chameleon Cachaça
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Erva-Mate Tea Syrup (recipe below)
1.5 oz Sparkling Wine
5 Fresh Mint Leaves, plus extra for garnish
Lemon Twist, garnish
Erva-Mate Tea Syrup:
1 cup hot water
1 cup sugar
6 bags mate tea bags (such as Guayaki)
Directions:
For the erva-mate tea syrup, combine ingredients to make a hot syrup for 15-20 minutes, then remove the tea bags and chill the syrup for up to two weeks. For the cocktail, add all ingredients except for sparkling wine in a shaker and shake with ice. Pour over ice and top with sparkling wine, stirring to combine. Garnish with fresh mint and lemon twist.
Dos Hombres Hibiscus Cooler
Ingredients:
1.5oz. Dos Hombres Mezcal
.50oz. Agave Syrup
.75oz. Fresh Lime Juice
10z. Hibiscus Tea
Top with soda water
Directions:
Add all ingredients minus soda water to a shaker tin with ice. Shake then strain into a rocks glass over ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with dried hibiscus flowers and lime wheel.
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