goodbye sangria, hello summer punch
We’ve been having a good old think about what makes the great British summertime so special to us here in the UK. Is it the few days of sunshine that we get between June and August? (Although, somehow, it’s been more like a few weeks so far this year.) Or is it getting outside and spending time with our friends and family? We think it’s a combination of the two, washed down with your beverages of choice.
Here’s where we have a bit of an identity crisis, because when it comes to that summer tipple, every other country seems to have a signature drink to turn to: Spain has sangria, France has Pernod, Italy has the Aperol Spritz, and we have… well, we have Pimms, but that’s not to everyone’s taste.
We’re in need of a new summer beverage. One that can make its way into picnic baskets up and down the country. One that we can associate with Saturday afternoons spent in the park. One that quenches our thirst and makes us feel a bit tipsy in the process. We’re a nation of tea drinkers, so why don’t we combine our two favourite things and make alcoholic tea the new summer drink?
is tea compatible with alcohol?
In short - yes.
Tea and alcohol might seem like an unlikely combo, but when it’s done right, it can be a healthier alternative to those sugary cocktails. Plus, the Irish have been putting whiskey in their coffees for more than half a century, so it’s about time that tea is given the same chance. With such a wide selection of teas to go with the many spirits that are on offer, alcohol-infused tea has the potential to become the summer beverage of choice.
tea-and-spirit pairings
So we already know that coffee goes well with whiskey, but which spirits work with which teas? There are countless combinations, but we’ve put our taste buds to the test to see which ones work the best…
- chai tea and irish cream liqueur: if you’re the type of person who needs to get their chai tea latte fix through the week, try swapping out the milk for irish cream and pouring it over ice.
- earl grey and vodka: the subtle fruitiness and powerful black-tea taste of the earl grey makes vodka the perfect spirit to accompany this tea.
- super fruit and gin: whether you’re putting juniper berries in your gin and tonic or mixing it with a splash of orange juice, gin tastes best with a fruity mixer that brings out its natural flavours.
- chamomile and gin: again, the naturally fragrant chamomile brings the infused flavours out of the gin, making the two an ideal pairing.
a healthy(ish) alternative
You only have to take a quick look at our tea cocktail recipes to know that teas can be tasty replacements to the usual sugar-filled syrups and mixers that go into your favourite summer drinks. When you mix up a tea cocktail, not only do you get to enjoy a refreshing alternative to your go-to beverage, but you can enjoy the health benefits that come with drinking tea.
- packed full of antioxidants: tea supplies your body with plenty of antioxidants which play a big role in protecting your cells from damage.
- good for your skin: teas like matcha contain polyphenols which inhibit UV-radiation-induced skin damage.
- good for your stomach: rooibos tea is rich in antispasmodic agents which aid digestion and alleviate abdominal pain.
sustainable cocktails
Bet that’s a phrase you’ve never heard before? Cocktails are usually made out of a few different elements. Some ingredients are natural and some are processed to make them more accessible to the bars that will be making them, but if you’re a DIY mixologist with concerns about the environment, the tea cocktail is the perfect way to keep it all natural.
Not only is our packaging officially plastic-free, but our teas pack in enough flavour to make up for the processed ingredients that make up some of the most popular summer cocktails. So swap out that sangria for summer punch, that mojito for matcha, and that caipirinha for chai, because alcoholic tea is a refreshing alternative.
want to know more tea recipes?
