IN AN INFUSION, SYRUP, OR A STRAIGHT-UP BREW, TEA GOES WAY BEYOND FUNCTION AND BRINGS OUT DELICIOUS AND COMPLEX FLAVOURS. punches of the 17th century. Quaffed by sailors, explorers and patriots, teas ability to add both aromatics and tannin and hide less than perfect spirits, made it an essential addition. No surprise that tea remains a means of enlivening not only contemporary cocktails, but also modern interpretations of historic ones. In times of temperance and prohibition, it was the drink of choice for teetotallers, and teacups were used to conceal the tipples of rebels. English Milk Punch is one of the oldest tea-based cocktails, dating back to the mid-18th century and most recently regaining popularity. History also reveals that the classic “hot toddy,” with which sniffling Brits have fought the symptoms of head colds for centuries, traditionally featured black tea with whisky, cloves, honey, lemon and cinnamon. From those early days in ancient China to the ritual of teatime in the UK, its role in social gatherings has always been pivotal. Today, cocktail bars, mixologists and tea connoisseurs are delving into its uses and adding it to creative cocktails. People of the utmost sophistication are sipping their cocktails out of pretty teacups. Mie Mie Sein, tea aficionado and owner of Sawadee Tea, regularly mixes tea blends for cocktails. “Black, Green, Rooibos and Earl Grey are all good teas for cocktails,” said Sein. “The teas need to be prepared beforehand and allowed to cool or made into a simple syrup. My favourite cocktail is a blend of gin and Earl Grey tea — the subtle botanicals in gin pair nicely with good quality Earl Grey tea and fresh lemon. The Earl Grey brings out the different levels of flavour in the alcohol, making it a very delicate and aromatic cocktail.”
Dave Arnold, renowned New York mixologist and founder and president of the Museum of Food and Drink, in his book Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail, he ups the ante on cocktail classics using several tea-based recipes where he explains the science of tea’s acidity and why it’s often paired with milk in cocktails. Cognac distiller Hennessey teamed up with Theodor Tea Company and designer Mathieu Lehanneur for a concept that consisted of four seasonal recipes for cocktails.
TEA SIMPLE SYRUP Making a tea simple syrup is the easiest way to incorporate tea into your cocktails. Simply combine a cup of water, a cup of white sugar and two-to-three tablespoons of your favourite tea, or three teabags, in a saucepan. Any tea will work so try experimenting with Earl Grey, langsang souchong and masala chai. Bring to a simmer and dissolve the sugar, remove it from the heat and let the tea steep for five minutes before straining it into a resealable jar to keep in the refrigerator. The flavour-packed tea syrup can be used to replace simple syrup in any cocktail. Try black tea syrup in a Long Island Ice Tea or shake up some Earl Grey syrup in a gin marTEAni.
Their summer libation is a green tea laced with peach, melon, strawberry, simple syrup, lemon juice and egg white. DavidsTea has also launched a Cocktail Collection of teas. From an exotic Thai Martini with their tropical Exotica blend, to their Goji Pop Fizz with their light and fruity Goji Pop tea, along with three other cocktail tea blends. The possibilities for the types of tea best suited for cocktails are as far-reaching as any other ingredient and looking toward those that offer complementary flavours is one strategy for choosing. In an infusion, syrup, or a straightup brew, tea goes way beyond function and brings out delicious and complex flavours.
INFUSE YOUR BOOZE If you don’t want to mess with boiling water, you can always infuse your tea directly into your liquor. This will intensify the flavour and ensure that the spice and botanicals in your tea shine through in your cocktail. Use one-to-two tablespoons of loose leaf for every six ounces of spirit. Let that infuse at room temperature for one-to-two hours. Don’t let the tea sit too long, or it has a tendency to turn sour. Try infusing rye whiskey steeped with chamomile, which makes a deliciously herbal Old Fashioned. ReFINEdKINGSTON
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