Sipping Pretty: 4 Simple Iced Tea Cocktail Recipes
Iced tea cocktails are perfect for hot summer days. Whether you're hosting a pool party, having a backyard bbq, or looking for a way to unwind on your front porch after a long hot day, a delicious iced tea cocktail recipe could be just what you need.
This blog explores what iced tea cocktails are and why it's an excellent idea to try out a recipe or two at home. It also gives you three delicious iced recipes. With these recipes, you'll find the perfect balance between the health benefits of freshly brewed tea - but in the form of a boozy drink with a delicious flavor. A win-win situation for summer fun!
What is a Tea Cocktail?
Are you thinking of a Long Island Iced Tea? Although it sounds like the Long Island Iced Tea is a tea cocktail, it's actually not. There's no tea in it! It's a regular cocktail.
Regular cocktails are alcoholic mixed drinks. They contain liquor like vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, or tequila with other ingredients like fruit juices, soda, sparkling water, tonic water, bitters, lemon slices, and simple syrup. They're served in a cocktail glass, mason jar, or even in a pineapple or coconut shell, and the combination of sugar and liquor can be potent!
Tea cocktails are like regular cocktails but with brewed tea as the base instead. You can add other ingredients to tea cocktails as long as your drink's base is any tea. You can have fun with the recipe and change it up to suit your flavor profile. Do you think green tea is great, or is black tea the best? Go ahead and try it out in a cocktail. Or, if you prefer herbal or earl grey, why not? Most teas make an excellent base for cocktails.
Tea Cocktails Are Great!
A refreshing glass of iced tea is a crowd favorite on a hot summer day. It's a wonderful thirst quencher, and it's easy to pre-make a whole pitcher before a get-together. With summer around the corner, this classic beverage will make its usual star performance.
But what if you want to take your iced tea to the next level? Make a cocktail out of it! Here are some reasons why it's a wonderful idea:
They're adaptable
You can easily add a little kick to your go-to iced tea recipe with your favorite vodka or add rum for a Caribbean twist. And if you really want to impress your tastebuds (or your visitors!), we have a few fantastic iced tea cocktail recipes just for you. Your taste buds will thank us for this refreshing treat!
They're (a little) healthier than regular cocktails
Iced tea cocktails are an excellent way to make a potent cocktail that's fun to drink but also a little healthier and delicious. All the wonderful antioxidants in black tea make it a healthier option as a cocktail base, not to mention the polyphenols that help combat cancer and the caffeine that can help with a little boost of energy. Green tea has even more health properties!
It's easy-peasy to make iced tea cocktails!
Besides the fresh taste and health benefits, iced tea cocktails are incredibly easy to make, especially if you have a fun recipe! So, grab your tea-making equipment, favorite tea blend, a lemon or two, a cocktail shaker, and your choice of liquor and other ingredients. Let's shake up some fun with these tasty iced tea cocktail recipes.
1. Hibiscus Martini
This martini is every bit as stylish as the martinis in the movies. The difference is that it's not just a potent cocktail. It's sweet, floral, zesty, and oh-so-pretty! We think James would get a kick out of charming the Bond girls with this winning cocktail.
Ingredients:
2 oz vodka or gin
2 oz Firebelly Tea Hibiscus Rooibos Tea
1 tbsp fresh lime zest
1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
Ice cubes
Lime wheel and hibiscus flower for garnish
Instructions:
Brew your tea and lime zest together by steeping it for 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you brew it, the zestier it will be! Leave it to cool.
Combine the vodka, lime, hibiscus tea, and sweetener in a shaker.
Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously.
Strain the cocktail into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a lime wheel and hibiscus flower.
Enjoy your drink!
2. Caribbean Dream Iced Tea Cocktail
Move over Long Island Iced Tea! This cocktail is dreamy and delicious - like an island vacation in a fancy glass! This refreshing drink is ideal for any occasion, and it is super easy to make.
Ingredients:
2 oz white rum
1 tbsp triple sec
4 oz Firebelly Tea Caribbean Dream tea
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange juice
1 tsp honey or agave syrup
Ice cubes to serve
Pineapple slices, lemon slices, mint leaves, and coconut cream for garnish
Instructions:
Make a strong brew of your tea and leave it to cool.
Combine the rum, triple sec, fruit juices, iced tea, and sweetener in a cocktail shaker.
Add two ice cubes and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
Strain the cocktail into a tall glass.
Garnish the drink with pineapple wedges, fresh mint leaves, and a swirl of coconut cream.
Serve and enjoy your Caribbean Dream Iced Tea Cocktail!
Note: You can adjust the sweetness of this iced tea cocktail by adding more or less sweetener according to your taste. For a decadent and dreamy alcoholic dessert, serve your Caribbean Dream iced tea cocktail over a scoop of coconut or vanilla ice cream.
3. Sweet Hibiscus Margarita
This refreshing and delicious spin on a classic margarita is the perfect drink to enjoy on hot days outside on a porch swing or lounging around the pool. Its delightful combination of tart and floral flavors is ideal for summer. With one sip of this delicious iced tea cocktail, you'll be whisked away to a dreamy beach with blue skies and a perfect breeze.
Ingredients:
4 oz silver tequila
4 oz Firebelly Tea Hibiscus Rooibos Tea
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp honey or agave syrup
Salt
Ice cubes
Lemon or lime wedges and hibiscus flowers for garnish
Instructions:
Make a strong brew of your tea and leave it to cool.
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of your cocktail glass and dip it into a small plate of salt.
Fill the glass with ice.
Combine the tequila, tea, fresh lime juice, and honey or agave syrup in a shaker.
Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
Strain the cocktail into the salt-rimmed glass.
Garnish with fresh citrus fruit wedges and hibiscus flowers.
Your drink is ready. Enjoy!
Note: You can adjust the cocktail's sweetness by adding more or less sweetener to taste. If you prefer a frozen margarita, you can blend the ingredients with ice instead of shaking them.
4. Ginger-Peach Tea Sparkler
If you feel like spicing things up this summer, this sparkling thirst quencher will be at the top of your list! It's refreshing, spicy, and sparkly.
Ingredients:
4 oz Irish whiskey
2 oz Firebelly Tea Caribbean Dream
4-6 slices of fresh ginger
2 oz seltzer water
1 tbsp peach syrup
1 tsp honey or agave syrup
Crushed ice
2 peach slices
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions:
Brew your tea and ginger slices together by steeping them for 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you brew it, the spicier it will be! Leave it to cool.
Strain the tea into a pitcher and add the Irish whiskey, syrup, and sweetener. Stir the mixture vigorously until everything is well-mixed.
Place crushed ice and peach slices in cocktail glasses, add the tea mixture, and top with seltzer water. Give it a quick stir.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves, and enjoy!
Enjoy your spicy drink!
Top Tips for the BEST Iced Tea Cocktails
Here are some top tips and tricks you can use to adapt your iced tea recipe. It will help you to change it up until you find the perfect flavor combination to suit your unique taste.
Brew a batch of tea and freeze it in ice cube trays for your cocktails. It will keep your refreshing tea cocktails super cold and tasting fresh.
Some people enjoy sweetened tea and add sugar, simple syrup, or sweetened condensed milk to it. Feel free to use any sweetener you prefer in your tea cocktail.
If you don't like your iced tea sweet, omit the sweetener.
If you want a non-alcoholic version of these cocktails, simply leave the liquor out of the drink.
If you prefer gin instead of vodka or tequila, go ahead and substitute it.
Whether you like earl grey, green, black, or herbal tea, use loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags for the best iced tea.
You don't have to stick to the recipe. Switch up your tea with any type of tea you like. Whether you enjoy a burst of mint, fresh fruit flavors, or spicy tea blends, the Firebelly Tea collection has a wonderful variety of teas you can turn into iced tea cocktails in a flash.
Convert a classic Arnold Palmer (here's a recipe for it) to a spiked Arnold Palmer by adding an ounce of bourbon.
You can use lemon slices or lime in your iced tea recipes, whatever you prefer.
If you're on a health kick, omit the sugar and the alcohol! Here are some amazing mocktail recipes you can try!
A Dash of Fresh Lemon Juice? Or Super Sweet Tea For You?
Whether you like your cocktails tart and tangy or sweet with a smooth finish, an iced tea cocktail (or three!) is the perfect drink for a hot summer day. You can have it as sweet as you like and add mint or lemon juice to the recipe. Or you can keep it simple and stick to one of the delicious recipe options above - they're all delicious!
