Iced Tea Mocktails Keep You Cool This Summer
Looking for unique ways to keep cool? Try these tea-based mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails) for a twist on beating the Summer heat.
White Heat
This incredibly light mocktail brings a bit of heat with it. Made with white tea, this drink is amazingly balanced with the grapefruit and habanero highlighting and contrasting extremely well with the naturally occurring flavors in the tea itself.
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz White Tea concentrate (see instructions)
1 oz Habanero simple syrup (see instructions)
2 oz Grapefruit juice
1/2 tsp Fresh lemon juice
1 Cinnamon stick (garnish)
Grapefruit wedge (garnish)
Directions
Salt half the rim of a rocks glass, fill with crushed ice and garnish with grapefruit wedge. Set aside. Add white tea concentrate, habanero simple syrup, grapefruit juice, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for approximately 20 seconds. Double strain into prepared glass. Light one end of cinnamon stick and place on drink (fire will extinguish). Serve while the cinnamon stick is still smoking.
White Tea Concentrate
Bring 8 oz of water to a boil (around 190 degrees F). Add 3 tbsp. of loose White Tea and steep for three minutes. Strain out leaves and let cool.
Habanero Rich Simple Syrup
Prepare in a well-ventilated area. In a saucepan, add 2 cups of water, 3 habanero chilies, and the peel of 1 grapefruit. Bring this to a simmer then add 4 cups of sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves then remove from heat. Cover and let sit for an hour before straining into a clean container. Refrigerate for up to one month.
Earl Grey - Iced
Incredibly flavorful, this mocktail has floral notes from the Earl Grey which match the botanicals in the Seedlip Spice. Look for the non-alcoholic Seedlip Spice distillate online.
Ingredients
1 3/4 oz Seedlip Spice
3/4 oz Earl Grey tea syrup (see instructions)
1/4 oz Fresh lemon juice
3 oz Club soda
Orange peel (garnish)
Directions
Add all ingredients to a double rocks glass. Fill glass with ice and stir to mix. Garnish with orange peel.
Earl Grey Tea Syrup
In a heatproof container, combine one tablespoon Earl Grey tea leaves with 3 ounces of water just off the boil. Let tea leaves steep for 3 to 5 minutes and strain out the leaves. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the tea and stir to dissolve. Refrigerate for up to one month.
Tea Time (by Seedlip)
This mocktail, designed by the company Seedlip, is bright and refreshing with a bit of tart sweetness.
Ingredients
2 oz Seedlip Garden 108
4 oz Iced Green Tea
2 tsp Rhubarb Syrup (see instructions)
Rhubarb slice (garnish)
Directions
In a rocks glass, combine all ingredients. Add ice and stir to mix. Garnish with a slice of rhubarb.
Rhubarb Syrup
In a saucepan, bring 16 ounces of water to a boil. While the water is heating, slice a large bunch of rhubarb into 3-inch pieces. When the water starts to boil, remove it from the heat and add the rhubarb. Slightly muddle the rhubarb and let sit for half an hour. Strain the liquid and add 16 ounces of caster sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate for up to one month.
Blushing Arnold Palmer
This one is super simple. You almost don’t need a recipe!
Fill a pint glass with ice and pour in half sweet iced tea (you can use unsweetened if you prefer) and half lemonade. Top with a splash of grenadine.
Ruby Cooler
This beautiful mocktail has a striking red appearance and a bright floral and citrusy sweetness that is sure to refresh.
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz Bella Coola Tisane
8 oz Water
2 tsp Honey
3/4 oz Fresh lime juice
Club Soda
Lime slices (garnish)
Directions
Bring water to a boil and add tisane. Let steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in honey and cool. In a double rocks glass, add tea and lime juice. Fill the glass with ice and top with club soda. Garnish with a lime slice.
Tea Thyme
The thyme in this mocktail gives it a uniquely refreshing taste. With the pineapple, it has Summer written all over it.
Ingredients
2 oz Loose leaf green tea (Japan Sencha Green Tea)
64 oz Water, divided
2 sprigs Fresh thyme
1/2 Fresh pineapple
Thyme sprigs (garnish)
Directions
Bring 32 ounces of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add the tea leaves and thyme. Let steep 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain out the tea leaves, leaving the thyme (or replace the thyme after straining) and let cool. Once the tea has cooled, remove the thyme and stir in the pineapple and 32 ounces of cold water. Serve over ice with additional thyme, if desired.
Do you have any tea mocktails (or even cocktails) you enjoy during the summer? Share them with us!