By Mariëlla Erkens

It has been known for some years that you can make delicious cocktails and mocktails with tea. But how do you make them? In this blog I will tell you, providing some useful information and tips.

The effect of tea in cocktails

People often ask me why they should add tea to cocktails if they can hardly taste the tea. The power of tea is in the taste enhancement that tea naturally possesses. By using tea as the basis for cocktails and mocktails, the other ingredients become more intense in taste and the mouthfeel becomes fuller. We put this to the test by making two versions of a number of cocktails. In each cocktail all ingredients were the same, except for the tea. One was made with tea and the other one without. The latter turned out to be a lot thinner and the taste was less complex.

The quality of tea for cocktails

For cocktails it is not essential to use a high quality tea. It depends on how many ingredients you add and whether the emphasis should be on the tea or the overall taste. I use high quality tea for sparkling, vibrant cocktails with a subordinate but supporting role for fruit and other flavourings. For example, a light oolong such as Tieguanyin with ripe wild peach, tarragon and sparkling water for an elegant mocktail, with a measure of vodka added and a drop of Triple Sec for a cocktail. If I want to make more lavish cocktails, with lots of fruit, spices or fresh herbs, I use tea bags as a base. Sometimes with added flavours such as forest fruits or peach.

What to pay attention to

Find the right balance. Too strong a seasoning - such as rosemary, pepper, basil, lemon or star anise - can sometimes become dominant. Be careful with any powerhouse. You can always add more, but removing it is impossible. Don't make a mess of it. The use of too many flavourings leads to a taste flattening rather than enrichment, simply because too much happens in the mouth and it becomes a funfair of flavours. A minimum of 3 ingredients is required for a cocktail. There is no real maximum, but my advice is: no more than 7 to 8 in total, including the tea.

Cocktail tools

When making cocktails it is much more fun to play the part of a real bartender. Using the proper tools will go a long way and will enhance the taste of your cocktail. For the recipe below, I recommend using a Shaker made by Leopold Vienna. 

Recipe Rock’n Roolong

Ingredients for 2 cocktails:

5 g oolong tea, e.g. Da Hong Pao

250 ml soft water (mineral water)

20 ml white grape juice

20 ml apricot juice

dash of ginger syrup

pinch of clove

pinch of salt

few drops of Angostura bitters

4 ice cubes

How to make it:

Pour 250 ml water at 95°C on the tea and let steep for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the ice cubes in the shaker.

Pour the hot tea over it.

Add grape juice, apricot juice, ginger syrup, cloves, salt and angostura.

Shake.

Double strain with a tea strainer in two beautiful ice-cooled glasses, half filled with ice cubes.

Garnish to taste.

Take a look at our other blogs for more inspiration!