Ingredients for Mint Cooler mango green tea mocktail

3 Easy Tea Mocktail Recipes for Summer by a Mixologist

Posted by Matcha Alternatives


Black Lives Matter: Businesses are made of people. And being human, the team at MatchaAlternatives.com is of course in full support of the BLM movement to bring wholesale change to the problem of systemic (and often deadly) racism in the USA and around the world. We paused our blog and social media for this last week, and although we now resume, please know that our minds and attention are still on this global movement, supporting where and how we can. These entrenched issues continue when they lose our collective attention, so let us not let that happen. Join us in supporting the https://www.naacp.org/
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And so on to this week's blog:
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Guest Author: Jenni Flett
Jenni is one half of a British full-time-travelling couple exploring the world with their alternative travel blog. When she told us of her journalist and bar-tending experience, this fantastic blog idea jumped out! Enjoy!
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Tea is the perfect mocktail base. I mean, what is better than a fun tipple without the dreaded hangover? You can easily achieve tasty, complex flavors by brewing or infusing a tea blend with fruits and juices that will complement each other.

Read on to learn how to jazz up a simple brew with:

 

  • A simple homemade tea syrup that you can adapt into pretty much any mocktail
  • A Green Tea Tropical Mint Cooler to keep you chilled out on those hot afternoons
  • An Iced Coconut and Mango Ginger Chai blend that will send you to a tropical island heaven
  • A Rooibos Rose Kiss for a sweet summery treat!

 

These tea mocktail recipes are great all year round; however, I have gone for spring/summer flavor combinations to inject some much-needed sunshine into our lives!

 

Loose leaf tea for making mocktails

 

How to Make a Homemade Tea Syrup

Firstly, let us look at how to make a simple sugar syrup with tea. It's not hard to do, but they take time to cool down, so it's best to make them in advance.

  1. You need one cup of hot water – infuse this with your chosen tea blend for 5 minutes, then strain or remove the tea (use double the normal amount of tea to achieve a stronger flavor)
  2. Put the brewed tea in a small pot to heat up on your stove, then add one cup of granulated sugar (or a sugar alternative such as honey, agave, or a natural sweetener)
  3. Simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved
  4. Cool for an hour to thicken, and then pop it in the fridge

Now, let's find out what delicious creations you can make with that simple syrup!

 

Tea syrup for mocktails with loose leaf cherry rooibos

 

1. Tropical Mint Cooler with Matcha Alternatives’ Dusky Mango Green Tea

Tea profile

This little tropical number contains dried pineapple, gorgeous violet mallow flowers, and green tea leaves. It's a refreshing, fruity taste sensation with notes of mango. A perfect mocktail recipe for summer!

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 2 cups of brewed tea using Matcha Alternatives’ Dusky Mango Green Tea (requires 4 tsp of the loose leaf blend)
  • 2 limes
  • A handful of mint leaves
  • 1.69 fl. oz (50ml) of simple syrup infused with the same green tea (see recipe above)
  • ½ Thai chili - finely chopped (optional, as it’s very spicy!)
  • Club soda (optional)
  • Crushed ice

 

Ingredients for Mint Cooler mango green tea mocktail

 

Method

With a tea mocktail, you don't want to drown the taste of the tea. Green teas are delicate, although this blend has a punchy mango taste that combines well with lime, mint, and a hint of chili.

 

  1. Prepare your simple syrup in advance (see above). For the best results, make this syrup with sugar, but you can use an alternative or natural sweetener.
  2. Then cut the limes into quarters and brew your tea (double strength).
  3. Squeeze the lime pieces into a jug or pitcher and drop them in. Add your simple syrup, finely chopped chili (optional), and some crushed ice. Muddle this with a long spoon - the back end of a wooden spoon works too! This will combine the flavors nicely.
  4. Now add the brewed tea (it should have cooled down by now). Remember to strain and remove the tea leaves first.
  5. Now add the mint! The best technique is to slap the mint on your hand a few times before tearing off the individual leaves to release the aroma. Gently muddle this all together.
  6. Finally, add more crushed ice and use the spoon to bring up the limes from the bottom and make sure it's equally spread up and down the pitcher or jug. You can add some club soda on top to add a little sparkle or a little more crushed ice.

 

A pitcher should serve 4 - just add a little crushed ice to each glass, muddle, and top with a lime piece. You could also easily make individual versions and build up the ingredients in a tall glass.

Want to add some alcohol to the mix? This would be perfect with white or golden rum!

 

Tropical Mint Cooler Green Tea mocktail 

 

    2. Iced Coconut and Mango with Matcha Alternatives’ Roasted Ginger Chai Yerba Mate

     

    Tea profile

    A caffeine-rich tea made from roasted mate and black tea mixed with ginger, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. An Indian spiced blend that warms the cockles!

     

    Ingredients (serves 2)

     

     

    Ingredients for Iced Coconut Mango Ginger Chai tea mocktail

     

      Method

      This tea has a much stronger character that comes through both on the nose and the palette with all those gorgeous Indian spices. The spices pair well with tropical fruits, so mango or pineapple is a perfect match. As for lime and coconut? I think there's a song for this pairing…

       

      1. Firstly, brew your tea, strain it, and let it cool down. This is a frozen drink, so you want everything chilled. A double-strength tea will bring those flavors to the fore!
      2. Into the blender, add lime juice, coconut milk, tea, frozen mango, and honey to sweeten. Blend and watch out for any pesky mango chunks. The consistency should be thick but pourable.
      3. (Note this will work with fresh mango too, but add some ice into the blender if you want a frozen drink.)
      4. Finally, add ice to a glass and pour!

       

      This can be transformed into a cocktail by adding a coconut rum or white rum to the mix. 

       

      Coconut Mango Ginger Chai tea mocktail

       

      3. Rose Kiss with Matcha Alternatives’ Smell the Roses Cherry Rooibos

      Tea profile

      A perfect floral blend of rose petals and dried cherry with antioxidant-rich rooibos tea. It's caffeine-free with an irresistible sweetness!

       

      Ingredients (serves 2)

       

      • A cocktail shaker or a sturdy glass that you can cover to shake it up!
      • 2 tsp of Matcha Alternatives’ Smell the Roses Cherry Rooibos infused simple syrup (best made with honey)
      • ½ lemon (juiced)
      • 1 cup of pomegranate juice (can be swapped for cranberry)
      • 1 egg white OR a can of chickpeas (optional)
      • Ice

       

      Ingredients for a Rose Kiss tea mocktail with cherry rooibos

       

        Method

        To start, you will need to prepare the tea syrup in advance (see above). For this recipe, honey or agave does work better. Rooibos has a robust character, but the cherry and rose come through beautifully, and the pomegranate juice is a good match to complement those flavors.

        You need a cocktail shaker, jar or large glass with to shake the ingredients together. (If you don't have a cocktail shaker or jar, you can cover a large glass with a lid - just hold on tight!) Fill 1/3 of the shaker with ice.

        Put everything into the shaker – the juice of half a lemon, pomegranate juice, tea syrup, and an optional egg white. Shake hard. You will feel it's ready when the shaker feels suddenly quite cold. The egg adds thickness and creaminess to the texture of the mocktail, but you should still achieve a foam top with just the sugar syrup and lemon juice.

        Alternatively, if you want the foam but don’t want to use an egg, drain the liquid from a can of chickpeas - this is aquafaba, a vegan-friendly ingredient that foams almost as well as egg white. Use two tablespoons of aquafaba in place of the egg white.

        This drink is best served in a chilled martini glass, but a small glass will do - no ice is needed to serve. Use a strainer if you have a small one. It should be pink in color with a foam top.

        To make with alcohol, it will suit a nice vodka or gin!

         Rose Kiss tea mocktail with cherry rooibos

         

        A Note from the Mixologist...

        We can all use a little more summery goodness in our lives, and what better way to achieve that than with a fun, refreshing drink? Simply whip up one of these mocktail recipes (or make it a cocktail if you prefer), and sip your way to sunshiney heaven!

        And when you do, be sure to post your creations on Instagram! Tag @matchaalternatives and use the hashtag #matchaalternatives, and you might get a feature!

        Jenni Flett

        Be sure to follow Jenni on her wonderful blog and Instagram page for travel tips, advice, and stories! >

        Hoopla Adventures: Nonsensical wanderings, slow travel and working abroad

        IG @hoopla_adventures

         

        Dusky Mango Green Tea loose leaf

        Dusky Mango Green Tea

        A lovely tropical mocktail base

        Ingredients: Green tea, Natural dried pineapple, Mallow flowers, Natural flavors

        Roasted Ginger Chai Mate - Matcha Alternatives

        Roasted Ginger Chai Yerba Mate

        A warming, spicy mocktail base

        Ingredients: Roasted mate, Black tea, Chopped and powdered ginger, Cardamom, Coriander, Cinnamon, Cloves, Black pepper, All natural flavors

        Smell the Roses Cherry Rooibos loose leaf

        Smell the Roses Cherry Rooibos

        A sweet, floral mocktail base

        Ingredients: Rooibos, rose petals, dried cherry, All Natural Flavors

        Dusky Mango Green Tea, Ginger Chai Yerba Mate, and Smell the Roses Cherry Rooibos for mocktails Can't decide? Click here to add all three awesome blends to your cart and start your journey to mocktail perfection!

         

        MatchaAlternatives.com

         

        FeelGood Musical Notes

        BONUS: FeelGood Music with Every Order!

        We're super excited about our collaboration with Norwegian composer Peder B. Hellend! Every purchase you make from MatchaAlternatives.com comes with a free download from the Dance of Life album. Each thirty minute track is perfect for studying, meditation, or just for a relaxing afternoon.
        We’ll be offering a new song every month, so you can collect the entire album over the coming year - for free!

        FeelGood Musical Notes

         

        Disclaimer

        All of the information regarding the herbs, botanicals, minerals, vitamins, etc., is information drawn from traditional use data or academic research and should be regarded as such. If you, the reader, has a health or medical concern, please consult your healthcare professional. The information found here is not meant to diagnose, treat, prescribe or cure and has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is for educational purposes only.

         

        Further Reading on these Mocktail Teas

        How to Brew Tea and Tisanes - MatchaAlternatives.com

        Chinese vs Japanese Green Teas - MatchaAlternatives.com

        Yerba Mate, What is it? - MatchaAlternatives.com

        Rooibos vs Honeybush - MatchaAlternatives.com

         

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        2 comments
        • Thank you for your powerful words in support of Black Lives Matter. We all need to be listening and learning at this time.

          Alison Harada


        • Super excited to try some of these out at home! Thanks Jenni Flett for coming up with these recipes!

          Yueng-Ling



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