For all the Anglophiles out there, happy National Tea Day! This very British holiday was established on the same day as the Queen’s birthday (happy 96th!) so folks could enjoy a cup in honor of Her Majesty.
Of course, we are celebrating this lovely beverage in a very Fizzy Coupe way - with a tea cocktail!
Pairing tea with alcohol is nothing new (in fact, humans have been doing it since the 1600s) - it’s a fun way to add interesting and complex flavors to your drink. However, it can get a bit tricky if you’re infusing a spirit directly with tea. It’s a balancing act of letting the tea steep for the right amount of time to impart the flavors, but also stopping the infusion so that the spirit doesn’t become too bitter. Quick infusions with vodka or gin are a good way to dip your toes into the tea/spirit infusion pond. Give it a try with infusing a bit of Earl Grey tea with London dry gin and shaking up a gin sour, a la Audrey Saunders’ “Earl Grey MarTEAni” from her dearly departed Pegu Club bar.
If you’re not ready to go all-in on spirit infusions, tea syrups are a quick and easy way to add some of that tea-licious flavor to your cocktails. Hibiscus tea makes a lovely (and pink!) addition to a drink - plus it’s easy to source at your local grocer.
Today, we’re offering up a Fizzy Coupe original, featuring a hibiscus syrup, that’s perfect for warm weather outdoor sipping. Put this one into your spring and summer rotation, or sip it while watching Pretty in Pink - ‘cause that’s the film that inspired this pretty lady!
Iona’s Dress
In the classic John Hughes film, Pretty in Pink, Iona gives her pink prom dress to Andie to wear to her own dance. This pretty pink cocktail is cute and sassy, just like Iona's dress.
2 oz. Callisto Botanical Rum OR a floral gin
3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 oz. hibiscus honey syrup (see method below)
First, prepare Honey Hibiscus Syrup:
In a small saucepan, heat 4 ounces of water until almost boiling. Turn off the heat and steep 1 hibiscus tea bag for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 ounces of honey until fully incorporated. Chill completely before use.
Next, make the cocktail:
Add Callisto rum (or gin), lime juice, grapefruit juice, and 1 ounce of hibiscus honey syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake until well-chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Sip & enjoy!
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