Houston Heights tea shop spills the tea into some tasty cocktails

HOUSTON – Even if you’re not a bartender, here’s a fun twist you can try at home for Happy Hour: add some tea to your cocktails. Tea Sip Founder and CEO Jessica Boyd takes us step-by-step through making two boozy tea drinks.

At the start of the pandemic, Tea Sip made the decision to close temporarily to regroup. During that time, they let their “creative-tea” flow to experiment with some fun new ideas for the re-open.

“We all took some tea, had some fun with it, created different recipes,” said Boyd. “Our customers were really loving the cocktails, so we just can’t stop.”

According to Boyd, the trick to making the perfect tea cocktail is to infuse the tea leaves in the alcohol. The fun part is finding the perfect tea blend to compliment your favorite classic drink.

“It’s super simple, and it creates an awesome cocktail. You really can infuse any tea into any kind of booze,” said Boyd.

For today’s menu, Boyd whipped up two gin based drinks: The Bee’s Knees and G&T(ea).

The Bee’s Knees

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. gin (we recommend a dry gin like Beefeater, Hendrick’s, or your favorite!)
• 1 tbsp. Lavender Honey tea leaves
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1tbsp. hot water
• Ice (to taste)
• Lemon wedge for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Add the Lavender Honey tea leaves to 2 oz. of gin. You can put your tea leaves in a tea infuser and set the infuser in a cup or bowl of the gin, or you can add the leaves directly to the gin and use a strainer to remove the leaves. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes.
2. Make a honey simple syrup using the honey and hot water. Stir until combined. Set aside.
3. After the tea has steeped for 30 minutes, remove the tea leaves or pour the mixture through a strainer into a cocktail shaker.
4. Add the honey simple syrup, lemon juice and ice to the cocktail shaker.
5. Shake for 10 - 20 seconds and pour into a cocktail glass.
6. Garnish with a lemon wedge or lemon peel and enjoy!

G&T(ea)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. Bayou City Breakfast
• 2 oz. gin (Use your favorite! We used Alkkemist.)
• 1/2 c. of tonic (We used Schweppes.)
• Simple syrup: 1 tsp. honey melted with a splash of hot water
• Ice
• Lemon wedge for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Infuse the tea leaves in your favorite gin by adding 1 tbsp. of Bayou City Breakfast in your simple brew, 2 oz. of gin and let steep for 30 minutes.
2. When 30 minutes is up, pour the tea-infused gin into your cocktail glass.
3. Add your desired amount of ice and the 1/2 cup of tonic. Note: depending on your glass size or taste, feel free to add more or less tonic.
4. Pour in your honey simple syrup and stir everything together with a spoon or straw.
5. Add your lemon garnish and get to sippin'!

For the full interview, watch the video above. To connect with Jessica Boyd, visit the Tea Sip website.

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