Spill The Tea (highball) Recipe

Brew and prepare blueberry vanilla tea concentrate

Bring 1 cup (240 ml) of water to a near-boil. Add a black tea bag or 1 heaping tbsp loose-leaf black tea, steep for 4 minutes, then remove the tea. In a small saucepan, combine the brewed hot tea, 3 oz fresh or frozen blueberries and 1 tbsp granulated sugar. Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 6–8 minutes, mashing the blueberries occasionally to release juice and dissolve the sugar.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Let the mixture cool slightly for 5–10 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve into a container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. You should have roughly 3–4 oz of concentrated blueberry tea; if you have more, refrigerate and save for another drink. If the concentrate is very sweet, reduce additional simple syrup in cocktail portion accordingly.

Build the highball

Fill a highball glass with ice (about 1 cup). Add 2 oz rye whiskey to the glass.

Measure and add 1.5 oz of the strained blueberry vanilla tea concentrate (if your concentrate yielded less or more, adjust so total non-carbon components balance: aim for 1.5 oz tea concentrate + 0.25 oz simple syrup equivalent). Add 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice and 0.25 oz simple syrup (omit or reduce if your tea concentrate is very sweet).

Stir gently to combine the whiskey, tea concentrate, lemon and syrup while still chilled.

Top the drink with 3 oz club soda. Give a light stir once to integrate the soda without losing all carbonation.

Thread 4 blueberries onto a cocktail pick (or float them) and add a lemon wheel to the rim. Optionally slap a mint sprig between your palms to release aroma and tuck it into the glass.

Serve immediately with a short stirring straw. Taste and adjust: if you want it sweeter, add up to 0.25 oz more simple syrup; if it needs more brightness, add 0.25 oz more lemon juice.