Beverages Recipe

Brew the tea

Bring 1 liter of water to a near boil (about 95°C). Remove from heat and steep the 4 black tea bags (or 8 g loose leaf) for 4–5 minutes for a full-bodied brew. Do not over-steep to avoid bitterness.

Remove the tea bags (or strain leaves) and while the tea is still warm, add the honey. Stir until fully dissolved so the honey incorporates evenly.

Stir in the fresh lemon juice (120 ml) and fresh orange juice (120 ml) into the warm tea. Taste and adjust acidity by adding up to 15–30 ml more lemon or orange juice if desired.

Allow the tea mixture to cool to room temperature (about 30–40 minutes), then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 45 minutes. Alternatively, fill a pitcher with ice and add the warm tea to cool faster, but expect slight dilution.

Once chilled, add 600 ml cold water to the pitcher to reach a balanced strength and taste. Stir to combine. Taste and, if needed, add up to 15 ml more honey for sweetness or a splash more citrus for brightness.

To serve, fill individual glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per glass). Pour the iced citrus honey tea over the ice, garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint if using. Serve cold.

Make ginger infusion: combine the 30 g sliced fresh ginger with 250 ml water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer for 8 minutes to extract ginger flavor. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes off the heat for greater intensity.

Strain the ginger liquid into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing gently on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids.

While the ginger liquid is still warm, stir in the simple syrup (45 ml) until incorporated, then add the 60 ml fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust sweetness or lime to your preference.

Chill the ginger-lime base briefly (10–15 minutes) or cool it in an ice bath. When ready to serve, fill a pitcher with 750 ml chilled sparkling water and carefully pour in the ginger-lime concentrate. Stir gently to preserve fizz.

Serve over ice in individual glasses, garnish with lime wheels, and offer alongside the iced tea as an alternative or mixer.