Spirit Free Recipe

Brew the tea

Brew 1 cup of strong black tea (use 1 heaping tea bag or 1 tsp loose leaf per cup) with water just off boil for 4 minutes. Remove tea bag/strain and let cool to warm (about 5 minutes).

While the tea cools slightly, juice the orange, lemon, and lime. You should have about 0.5 cup orange, 2 tbsp lemon and 1 tbsp lime. Strain seeds and pulp if desired for a smoother drink.

Combine the warm (not hot) tea with the orange, lemon, and lime juices in a mixing pitcher. Stir to combine.

Add 2 tbsp honey or agave syrup to the warm tea-citrus mixture so it dissolves easily. Stir until fully incorporated.

Add 1.5 tbsp ginger syrup (or the grated ginger and hot water mixture). Taste and adjust: add up to 1 extra teaspoon of syrup if you prefer more ginger warmth.

If using, add 1/4 tsp orange blossom water and gently stir once — this is potent, so add sparingly.

Chill the combined base: either refrigerate for 20–30 minutes or add a small handful of ice to cool quickly (if using ice, remove the ice before proceeding to keep dilution controlled).

Fill a highball or Collins glass with 1 cup of ice cubes.

Pour the chilled tea-citrus-syrup base over the ice, leaving room at the top for sparkling water (about 1 inch).

Top with 6 oz chilled sparkling water or club soda. Stir gently once with a bar spoon to combine without losing too much effervescence.

Garnish with a cucumber ribbon draped inside the glass, a thin orange wheel on the rim, and 1–2 fresh mint sprigs lightly slapped between your palms to release aroma. Serve immediately.

Optional: For a layered look, pour sparkling water down the back of a spoon so it sits lightly on top of the base before garnishing.