Grapefruit Green Tea Recipe

Heat water

Bring 4 cups of water to just under boiling (about 175–185°F / 80–85°C). If you don't have a thermometer, heat until steam rises and small bubbles form but before a vigorous boil.

Steep green tea

Place 2 teaspoons of loose green tea (or 2 tea bags) into a heatproof teapot or heatproof pitcher. Pour the hot water over the tea. Steep for 2 to 3 minutes for a light, non-bitter infusion. Taste at 2 minutes and stop steeping when you reach a clean, grassy flavor.

Sweeten while warm

Remove the tea leaves or bags. While the tea is still warm, stir in 2 tablespoons of honey or simple syrup until fully dissolved. Adjust sweetness to taste, adding up to 1 additional tablespoon if you prefer sweeter.

Cool the tea

Allow the sweetened green tea to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), then chill in the refrigerator until cold (about 30–45 minutes). You can speed this by pouring the tea into a shallow container to cool faster.

Juice the grapefruit

While the tea chills, cut 1 whole grapefruit in half. Use a citrus juicer or reamer to extract the juice. You should get about 3/4 to 1 cup of grapefruit juice depending on fruit size. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove pulp and seeds if you prefer a clear drink.

Combine grapefruit and tea

In a pitcher, combine the chilled sweetened green tea and strained grapefruit juice. Start by adding 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, taste, then add more up to 1 cup depending on how prominent you want the citrus. Stir gently to combine. If using, add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice for extra brightness and stir.

Assemble and serve

Fill two serving glasses with ice (about 1/2 cup ice per glass). Divide the grapefruit green tea between the glasses. Add a small pinch of grapefruit zest to each glass or float a thin zest strip for aroma. Garnish with a mint sprig if desired.

Optional sparkling variation

For a lightly effervescent version, replace up to half of the chilled tea mixture with chilled sparkling water or club soda just before serving. Stir gently and serve immediately to preserve bubbles.