Japanese Tea Cocktail Recipes

The world’s best kept secret? Japanese tea and cocktails are a match made in heaven. Don’t believe us? Guess you’ll just have to see for yourself! Treat yourself with these popular Japanese tea cocktail recipes, and enjoy the taste of Japan right from the comfort of your own home!

Get your night going with a Tokyo Tea, the Japanese take on the Long Island Iced Tea:

●  Add 1⁄2 ounce of tequila, 1⁄2 ounce of rum, 1⁄2 ounce of gin, 1⁄2 ounce of vodka, 1⁄2 ounce of triple sec, 1⁄2 ounce of melon liqueur, and 1 ounce of sweet and sour mix (one-part sugar and one-part water with a dash of lime juice) into a highball glass

●  Stir, then pour in a splash of club soda

●  Garnish with a lemon slice and a cherry

Japanese green tea can be used in many different types of cocktails. Call up your girlfriends and make it a green tea-themed night with some Apple and Green Tea Cocktails:

●  Rim an ice-filled glass with sugar

●  Pour 1 ounce of vodka and 1⁄2 cup of apple cider into the glass

●  Fill the remainder of the glass with green tea

●  Garnish with an apple slice

And don’t forget the Green Tea Cosmos:

●  Add 2 ounces of green tea, 1 ounce of vodka, 1⁄2 ounce of orange liqueur, 1⁄2 ounce of lime juice, and 1⁄2 ounce of cranberry cocktail juice in an ice-filled shaker.

●  Shake well and strain into chilled martini glass

●  Garnish with a lime wheel

Everything tastes better with matcha tea, and this Matcha Cocktail is a great example:

● In a cocktail shaker, muddle 1⁄4 cups of mint leaves with 3⁄4 ounces of agave and 3⁄4 ounces of lime juice

● Add 1 1⁄2 cups of water, 2 1⁄2 ounces of gin, and 1 teaspoon of matcha

● Shake well until chilled and the matcha has dissolved

● Strain into an ice-filled glass

Maybe you prefer whiskey with your matcha instead? If so, try this Matcha Highball Whiskey Cocktail:

●  Combine 2 ounces of Japanese whiskey (preferably Hibiki), 1⁄2 ounce of fresh lemon juice, 1⁄2 ounce of honey syrup, and 1⁄4 teaspoons of matcha powder in a shaker

●  Shake well, and pour into a chilled glass

●  Add 4 ounces of club soda into the shaker, swirl around, then stir into the glass

●  Garnish with a lemon slice

Start your day with an Earl Grey tea, and end your day with an Earl Grey Tea Cocktail:

●  Brew 4 cups of Earl Grey tea and store in the refrigerator to keep cold

●  Combine 5 cups of water and 1 cup of honey in a saucepan to make a honey syrup

●  Simmer until the honey has dissolved, then let it cool in refrigerator

●  Add the cold Earl Grey tea, 1 1⁄4 ounces of gin, 1 1⁄4 ounces of honey syrup, 1⁄4 ounce of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and 2 sprigs of lavender into a cocktail shaker with ice

●  Shake well and strain into a glass

●  Garnish with lavender

And finally, be the first to introduce this Raspberry Sake Tea Cocktail to the sake lovers in your life:

●  Bring water to a boil in a large pot

●  Turn off the stove, then place 5 raspberry flavored tea bags into the pot

●  Allow to steep

●  Remove the tea bags

●  Stir in 1⁄2 cup of sugar until sugar has dissolved

●  Pour into a pitcher and store in refrigerator until chilled

●  Stir in 750 mL of sake before serving

●  Garnish with raspberries

Just because you’re no longer having Happy Hours over Zoom doesn’t mean the Happy Hours have to end completely. Next Thirsty Thursday, spice up the menu with a little help from Japan!