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Enjoy this festive season with a healthy Rooibos cocktail

By December 14, 2015October 23rd, 2023Newsletter

Enjoy this festive season with a healthy Rooibos cocktail

December 14, 2015

“Rooibos tea is an easy and effective way to boost any cocktail. A lot of subtleties of rooibos tea play well off of vodka and specifically gin, since the latter has a lot of the same characteristics as the tea.”

Try any one of these 8 rooibos-inspired cocktails that’s sure to rock your party:

1. Ride the high country cocktail

Ingredients

  • 45ml The Black Grouse (or other) Whiskey
  • 30ml Rooibos Tea Concentrate
  • 150ml Cream Sherry
  • Orange Bitters

Method

* Combine all ingredients (except bitters) and shake over ice
* Double strain and garnish with a dash of Orange Bitters

2. Rooibos tea cocktail

Ingredients

  • 6 blackberries
  • 45ml Shochu (a trendy Japanese clear distilled spirit similar to vodka)
  • 30ml Sweet white vermouth
  • 45ml Chilled brewed red Rooibos tea
  • Ice
  • 1 lemon twist

Method

* In a cocktail shaker, muddle 5 berries with the Shochu, vermouth and tea
* Add ice and stir
* Pour through a fine strainer into a chilled coupe
* Garnish with the remaining berry and the twist

3. Rooibos tea punch

Ingredients

  • 500ml strong Rooibos tea, cooled
  • 500ml peach juice
  • At least 100ml vodka
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • Handful fresh mint leaves
  • 2 peaches, thinly sliced

Method

* Combine all the ingredients in a large jug and stir well
* Serve over ice

4. Iced rooibos tea cocktail

Ingredients

  • 60ml Rooibos Espresso Tea
  • 30ml cherry vodka
  • 15 ml milk
  • ½ cup of ice
  • Garnish: Cherries

Method

* In a serving glass add Rooibos Espresso, cherry vodka, and ice
* Stir mixture then add milk
* Garnish with Cherries

5. Fire and spice tea cocktail

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of Rooibos Chai tea
  • 1 cup of cranberry juice
  • 120ml vodka
  • 30ml Limoncello
  • Cranberries and/or thinly sliced lemons for garnish

Method

* Pour 3 cups boiling water over 2 tbsp. Rooibos Chai tea
* Steep for 10 minutes, and then strain
* Refrigerate until cold. (To chill instantly, brew tea in 1 1/2 cups water & strain over 1 1/2 cups ice)
* Combine chilled tea with 1 cup chilled cranberry juice, 120ml vodka, and 30ml Limoncello
* Shake over ice. Serve well chilled in martini glasses, champagne flutes, or short tumblers. Garnish with cranberries and/or thinly sliced lemons
* Makes 4 cups (1 litre)

6. Strawberry punch

Ingredients

  • 750ml strong, cold Rooibos
  • 1 litre apple juice
  • 1 litre granadilla/ passion fruit juice
  • 1 litre strawberry juice
  • 2 bottles (750m leach) of sparkling red grape juice
  • 1 punnet of strawberries, sliced
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • Fresh mint leaves

Method

* Mix rooibos, apple, granadilla and strawberry juices and chill.
* Add chilled sparkling grape juice.
* Garnish with strawberries, orange and mint.

7. Rooibos tea and gin

Ingredients and method

  • Make a 1/4 cup of rooibos tea.
  • Add the Rooibos to 3 litres of your favourite gin.
  • Allow to steep for 3 hours at room temperature.
  • Enjoy and mix with your favourite cocktail.

8. Rooibos liquor

Ingredients

  • 750ml brandy
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • 750ml strong, hot Rooibos
  • 600g white sugar (750ml)
  • 25ml honey

Method

* Add cloves and cinnamon to the brandy, shake the bottle and allow it to infuse overnight.
* Heat sugar and rooibos tea over moderate heat until sugar has dissolved.
* Boil uncovered for 20 minutes.
* Remove from heat and stir in honey.
* Remove cloves and cinnamon from the brandy.
* Add the brandy to the tea syrup and mix well.
* Pour into sterilised bottles and seal.

Recipes from: Rooibos makes cocktails healthier