Tea is not something I normally think of when I think of cocktail mixers. Fruit juice? Absolutely. Soda? Sure. Coffee? And Irish cream, yes please. But tea? I don't know. Or at least that was my reaction when I was offered a tea cocktail at a girl's night out last summer at The Green Corner Store in Little Rock.
The cocktail, a blend of Owl's Brew The Classic mixer (English breakfast tea, lemon and lime) and vodka over ice, was delightfully refreshing (and easy drinking) on the steamy evening. I liked it so much I bought a bottle of Owl's Brew to take home to share with my husband.
Owl's Brew is the brain child of New Yorkers Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield. The duo were looking for a "lighter, fresher, funner" cocktail and after much experimentation, Owl's Brew was created. To read about their process and the company, including where to find their products, visit theowlsbrew.com.
I recently learned the Owl's Brew lineup has some new flavors and jumped at the chance to try them.
Besides The Classic, the mixers are available in Pink & Black (Darjeeling tea, hibiscus, lemon peel, strawberry and agave); Coco-Lada (black tea, coconut, chai spices, pineapple and agave); and White and Vine (white tea, pomegranate, lemon peel and watermelon). Each bottle includes a list of suggested liquor, wine and beer pairings. The mixers are nonalcoholic, and I imagine they'd be good with tonic water or seltzer.
I've mixed The Classic with vodka and tequila; Coco-Lada with spiced rum; and White and Vine with tequila, all with deliciously sippable results.
Wanting to veer away from the "clear" liquors, I decided to try the Pink & Black with whiskey. I expected this to be my favorite: Darjeeling is my favorite black tea, strawberries are my favorite berry and whiskey ranks at the top of my preferred spirits list. But there's something about this combination that didn't mix well. I think it was too many competing flavors. I like to drink whiskey on the rocks, letting the natural flavors and nuances release as the ice melts. And in this case the whiskey's flavors clashed with the fruity flavors in the mixer. I tried mixing it with something more mild and, following the recommendation on the package, combined the brew with gin. I was pleasantly surprised at how extraordinarily different the two drinks were. The slight evergreen flavor of the gin enhanced the strawberry and hibiscus without overpowering the delicate flavor of the Darjeeling.
By far my favorite combination is the Coco-Lada with spiced rum, but the Pink & Vine with gin is a close second.
The mixers aren't cheap -- an 8-ounce bottle (enough for four drinks) sells for about $10 -- but if you're looking for something different to sip this summer Owl's Brew mixers are a tasty and refreshing option.
Food on 07/15/2015