How to make Sparkling Ginger-Spiced Iced Green Tea
Iced drinks are back! Sunny Spring weather is so energizing – the green leaves make me want to celebrate with something fresh and green. Yesterday, on my way out the door to a boring all-afternoon meeting (indoors! boo!) I made myself a delicious bottle of iced Uji Gyokuro green tea with ginger and sparkling water. It was the perfect way to keep my happy Spring mood – icy, fizzy, refreshing, and fresh.
No time for a Starbucks run – here’s how I made a drink to rival any coffee shop:
How to make Sparkling Ginger-Spiced Iced Green Tea
* Filled a large (24oz) sports bottle 2/3 with ice cubes. I mix crushed and big cubes to make it super-icy but still leave room for the liquid.
* Added strong-brewed green tea up to the top of the ice. True confession: I used Uji Gyokuro that happened to be leftover in the teapot from a dinner party the night before! (It was fabulous, but you can get the same effect by doubling the amount of tea leaves to 2 tsp per 8 oz. hot water and letting it cool.)
* Filled the container the rest of the way with plain sparkling water.
* Added 2 oz. Simple Syrup (Simple Syrup is the secret to perfectly-sweetened iced drinks. Don’t use artificial sweeteners or stand there stirring granulated sugar forever, or worse, pay a premium for ‘Traditional Syrup.’ It’s so easy to make: mix regular sugar and water in equal proportions, heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved, let cool, and store it in a capped bottle.)
* Added several (ok, 5-6) slices of pickled ginger (this is the pink ginger slices that come with sushi – find it online or at an Asian market/well stocked grocery. Some brands are not dyed pink – either one is fine.)
As the meeting started, I took a little sip of my iced green tea – so good! The complex flavors of Uji Gyokuro took me right outside, among the leaves and blossoms. And then the second sip – nothing. I tried again. Nothing. Further inspection revealed that a slice of pickled ginger had blocked the straw. Could I remove it without making a spectacle of myself? I decided I could not, so I quickly hid the cap and straw in my bag, and finished the drink with the cap off.
Next time, I’ll take a minute to mince the ginger up, or use a travel cup without a straw…
Brew 4 tsp. tea leaf with 8 oz hot water and leave it in fridge over night…
Strain tea into a different container. Add 5-6 sushi ginger slices (or, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. grated ginger & 1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar) & simple syrup–2 oz for 24 oz water bottle.
Fill with ice and sparkling water–this one used club soda. Enjoy!
Off to the meeting!
Sparkling Ginger-Spiced Iced Green Tea
Ingredients
- Ice for 24 oz sports bottle fill ⅔ full
- 2 tsp Uji Gyokuro
- 8 oz Water, hot
- Sparkling Water
- 2 oz Simple Syrup
- 3-6 Pickled Ginger Slices, minced
Instructions
- Filled a large (24oz) sports bottle 2/3 with ice cubes. I mix crushed and big cubes to make it super-icy but still leave room for the liquid.
- Add strong-brewed green tea up to the top of the ice.
- Add 2 oz. Simple Syrup (Simple Syrup is the secret to perfectly-sweetened iced drinks. Don’t use artificial sweeteners or stand there stirring granulated sugar forever, or worse, pay a premium for ‘Traditional Syrup.’ It’s so easy to make: mix regular sugar and water in equal proportions, heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved, let cool, and store it in a capped bottle.)
- Fill the container the rest of the way with plain sparkling water.
- MInce pickled ginger; add to drink. (this is the pink ginger slices that come with sushi – find it online or at an Asian market/well stocked grocery. Some brands are not dyed pink – either one is fine.)
Find more about Uji Gyokuro here.
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