Tea Craft Inspiration: Bolero Snort’s Raspberry Hard Ice Tea
INGREDIENTS
The elements of this hard ice tea include:
BLACK TEA: A brisk, malty black tea (like a Ceylon black tea) stands up well when combined with fruit flavors to provide bright iced tea color and flavor.
WORTH NOTING
A clear, clean tasting hard seltzer base provides ample opportunity to create a wide range of green tea and black tea hard tea seltzers.
DOs & DON’Ts OF USING TEAS AND BOTANICALS
DO: use about 1-2 lb tea per BBL. Start with 1 lb per BBL, and taste as you go. If not strong enough, add the 2nd lb per BBL.
DON’T: use the tea in the boil. This will overcook the leaves and create an overly bitter and astringent mess. Use tea leaves as you would dry hop or as you do with other adjuncts. Tea is high in antioxidants as are hops used for dry hopping.
DON’T: steep the tea leaves in water and then try to use the tea liquor in your process. It will be either over-steeped and bitter, or too weak to notice in the final product.
DO: let the tea steep longer than you think it should. The effects of serving a chilled, carbonated final pour will dull the tea taste and aroma.