Stir It Up: Tea Punches - Something Cool for Summer

Published by SamovarLife on July 02, 2009 under Tea Blog, The Culture of Tea, What's New

Tea and punch have a long history together. Some say punch originated in India, where it was made from five key ingredients. (In Hindi, the word for five is “panch.” Many think this is where the word “punch” originated.)

These five key ingredients were: lemon or lime juice, sugar, water, liquor and vaguely defined “spice,” which could mean something we currently think of as “spice” (like nutmeg), something we would probably shun today (like a whale secretion that’s only used is perfume these days) or (yes, yes) tea.

As punch recipes spread across Europe in the 1600s, they evolved. Mixtures of multiple citrus juices and liquors were employed, and green tea and champagne widely replaced water as a core ingredient.

These innovations became much of the groundwork of the art of mixology, which is (gladly) enjoying a revival in San Francisco and other major U.S. cities right now.

(To date, the benefit to punches over individual cocktails is that the amount of time required for a complex quaff is drastically lower, and the downside is that you end up with a huge amount of imminently drinkable alcohol. That’s why I love tea punches for larger parties and picnics where I want to serve something sophisticated and delicious, but I don’t want to be the event bartender.)

In the U.S., chilled, tea-based punches and simpler iced teas were popular long before iced tea was “invented” (or popularized) at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair. Sweetened iced tea was an instant hit at the World Fair and beyond. (Iced tea’s “inventor,” Richard Blechynden also handed out samples at NYC’s Bloomingdale Brothers Department Store after the fair ended.)

During prohibition, iced tea and alcohol-free tea punches became even more popular across the U.S. as people sought out flavorful, sweet drinks without any legal complications.

These days, iced sweet tea with lemon is a staple in the South. Sugar compliments the astringency of strong-brewed Assam and Ceylon black teas and provides an energy boost for sweltering summer days. Lemon juice brings out the flavor and brightens the color of the brew. And, of course, ice makes the experience all the more pleasant.

However, if Southern-sweet isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of other ways to make tea punches that are livelier and more suited to your tastes.

Here are some ingredients to consider for customizing your own tea punches:

Citrus Go beyond basic lemon-lime with Seville oranges, yuzu and other exotic citrus fruits, or add new flavor dimensions to lemon-lime by adding its essential oil or zest, or by infusing ingredients with pieces of lemon and/or lime.

Citrus notes pair very well with black teas, like Yunnan Golden Bud and vegetal Japanese greens, like Kukicha and Lobocha Sencha.

Other fruits Peach, pineapple, cherry and banana are popular, but berries, apple and tropical fruits like mango and kiwi are also delicious.

Use the juice, or get creative with muddled/sliced fruit, nectars and purees. Another option is to infuse your liquor with fruit by chopping the fruit and soaking it in the liquor for several days before you make your punch.

Be sure not to automatically exclude “veggies”-that-are-actually-fruits, like cucumber (which is in the famed Pimm’s Cup punch) and tomato (Tomato juice, gin, Lapsang Souchong, celeriac root and basil simple syrup make a tasty tippler.).

Tea
Any type that tastes good chilled will work, but think about the flavor pairing you’re creating with fruits and other ingredients when you select your base tea. Usually, a stronger tea will contribute more to your tea punch.

Most Black Teas are a given, but Rooibos, Pu-erh Tea, like Blood Orange Pu-erh, Jasmine Pearl, vegetal Japanese Greens and Moorish Mint also have the oomph needed for a perfect punch.

Generally speaking, Black Teas are great with tangy fruit or rich, creamy ingredients and Green Teas work with lighter flavors… but your tongue is the true test.

Brew your tea at double strength (same temperature and time, but double the amount of tealeaves) if you’d like a stronger tea flavor or more of a “tea drunk” feeling from your punch.

Liquor
Dark rum is the most popular liquor for punches, but a mixture of rums can make a fantastic base. Some people prefer vodka, whiskey, tequila or gin as a base. (Vodka is more neutral, so it can work with pretty much anything. Gin needs a more herbaceous or dark tea pairing to work well).

Some mix auxiliary alcoholic ingredients, like brandy (often cognac), fruity or creamy liqueurs (like Curacao or Bailey’s), and wine (often sparkling wine or port). You can also skip the alcohol for a less tipply tea punch, or opt for less common punch liquors to suit your drink’s flavor profile. (For example, sake would be ideal for a Japanese Kukicha -cucumber-mint punch.)

Other liquid ingredients
Bitters, grenadine, ginger ale, club soda and lemon-lime soda are common additions in punch recipes. Sometimes, a creamy punch with dairy (or a dairy substitute) can work, too. (Examples: Earl Grey, Curacao, dark rum, orange zest, nutmeg and milk/soymilk. Masala Chai, vodka, Bailey’s, nutmeg and sliced almonds.)

Spices
Common punch spices include nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, mint and vanilla bean. More avant-garde tea punch spices include cayenne pepper and herbs like basil, aloe, lavender, juniper berry and rosemary.

Generally, warming spices are best in Black Tea punches, but don’t let that limit you. You can infuse your liquor or tea with the spices, and/or use them as garnishes. I love innovative garnishes, like clove-studded orange wheels or vanilla-bean-speared ginger.

Tea can also be used as a spice in tea punches if you grind it in a spice grinder until it’s fine like Matcha, or if you use it to rim the glasses in which you’re serving the punch. (Just dip the rim of the glass in a shallow pool of honey and then dip it into a shallow bowl of tealeaves. You can also half-rim the glass for ease of drinking.)

Sweeteners
Brown sugar is a classic punch sweetener. You can branch out with honey, sugar in the raw, agave nectar, etc. Homemade simple syrups can add additional flavor components – simply add a spice, herb, flower or fruit to the mix when you boil it down, or replace the water with brewed tea.

Sometimes, I find that a punch is sweet enough on its own and doesn’t need an extra sweetener (especially if it has ingredients like peach nectar or ginger ale).

With regard to proportions of all these ingredients, I always say it depends on who is going to drink it where, with whom and when.

A basic guideline comes from a rhyme from Barbados: “One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak.” It means 1 part citrus juice, 2 parts sweetener (this could be a regular sweetener or an alternative, like soda or fruit juice), 3 parts liquor, and 4 parts water (or, in our case, tea).

Above all, let your taste buds guide you. Ultimately, the goal is in experimenting with tea punches is to enjoy tea in exciting, new (and, if desired, intoxicating) ways.

~Lindsey for Samovarlife

In celebration of Summer, our favorite teas for icing and mixing are 20% off until July 22nd, 2009 with the coupon code: CHILLTEA20. Start Shopping Now:

~Lindsey for Samovarlife ~ Lindsey “Vee” Goodwin is a professional tea writer and consultant. She founded Vee Tea, is a contributing editor to World Tea News, writes for non-industry publications about tea and writes web copy/press releases for tea companies. She is also a consultant to several tea companies and teaches about tea through staff training and individual/small group classes and tastings.

Share:

• Susan Chapler, M.D. on July 2nd, 2009
  

  Great Tea Punch ideas! Thanks. I shall try some this weekend. Even though it’s pretty chilly here now!

• Tea on July 6th, 2009
  

  Samovar is used an tea in India for making tea.

• Glasses on July 14th, 2009
  

  wow seems the art of punch making take the simple art of tea to a whole different complexity, I like the rhyme that broke it down at the end, but I have a feeling this is going to take a lot of trial and error, I don’t really make my own iced tea so I think that will be where I have to start.

• How Make Cold-Brewed Teas | Tea Blog | Samovar Tea Lounge | Samovarlife on September 1st, 2009
  

  [...] we’ve talked about chilled teas, tea punches, iced tea lattes, and frozen tea treats. Now it’s time to talk about cold-brewed teas. [...]

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