Drink Up. It’s Iced Tea Month

( 0 Votes )

Wednesday, 10 June 2009 16:13

San Francisco, California, June 2009 – June marks the beginning of National Iced Tea Month, so there's no time like the present to enjoy a tall glass of iced tea. With the help of James Labe, America’s first Tea Sommelier, ZEN Green Tea Liqueur™ is toasting National Iced Tea Month with a twist – signature iced tea cocktails for adult tea drinkers. Iced tea was discovered by a tea plantation owner at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. The man poured hot tea over ice to keep sales afloat during those warm summer days in Missouri. Since then, iced tea has become the second most popular beverage in the United States after water. And as the tea trend continues to grow, tea-drinkers have slowly begun to experiment and look for new ways to enhance the iced tea experience. The combination of tea and spirits offers a refreshing drinking experience. “Tea and spirits have traveled along parallel roads towards our enjoyment of leisure and life’s luxuries,” says Labe. “Spirits have long been at home in fine dining, but only recently has that cocktail moment included tea.” Labe’s Iced Tea cocktails feature some of the finest teas, such as Jasmine Pearl Green Tea, Silver Needle White Tea and Gyokuro Green Tea. Recipes also feature a wide range of spirits including ZEN Green Tea Liqueur, premium tequila, rum and whiskey. ZEN Green Tea Liqueur energizes and enlightens traditional iced tea. ZEN’s flavor is derived from the infusion of neutral spirits with whole and ground green tea leaves, lemongrass, herbs and natural flavors. The ground green tea, or Matcha, used in ZEN comes from Uji, near Kyoto, one of the most famous Matcha-producing regions in the world. For a refreshing summer iced tea cocktail, simply add an ounce of ZEN Green Tea Liqueur to an eight ounce glass of freshly brewed, unsweetened iced tea. Labe recommends the ZEN, White and Blue which blends fresh blueberries with ZEN, White Tea and SKYY Infusions™ Raspberry. Additional iced tea cocktail recipes can be found below. ZEN, White & Blue 1½ parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur 3 parts prepared Silver Needle White Tea 1½ parts SKYY INFUSIONS RASPBERRY 3 parts Fresh Blueberries, muddled or pureed Combine 1 part cold and 5 parts boiling water to approximate 180ºf. Use ½ cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups hot water (1:4). Steep 3 minutes. Strain and chill. Combine and stir ingredients. Serve on the rocks. Garnish with Fresh Mint. ZEN Goddess 1½ parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur 3 parts prepared Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong Tea 1 part Passion Fruit Juice 1 part Cabo Wabo® Blanco Tequila Combine 1 part cold and 5 parts boiling water to approximate 180ºf. Use ¼ cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups hot water (1:8). Steep 2 minutes. Strain and chill. Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with large, thin Grapefruit Slice. ZEN Blossom 1½ parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur 4 parts prepared Jasmine Pearl Green Tea 1½ parts Flor de Cana®White Rum 1 part Coconut Cream Combine 1 part cold and 5 parts boiling water to approximate 180ºf. Use ¼ cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups hot water (1:8). Steep 2 minutes. Strain and chill. Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with edible flower. ZEN Dew 1½ parts ZEN Green Tea Liqueur 4 parts prepared Gyokuro Green Tea 1½ parts Tullamore Dew® Irish whiskey Lime Zest Use ¼ cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups cold water (1:8). Steep 3-4 minutes. Strain and chill. Combine and stir ingredients. Garnish with Lime Wedge. Skyy Spirits, LLC is the US-based wholly owned subsidiary of Gruppo Campari Gruppo Campari (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM) and the definitive marketer and distributor of super-premium and luxury spirits brands in North America. Launched in 1992 with the introduction of its flagship brand, SKYY® Vodka, Skyy Spirits has grown exponentially, building a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers. Skyy Spirits was founded and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. More information on the company can be found at www.skyyspirits.com and www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy Skyy Spirits brands responsibly and in moderation. SOURCE: Skyy Spirits < Prev   Next >