Earl Grey Apple Cider Cocktail

Earl Grey tea and hard apple cider combine to make a refreshing cocktail that’s perfect for fall!

When people meet me, it doesn’t usually take them very long to figure out that I drink a ton of coffee. What they might not realize as quickly is that I’m also a huge fan of tea.

A few weeks ago, Shawn and I went to one of our favorite gastropubs for dinner and I was excited to see that they had a beer on tap that was brewed with Earl Grey. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype – it reminded us of bathwater. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed. Since then, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to infuse tea flavor into a cocktail.

This Earl Grey Apple Cider cocktail definitely delivers. It’s crisp and refreshing, a little bit sultry, and the perfect fall tipple to help make the rest of the election season a little more tolerable.

Make this Earl Grey Apple Cider cocktail by mixing one cup of strongly brewed Earl Grey with one cup of good quality hard apple cider. I love DownEast cider, but any craft cider is okay – just look for one without added flavors. You can also use regular apple cider for a nonalcoholic version of this cocktail.

A little bit of vanilla adds a ton of depth and a slightly earthy flavor to this cocktail. Fresh lemon juice brings all of the flavors into balance.

As written, this recipe makes two drinks. You can also quadruple the recipe to make a pitcher cocktail that’s perfect for a fall get-together.

Cheers!

Earl Grey Apple Cider Cocktail

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces water
• 1 bag Earl grey tea
• 8 ounces hard apple cider
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• lemon twists, for garnishing

Instructions

1. Add the water to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the tea bag; let steep 5-8 minutes. Discard the tea bag.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tea, lemon juice, and vanilla. Shake vigorously 15-20 seconds. Stir in the cider.
3. Strain into two double old fashioned glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon twists.

Nutrition Information

Amount Per ServingCalories 269 Carbohydrates 66g