Smoked Tea Sour

Name: Smoked Tea Sour
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 drinks
Ingredients: 1.5 cups strong lapsang souchong tea, brewed and fully cooled (360 ml); 6 tbsp fresh lemon juice (90 ml); 6 tbsp honey syrup, equal parts honey and warm water (90 ml); 4 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas), optional (60 ml); lemon twists and black pepper

Lapsang souchong tea is dried over pine smoke, and that smokiness behaves like an aged spirit in a cocktail. With lemon and honey and a hard shake it makes a sour that has depth and a silky head. Serve it to anyone who would rather skip the whiskey.

4 drinksYield

EasyDifficulty

What you'll need

1.5 cups strong lapsang souchong tea, brewed and fully cooled (360 ml)
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice (90 ml)
6 tbsp honey syrup, equal parts honey and warm water (90 ml)
4 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas), optional (60 ml)
lemon twists and black pepper

How to make it

Steep 4 tea bags or 4 teaspoons of leaves in 1 1/2 cups just-boiled water for 7 minutes, strain, and cool completely.
Shake the tea, lemon, honey syrup and aquafaba hard with ice in two batches for 15 seconds.
Strain into chilled coupes and top with a twist.
Glass: Chilled coupes. Garnish: A lemon twist and a pinch of black pepper on the foam.

Chef's secrets

Aquafaba gives the foam; leave it out for a clear drink.

Brew it much stronger than you would for drinking.

Good to know

Make ahead

The tea and honey syrup keep for 2 days chilled.