Black Tea Basics
Generally speaking, black teas are strong. Hearty. Robust.
They vary in nuance, of course, from floral to fruity, smoky to spiced. Such teas are wonderful any time of day, from a classic breakfast tea to jumpstart your morning to a soothing decaf blend to wind down your evening. With such a wide variety to enjoy, it’s no wonder there are a multitude of add-ins to choose from.
All the classic tea additions naturally apply here: milk, sugar, honey, a nice spritz of lemon. But why stop there? You can take your favorite black tea blend to the next level by upping your add-in game.
Boost with Booze
Who says tea is just for teetotalers? The most obvious drink that brings tea and alcohol together in perfect harmony is a hot toddy – the ultimate in comfort when you’re feeling under the weather or a chill starts nipping at your nose. But you don’t have to wait until a cold has got you down to enjoy a hot toddy – they’re delicious any time!
There’s no need to feel confined by the conventions of a traditional toddy; make it your own. Choose your favorite black tea, add your favorite adult beverage, pop in a little citrus or sweetener if so desired, and settle in for a very good night. Personally, I like a little splash of amaretto in a steamy mug of No Obligations Decaf Black Tea before bed. The almond in the amaretto pairs wonderfully with the nuttiness of the tea, and the hint of vanilla and cinnamon provides all the sweetness I need.
Spritzers are another fun way to bring a little booze to your black tea, especially as the weather heats up. When you’re in the mood for something light, refreshing, and fizzy (my favorite!) a spritzer is the way to go.
Indulge with Infusions
Sugar in tea is a natural. So is honey. So is milk or cream. But... have you ever tried infused sugar? Or honey? Or cream? If not, put it on your to-do list right now! Because it’s a game-changer.
Making your own infusions is fairly simple; it’s generally just a matter of choosing the flavor you want to infuse (such as vanilla, lavender, rosemary, etc.), adding it to the desired medium (sugar, honey, cream etc.), storing it in an airtight container, and letting time do the rest. It may take anywhere from a few hours to several days, but the result is well worth the wait.
Learn how to make your own infused sugar, honey, or cream. It's so very easy – and delicious.
Or, if you like the idea but prefer to let someone else do the legwork, check out this vanilla sugar dust or these vanilla or orange raw honey drops. So good!
Ice is Nice
Black tea makes excellent iced tea. To elevate your iced tea experience, try fancy tea ice cubes! You can add a little zest – quite literally, if you’d like – to your ice by including extra treats in the water when you freeze it. Berries, herbs, fruit juice, tea... whatever strikes your fancy, you can add it into your ice.
Your icy additions can be used to enhance flavors in the tea (imagine lavender bud ice cubes in your Earl Grey) or you can include complementary flavors to add nuance and complexity (perhaps frozen pineapple in your Smooth Sailing mango black tea). Either way, the result is delightful.
You can even take it one step further and blend it all together for a black tea smoothie. Blended breakfast has never tasted so good!
If you have more ideas for what to put in black tea, share them with us on social media. We’d love to hear what tasty concoctions you’ve come up with. It may just become our new favorite thing.
