Pink Gin Iced Tea
This rosy iced tea is bright, lightly sweet, and made for slow sipping. Black tea gives it structure, hibiscus and raspberries bring the pink color, and gin turns it into an easy pitcher cocktail.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Yield
- 6 drinks
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 75mCook 5mDrinks
Pink gin iced tea sits somewhere between a classic summer tea and a simple pitcher cocktail. It is not fussy, but it feels special enough for a brunch, picnic, or warm evening on the porch.
The color comes from hibiscus tea and raspberries rather than food coloring. Hibiscus adds a tart cranberry-like note, while black tea keeps the drink from tasting like juice.
Plan for about 20 minutes of active time, plus at least 1 hour to chill. If you want to serve it fast, brew the tea stronger and pour it over plenty of ice.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
10 items · 6 drinks
- 4 cups water
- 4 black tea bags
- 1 hibiscus tea bag, or 1 tablespoon dried hibiscus flowers
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries, plus more for serving if you like
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 3 to 4 lemons
- 2 cups cold water, still or sparkling
- 1 cup pink gin or dry gin
- Ice, for serving
- Lemon slices and fresh mint, for garnish, optional
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Boil the water
Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan or kettle. Turn off the heat once it reaches a full boil.
2. Steep the tea
Add the black tea bags and hibiscus tea bag to the hot water. Steep for 5 minutes. Steeping means letting the tea sit in hot water so it gives off flavor and color. Remove the tea bags; do not squeeze them hard, or the tea can taste bitter.
3. Mash in the berries
Add the raspberries and sugar to the hot tea. Mash the berries gently with a spoon until they break down and the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so the berry flavor can infuse.
4. Strain the tea
Pour the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof pitcher or large measuring cup. Press lightly on the berries to release juice, then discard the solids.
5. Add the lemon
Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste the tea base. It should be a little stronger and sweeter than you want the final drink, because ice and cold water will mellow it.
6. Chill the mixture
Refrigerate the tea base until cold, at least 1 hour. For faster chilling, set the pitcher in an ice bath and stir for a few minutes before refrigerating.
7. Finish with water and gin
Just before serving, stir in the 2 cups cold water and 1 cup gin. Use still water for a smooth pitcher drink, or sparkling water for a lighter, fizzy version.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Brew and strain the tea base up to 2 days ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator. Add the gin, cold water, and ice just before serving.
- Storage: Once mixed with gin and water, the drink keeps well in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. If using sparkling water, it will lose fizz as it sits.
- Gin swap: Pink gin adds a berry or citrus note, depending on the brand. Dry gin works well too. If your gin is very floral, add a little extra lemon juice to keep the drink balanced.
- Sweetness swap: Use 1/4 cup sugar for a less sweet drink or 1/2 cup for a sweeter pitcher. You can also use simple syrup; start with 1/3 cup and adjust to taste.
- No hibiscus tea? Use a berry herbal tea bag instead. The color may be softer, but the drink will still taste good.
- Alcohol-free version: Leave out the gin and add 1 extra cup cold water or sparkling water. For a more grown-up flavor, add a few dashes of nonalcoholic bitters if you have them.
Cook's note
Use fresh lemon juice if you can. Bottled lemon juice can taste flat in iced drinks, and this recipe depends on a clean tart edge to balance the sugar and gin.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I make pink gin iced tea without pink gin?
Yes. Use regular dry gin. The hibiscus and raspberries give the tea its pink color, so the drink will still look rosy.
Can I use green tea instead of black tea?
You can, but steep it more gently. Use hot water that has cooled for 2 minutes after boiling, and steep green tea for 2 to 3 minutes so it does not turn bitter.
How strong is this drink?
The recipe uses 1 cup gin for 6 drinks, which is about 1 1/3 ounces gin per serving before ice. That is a little less than a standard 1 1/2-ounce pour.
Can I serve this from a drink dispenser?
Yes. Mix the chilled tea, still water, and gin in the dispenser. Put ice in the glasses instead of the dispenser so the pitcher does not get watered down.
Why did my iced tea taste bitter?
The tea may have steeped too long, or the tea bags may have been squeezed hard after steeping. Keep the steep to 5 minutes for black tea and remove the bags gently.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
6 drinks
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat0 g
- 0%
- Saturated Fat0 g
- 0%
- Cholesterol0 mg
- 0%
- Sodium1 mg
- 0%
- Total Carbohydrate14 g
- 5%
- Dietary Fiber1 g
- 4%
- Total Sugars12 g
- Protein0 g
- 0%
- Vitamin D0 mcg
- 0%
- Calcium4 mg
- 0%
- Iron0.1 mg
- 1%
- Potassium95 mg
- 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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