In the winter time, there is nothing like a cozy hot toddy on a cold and snowy day.

The idea of a hot toddy is very simple: take your base spirit, then add sweetener and hot water.  But why stop at simple hot water when you can take your cold weather cocktails to the next level by pairing your spirits with hot tea?

We’ve created a few simple, flexible hot toddy recipes below to get you started.  Try these out, then experiment with your favorite teas and spirits.

Making drinks for the whole crew? You can always mix tea in family friendly mocktails, too! Upgrade your tea and honey with more unusual sweeteners, aromatic bitters, or fun citrus garnishes.  Just leave out the alcohol, or if you’re looking for a bit of structure and bite without imbibing, experiment with a little splash of drinking vinegar or cane sugar vinegar.

 Always remember to enjoy safely and responsibly!

Wuyi & Rye Hot Toddy

For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients and equipment.

Ingredients
– 6-8 grams Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong
– 1 oz. smooth, buttery Rye (we recommend High West Rendezvous Rye)
– 1-2 tsp honey

Equipment
– 16-20oz capacity tea pot (optional)
– brew basket
– 8oz capacity tea cup
– spoon, for stirring

1. Make a concentrated pot or shot of Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong.

Before you make your hot toddy, you will first need to brew your hot tea!  This tea should be more concentrated than usual to stand up to the alchohol you’ll be adding later.  You can make this more concentrated tea in two ways.

If you are making just one hot cocktail, add 6g of Shui Xian to your brew basket, and then steep in 6oz of just-boiled (about 205º F) water in your tea cup for 45 seconds.

If you are making hot cocktails for a group, it’s easiest to brew a larger pot of concentrated tea.   Use 8g of Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong for every 16oz of water.  Add the tea to your brew basket, then steep in the pot with just-boiled (about 205º F) water for about 2 minutes.

2. Combine all ingredients, and stir!

In your tea cup, combine the following:
– 6 oz of concentrated tea
– 1 oz of High West Rendezvous Rye
– 1tsp of honey*

If you prefer a sweeter hot toddy, feel free to use 2tsp of honey rather than one.  It is always easy to stir in more honey once you’ve had a sip. We recommend starting with 1tsp of honey and adjusting afterwards according to taste.

 

Loonshine & Laoshan Green Hot Toddy

For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients and equipment.

Ingredients
– 6-8 grams Laoshan Green tea
– 1 oz. Loonshine Whiskey (local MN white whiskey, highly recommended!)
– 1-2 tsp honey

Equipment
– 16-20oz capacity tea pot (optional)
– brew basket
– 8oz capacity tea cup
– spoon, for stirring

1. Make a concentrated pot or shot of Laoshan Green Tea.

Just like before, we start the recipe by brewing hot tea!  This tea should be more concentrated than usual to stand up to the alchohol you’ll be adding later.  You can make this more concentrated tea in two ways.

If you are making just one hot cocktail, add 6g of Laoshan Green to your brew basket, and then steep in 6oz of under-boiling (about 185º F) water in your tea cup for 45 seconds.

If you are making hot cocktails for a group, it’s easiest to brew a larger pot of concentrated tea.   Use 8g of Laoshan Green for every 16oz of water.  Add the tea to your brew basket, then steep in the pot with under-boiling (about 185º F) water for about 2 minutes.

2. Combine all ingredients, and stir!

In your tea cup, combine the following:
– 6 oz of concentrated tea
– 1 oz of Loonshine Whiskey
– 1tsp of honey*

If you prefer a sweeter hot toddy, feel free to use 2tsp of honey rather than one.  It is always easy to stir in more honey once you’ve had a sip. We recommend starting with 1tsp of honey and adjusting afterwards according to taste.

 

Scotch & Black Hot Toddy

For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients and equipment.

Ingredients
– 6-8 grams Laoshan Black
– 1 oz. Single Malt West Highland or Island Scotch (we recommend Oban 14 or Arran 12)
– dash of dry Curacao (we recommend Pierre Ferrand)
– twist of orange rind

Equipment
– 16-20oz capacity tea pot (optional)
– brew basket
– 8oz capacity tea cup
– spoon, for stirring

1. Make a concentrated pot or shot of Laoshan Black.

Before you make your hot toddy, you will first need to brew your hot tea!  This tea should be more concentrated than usual to stand up to the alchohol you’ll be adding later.  You can make this more concentrated tea in two ways.

If you are making just one hot cocktail, add 6g of Laoshan Black to your brew basket, and then steep in 6oz of just-boiled (about 205º F) water in your tea cup for 45 seconds.

If you are making hot cocktails for a group, it’s easiest to brew a larger pot of concentrated tea.   Use 8g of Laoshan Black for every 16oz of water.  Add the tea to your brew basket, then steep in the pot with just-boiled (about 205º F) water for about 2 minutes.

2. Combine all ingredients, and stir!

In your tea cup, combine the following:
– 6 oz of concentrated tea
– 1 oz of Oban 14 or Arran 12
– 1 dash of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

To garnish, squeeze a twist of orange rind to release the aromatic oils above your cup, then lightly rub the rind along the edge of the cup or drop into your hot toddy.

If you prefer a sweeter hot toddy, feel free to add a dash of simple syrup to taste.  The curaçao acts as the sweetener in this recipe, but it is always easy to stir in more of your favorite sweetener you’ve had a sip. We recommend starting with the proportions above and adjusting afterwards according to taste.