• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Recipes
    • Easy Dinners
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Thai
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegetarian

Inquiring Chef

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Easy Dinners
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Drinks

    Bourbon Sweet Tea Cocktail

    Published: Jun 16, 2022 · Modified: Oct 5, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 4 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

    1.0K shares
    lemon bourbon sweet tea
    lemon bourbon sweet tea
    lemon bourbon sweet tea
    lemon bourbon sweet tea

    Easy bourbon sweet tea is an easy, refreshing summer cocktail to make in batches. Lemon juice, sugar, brewed tea, and bourbon give the tea tart, sweet flavor.

    overhead image of bourbon sweet tea cocktail in a mason jar with ice and lemons

    This batch cocktail is perfect for porch-sitting, hot summer nights, and the soundtrack of cicadas. And that is exactly how we’ve been enjoying it. Poured over a big glass of ice with lemon wedges and fresh sprigs of mint (and maybe a fun summer appetizer on the side), it is one of the most refreshing cocktails for summer. The flavor of bourbon is definitely there, but the warming spices in the tea and the freshness of lemon juice give it balance. It’s the official grown-up drink of summer at our house (along with our other favorite, the paper plane cocktail), and I hope it will be at yours too! 

    Here’s how to make it.

    Sweet tea in a pitcher on a white table

    Ingredients for Lemon Bourbon Sweet Tea

    • Black Tea - Black tea is a great choice for making sweet tea. Any type will work, but Earl Grey is a great choice.
    • White Sugar, Ginger, and Lemon Juice - Simmer these in water to make a flavored simple syrup. 
    • Bourbon - We preferred this Southern-inspired cocktail with bourbon, but we also tested it with our favorite local gin and loved those flavors as well!
    • Bitters - Frank always says that bitters are like the “salt” of the cocktail world. This cocktail will taste flat without them. Don’t skip the bitters and feel free to add more, to taste.
    lemons and fresh ginger on a wooden cutting board

    Make Ahead

    You can make a full batch of bourbon tea cocktail and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    What is Simple Syrup?

    Simple syrup is sugar dissolved in hot water. A basic simple syrup uses a ratio of 1:1 water to sugar. 

    Simple syrup is perfect for sweetening drinks. The sugar crystals are fully dissolved in water so you can add it to very cold drinks. The simple syrup used for this bourbon cocktail is flavored with ginger and lemon juice.

    bourbon sweet tea being poured from a glass container into a mason jar
    Can I use less sugar?

    Yes. Make the full batch of simple syrup and then only add as much as you like. You can even serve simple syrup on the side and add it to each cocktail individually.

    What is the best tea for sweet tea?

    Black tea makes great sweet tea. Its natural bitterness balances the sugar for a classic sweet tea. Earl Grey is a great option for sweet tea because it contains bergamot - a fruit that gives the tea a subtle citrus flavor. 

    three mason jars filled with ice, lemons, and bourbon sweet tea cocktail

    More Summer-Friendly Drinks

    • Watermelon Frose
    • Cold Brew Coffee Spritzer
    • Passion Fruit Mojitos
    • Pear and Lime Sangria
    • Watermelon Lime Cooler

    Favorite Tools

    • Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Flat Whisk
    bourbon sweet tea cocktail in a mason jar with crushed ice around it
    Print Recipe
    4.69 from 22 votes

    Bourbon Sweet Tea Cocktail Recipe

    Tart lemon and sweet sugar balance the bitterness of the black tea and tang of the alcohol in this summer-friendly Lemon Bourbon Sweet Tea. Make this batch cocktail ahead of time and store it in the fridge in a pitcher for up to a week.
    This makes 6 (1-cup) servings. Want to adjust the servings in this recipe? Just click on the number next to “servings” to scale up or down.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time6 mins
    Total Time26 mins
    Course: Drink
    Keyword: batch cocktail, bourbon, summer cocktail
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 209kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $8.00

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Pitcher

    Ingredients

    For Tea:

    • 7 cups Water, divided
    • 6 bags Black Tea (we like this with Earl Grey)
    • 1 cup White Sugar
    • 1 inch Ginger, peeled (optional, see note)
    • ½ cup Lemon Juice
    • 6 ounces (¾ cup) Bourbon
    • 12 dashes Bitters

    For Serving/Garnish:

    • Ice
    • Lemon Slices or Peel
    • Fresh Mint

    Instructions

    • Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add tea bags and brew according to package directions, 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Strain off tea bags (do not squeeze or press down on the tea bags as you strain them or the tea will be bitter).
    • While tea is brewing, combine 1 cup water, sugar, ginger, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and simmer just until the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour syrup through a fine strainer (this will remove any pieces of ginger or lemon pulp).
    • Combine tea and simple syrup. (Note: Taste the tea as you go and reduce the amount of simple syrup if you’d prefer it less sweet.)
    • Stir bourbon and bitters into the tea.
    • At this point the tea can be refrigerated for up to a week.
    • Serve tea over ice with lemon slices and / or fresh mint for garnish.

    Notes

    Ginger - Ginger is completely optional, but it gives the finished tea a warm, subtly spicy flavor that goes so well with black tea that I wanted to include it as an option. For a mild ginger flavor, leave the piece of ginger whole and just simmer it in the simple syrup. For a stronger ginger flavor, grate the ginger before combining it with water and sugar. 
    Simple Syrup - Feel free to use as much or as little simple syrup in this drink as you’d like. We all have slightly different preferences when it comes to the level of sweetness we like in our tea. You can also leave all or some of the simple syrup out so that everyone can customize their drink to their own preferred level of sweetness.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 8mg

    Related

    « Summer Salad with Peaches, Corn, and Crispy Prosciutto
    Fourth of July Cookie Bars »
    1.0K shares

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Incredible Chai

      July 20, 2020 at 7:07 am

      Ah, nice! reading your article. I also have a question should I ask?

      Reply
    2. Audra Clark

      September 21, 2020 at 9:23 pm

      5 stars
      This drink is delicious. Such a fun summer drink that's easy enough, but also fancy enough that it turns an at-home date night into something special. Will be looking forward to making this again next summer!

      Reply
    3. Amanda

      April 05, 2022 at 8:46 am

      5 stars
      This is excellent! Made a large batch for a Master's party last year and am making again. The Earl Grey, bitters and ginger really add a nice depth of flavor. I did use quite a bit more bourbon than the recipe calls for, but that's personal preference.

      Reply
      • Jess Smith

        April 09, 2022 at 10:55 am

        So glad you liked it! My husband is 100% with you - when he makes this, he liked the bourbon flavor to really come through, so he always increases it.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Welcome! We're Jess and Frank. Since 2010, we have been serving up easy, original recipes here on Inquiring Chef.

    More about us →

    Latest Recipes

    • Cashew Cream Sauce
    • Vegetable and Rice Stuffed Peppers
    • Lasagna Bolognese
    • Falafel Sandwich

    Trending Recipes

    • Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
    • Mason Jar Overnight Oats
    • Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir-Fry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Follow us on Instagram and Pinterest

    Contact

    • Email Us

    Copyright © 2023 Inquiring Chef