If you’re from the South, then you know there’s only one thing better than sitting on your porch sippin’ on a refreshing glass of sweet tea- and that’s sippin’ on some sweet tea moonshine!
As we sprawl out into the hottest days of summer, one of the best gifts we can give ourselves is a nice, refreshing cocktail as we wind down from the day. And this sweet summer beverage fits that bill perfectly!
The recipe is simply an infusion of moonshine with a sweet tea simple syrup- homemade from scratch.
Here’s how to make it.
While making your own sweet tea moonshine might sound intimidating at first, rest assured- you won’t be needing a still and a hideout to get the ball rolling.
Rather, you’ll start by picking up a fifth (750ML) of your favorite plain ol’ moonshine. Granted, you’ll be making adjustments to the alcohol, but at least you don’t have to go through the painstaking process of distillation.
Once you grab your moonshine, you’ll need to gather a few other ingredients as well.
Here’s what you’ll need to make the “sweet tea moonshine”
- Moonshine (750ML)
- ½ cup of good honey
For the sweet tea simple syrup:
- 5 of your favorite bags of tea
- ½ a cup of water
- ½ a cup of lemon juice
- 1 full cup of sugar
And, finally, the sweet tea moonshine recipe itself:
- 4 oz. of the honey-moonshine concoction
- 1 oz. of sparkling water or club soda
- 3 oz. of you favorite brand lemon-lime soda
- 1 Tblsp. of honey
- Fresh lemon slices to garnish
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Now that you’ve got the ingredients rounded it up, it’s time to summon your inner mixologist and put it all together!
First, you will start by making your simple syrup. Pull out a saucepan and pour your water in first. Then, mix in lemon juice and sugar and heat to a boil.
Just after your base come up to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer. While it’s simmering, toss in your tea bags and let them steep for as long as the package instructs. (You can let them go a moment longer, but not for too long. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a slightly more bitter tea from all the tannins.)
Once you’ve finished steeping the tea, remove from the heat and let your simple syrup cool off completely.
After the simple syrup is done cooling, it’s time to mix it in with the moonshine.
Simply pour the simple syrup, your moonshine, and the honey in a large bowl or jar and stir until it’s all combined.
Now, chances are you aren’t going to be tossing back the whole batch in a single night (or, at least we hope not). Thankfully, this recipe makes a big enough batch to store and keep on hand for those relentlessly hot summer nights.
To store your sweet tea moonshine, pour it into 8 or 16 oz. mason jars. Make sure they are properly sealed before putting them up in a cool, dark place (like your pantry or a closet, or wherever isn’t in direct sunlight).
Fun Fact: moonshine infusions will get better in flavor the longer they sit and can keep for a year. Plus, you can add a splash to your tea when the winter weather gets you down.
When you’re ready for your perfect porch-sippin’ cocktail, mix the sweet tea moonshine, honey, lemon-lime soda, and sparkling water in a glass (or another handy mason jar).
Then, just top it off with crushed ice and garnish with lemon slices, sip, and enjoy!
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