Best Substitutes for Tea

Out of Tea? Here are the best alternatives that work in cocktail recipes.

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Original Ingredient

Tea

Other Delicate, tannic nose with vegetal, floral, and earthy aromatics. Palate ranges from astringent to malty with subtle sweetness and dry bitterness. Clean, calming finish with herbal complexity.

Recommended Substitutes

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Iced tea

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Coffee

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Espresso

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

General Substitution Tips

  • Match the alcohol level: a 40% spirit needs a similarly strong replacement or adjust volume.
  • For liqueurs, dilute spirits + simple syrup can replicate sweetness and proof.
  • Citrus substitutions: lemon and lime are mostly interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio.
  • For bitters, Angostura is the most neutral substitute for most other aromatic bitters.