Looking for a drink that feels a little more special than sparkling water but doesn't need alcohol? Meet the tea mocktail.
Tea makes an easy, flavourful base for non-alcoholic mocktails because it brings something plain juice or soda can't always deliver on its own: layers of flavour. Depending on the tea you choose, your drink can be fruity, floral, tart, citrusy, spicy or tropical before you've added anything else.
And you don't need a fully stocked bar cart to make one.
With strongly brewed tea, ice, sparkling water and a few simple additions like citrus, fruit or fresh herbs, you can make refreshing tea mocktails at home for everything from summer afternoons to dinner parties.
Here are four easy mocktail recipes to get you started.
How to Make a Tea Mocktail
Most tea mocktails start with the same simple formula:
Strong brewed tea + something sparkling + citrus or fruit + ice + garnish
The key is brewing your tea stronger than you would for a regular cup. Once you add ice and sparkling ingredients, the drink will dilute slightly, so you want plenty of tea flavour in your base.
A simple method is to brew about 4 teaspoons of loose leaf tea in 6.5 oz of hot water, then pour it over ice. Tealish uses a similar concentrated method for its iced tea recipes.
From there, turn your iced tea into a mocktail with sparkling water, tonic, fresh citrus, muddled fruit, herbs or a small amount of your favourite sweetener.
1. Hibiscus Tea Mocktail with Lime
Bright colour, tart flavour and plenty of fizz make hibiscus an ideal mocktail base.
Tealish's Organic Hibiscus Tea has a bold, fruit-forward flavour and ruby-red colour. It's also naturally caffeine-free, making this hibiscus tea mocktail an easy option for evening entertaining.
You'll Need
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4 tsp Organic Hibiscus Tea
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6.5 oz hot water
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Ice
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2 oz sparkling water
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½ lime
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1–2 tsp honey or simple syrup, optional
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Lime wheel or fresh mint for garnish
How to Make It
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Steep the hibiscus tea in hot water for 4–6 minutes.
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Remove the tea leaves and stir in sweetener while warm, if using.
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Fill a glass with ice.
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Pour the brewed hibiscus tea over the ice.
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Squeeze in the lime juice.
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Top with sparkling water and gently stir.
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Garnish with a lime wheel or fresh mint.
The result is tart, fizzy and refreshing, with enough flavour that it still feels like a proper mixed drink, just without the alcohol.
2. Ginger Citrus Green Tea Mocktail
If you prefer your drinks bright and zesty, this green tea mocktail is an easy one to keep in your back pocket.
Tealish's Ginger Sparkle Green Tea combines green tea with ginger, lemongrass and citrus notes, and Tealish specifically recommends it for iced tea. That gives you much of the flavour foundation before you even start mixing.
You'll Need
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4 tsp Ginger Sparkle Green Tea
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6.5 oz hot water
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Ice
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2–3 oz sparkling water
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Fresh lemon or lime juice
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1 tsp honey or simple syrup, optional
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Lemon wheel or fresh ginger for garnish
How to Make It
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Brew the green tea using below-boiling water for 1–3 minutes.
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Remove the leaves and allow the tea to cool slightly.
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Fill a glass with ice and pour in the tea.
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Add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
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Top with sparkling water.
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Add a little honey or simple syrup if you prefer a sweeter drink.
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Garnish and serve.
Because green tea can become bitter when over-steeped, resist the temptation to leave the leaves in longer to make your mocktail stronger. Use more tea leaves instead.
3. Peach Jasmine Sparkling Tea Mocktail
This one is for anyone who likes their non-alcoholic mocktails fruity and floral rather than tart.
Tealish's Peach Jasmine Tea combines a smooth green tea base with jasmine and peach flavours and is designed to work hot or over ice.
You'll Need
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4 tsp Peach Jasmine Tea
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6.5 oz hot water
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Ice
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2–3 oz sparkling water
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A squeeze of fresh lemon
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Fresh peach slices
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Mint or basil, optional
How to Make It
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Brew the Peach Jasmine Tea with below-boiling water for 1–3 minutes.
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Remove the tea leaves and let the tea cool slightly.
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Add a few peach slices to your glass and gently muddle them.
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Fill the glass with ice.
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Pour in the brewed tea and a squeeze of lemon.
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Top with sparkling water.
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Garnish with another peach slice and fresh mint or basil.
The combination of peach, jasmine and bubbles makes this an easy option for brunch, showers, patio dinners or any occasion where you want something festive without alcohol.
4. Tropical Piña Colada Tea Mocktail
Tea mocktails don't have to be light and citrusy. They can lean into tropical flavours too.
Tealish's Piña Colada Herbal Tea is a fruity herbal infusion with hibiscus and coconut, giving you a tropical starting point without having to build the flavour from scratch.
You'll Need
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4 tsp Piña Colada Herbal Tea
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6.5 oz hot water
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Ice
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2 oz sparkling water
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1–2 oz pineapple juice
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Squeeze of fresh lime
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Pineapple or lime for garnish
How to Make It
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Brew the tea for 4–6 minutes, then remove the leaves.
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Allow it to cool slightly.
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Fill a glass with ice.
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Add the brewed tea and pineapple juice.
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Squeeze in a little fresh lime.
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Top with sparkling water and gently stir.
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Garnish with pineapple or lime.
For a less sweet mocktail, use less pineapple juice and let the tea do more of the work.
Make Your Next Mocktail with Tea
Great tea mocktails don’t need complicated ingredients or a fully stocked bar cart. Start with a flavourful loose leaf tea, add something sparkling, and balance it with fresh citrus, fruit or a touch of sweetness.
Once you know the basic formula, the possibilities are endless. Go tart and colourful with hibiscus, bright and refreshing with green tea, or lean into fruity and tropical blends for something that feels like a treat.
Ready to start mixing? Explore Tealish's teas for iced tea and mocktails and find a flavour to turn into your next refreshing, alcohol-free creation.
Brew it. Ice it. Add some fizz. Your next favourite mocktail might just start with tea.
