Sparkling Peach Ginger Iced Tea Refresher

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings (about 12–14 oz each)
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes (including chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• 3 cups (720 ml) water
• 4 black tea bags (or 4 tsp loose black tea)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water + 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (about 30 g) thinly sliced fresh ginger
• 3 large ripe peaches (about 1 lb / 450 g), peeled and pitted
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups (480 ml) chilled sparkling water or club soda
• 2–3 cups ice cubes
• Fresh peach slices, ginger slices, and mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Do This

• 1. Brew 3 cups of strong black tea: steep 4 tea bags in just-boiled water for 5 minutes, then discard bags and cool.
• 2. Simmer 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and sliced ginger for 5 minutes; cool to make ginger simple syrup.
• 3. Blend peeled peaches with lemon juice until smooth; strain for an extra silky purée if you like.
• 4. Chill brewed tea, ginger syrup, and peach purée in the fridge until cold (about 20 minutes).
• 5. In a large pitcher, stir together chilled tea, all of the ginger syrup, and peach purée until well combined.
• 6. Just before serving, gently stir in 2 cups cold sparkling water. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
• 7. Fill glasses with ice, pour in the peach-ginger sparkling tea, garnish with peach slices, ginger, and mint, then serve immediately.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright, juicy peach flavor balanced with a warm, zingy kick of fresh ginger.
• Lightly sweet and sparkling, so it feels special but still wonderfully refreshing.
• Perfect for making ahead for summer parties, picnics, or lazy porch afternoons.
• Easily adaptable: use your favorite tea, dial the sweetness up or down, or add a splash of booze for the adults.

Grocery List

• Produce: Fresh peaches, fresh ginger, lemons, fresh mint (optional)
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Black tea (bags or loose), granulated sugar, sparkling water or club soda, ice

Full Ingredients

For the brewed tea base

• 3 cups (720 ml) water
• 4 black tea bags, such as English breakfast or Earl Grey
  or 4 tsp (8 g) loose black tea in a tea infuser

For the ginger simple syrup

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (about 30 g) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into coins

For the peach purée

• 3 large ripe peaches (about 1 lb / 450 g), peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)

For serving

• 2 cups (480 ml) chilled sparkling water or club soda
• 2–3 cups ice cubes
• Fresh peach slices, for garnish (optional)
• Extra thin slices or matchsticks of fresh ginger, for garnish (optional)
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brew a strong black tea base

Bring 3 cups (720 ml) of water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan. As soon as it boils, remove it from the heat and pour it into a heatproof jug or measuring cup. Add the 4 black tea bags (or your tea infuser filled with loose tea). Cover the container with a small plate or lid to keep the heat in and allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove and discard the tea bags or tea infuser. The tea should be strong and slightly more intense than you would drink hot; this ensures the flavor holds up once we add ice, fruit, and bubbles. Set the tea aside to cool at room temperature while you prepare the syrup and purée.

Step 2: Make the gingery simple syrup

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup (120 ml) water, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, and the 1/4 cup of thinly sliced ginger. Place the pan over medium heat and stir gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer.

Once it begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You should see tiny bubbles around the edges and smell a strong, warm ginger aroma. Turn off the heat and let the ginger steep in the hot syrup for at least 10 minutes to deepen the flavor. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl or jar, pressing lightly on the ginger to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the ginger solids. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.

Step 3: Blend a smooth peach purée

While the syrup cools, prepare the peaches. Peel the peaches with a vegetable peeler or by scoring an “X” on the bottom of each, dunking them into boiling water for 30 seconds, then slipping off the skins after a quick cold-water rinse. Remove the pits and roughly chop the flesh.

Add the chopped peaches and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice to a blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth. For an ultra-silky drink, pour the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or jug, using a spoon or spatula to help it pass through. This step is optional but recommended if you prefer a smoother, more refined texture.

Step 4: Chill the components

For the most refreshing drink, everything should be well chilled before you add the bubbly water. Transfer the brewed tea, ginger syrup, and peach purée to the refrigerator and chill for about 20 minutes, or until cold to the touch.

If you are short on time, you can speed things up by placing the containers in a shallow ice bath, stirring occasionally, until they cool down, then moving them to the fridge while you prepare your serving glasses and garnishes.

Step 5: Combine tea, ginger syrup, and peach purée

Once all three components are chilled, pour the brewed tea into a large pitcher (at least 2-quart / 2-liter capacity). Add all of the cooled ginger syrup and the peach purée. Whisk or stir thoroughly until everything is evenly combined and the mixture looks like a smooth, golden-orange tea with no streaks of purée.

Taste the mixture at this stage. It should be slightly sweeter and stronger than you want the final drink to be, because we will dilute it with sparkling water and ice. If you prefer a sweeter drink, you can stir in an extra tablespoon or two of sugar or honey, or add a bit of plain simple syrup if you have it on hand. Chill the pitcher again if it has warmed up noticeably.

Step 6: Add bubbles and serve over ice

Just before you are ready to serve, gently pour 2 cups (480 ml) of very cold sparkling water or club soda into the pitcher. Stir slowly to combine, trying not to knock out too much of the carbonation. Taste and adjust with a splash more sparkling water if the flavor is too intense, or an extra squeeze of lemon if you want more brightness.

Fill tall glasses with plenty of ice cubes. Carefully pour the peach-ginger sparkling iced tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with a fresh peach slice, a few thin slices or matchsticks of ginger, and a sprig of mint if using. Serve immediately while the drink is icy cold and full of lively bubbles.

Pro Tips

• Chill thoroughly for best flavor. Warm or even room-temperature tea will taste flat. Give the tea, syrup, and purée time to cool properly before adding sparkling water.
• Add the bubbles last. Always stir in the sparkling water right before serving so you keep the fizz and that refreshing, tingly finish.
• Adjust the ginger heat. For a milder drink, steep the syrup for only 5 minutes and use a scant 1/4 cup ginger. For extra zing, double the ginger or let it steep up to 30 minutes before straining.
• Strain for a smoother sip. If you are serving this in fancy glasses, straining both the syrup and the peach purée will give you a velvety, bar-quality drink.
• Use very ripe peaches. The riper and more fragrant your peaches, the more naturally sweet and flavorful your iced tea will be.

Variations

• Green tea twist: Swap the black tea for green tea or jasmine tea. Reduce the steeping time to 3 minutes to avoid bitterness, then continue with the recipe as written.
• Lightly boozy version: For adults, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup (120–180 ml) bourbon, vodka, or white rum to the pitcher along with the tea and peach purée. Stir well before adding sparkling water.
• Herbal and caffeine-free: Use a fruity herbal tea such as peach, hibiscus, or rooibos in place of black tea for a caffeine-free refresher that is still full of flavor.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The peach-ginger tea concentrate (tea + ginger syrup + peach purée, without the sparkling water) can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store it in a covered pitcher or jar in the refrigerator and stir well before using. Do not add the sparkling water until just before serving, or you will lose the carbonation. Leftover finished sparkling tea will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 day, but it will be less fizzy. The ginger simple syrup alone keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar, and you can refrigerate extra peach purée for up to 2 days or freeze it in ice cube trays for future batches.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 4 servings (about 12–14 oz each), assuming all the ginger syrup is used and no additional sweeteners are added:

Calories: ~130 kcal; Carbohydrates: ~33 g; Sugars: ~30 g; Protein: ~1 g; Fat: 0 g; Sodium: ~15 mg; Fiber: ~2 g. Values will vary based on the exact size and sweetness of the peaches and the brand of sparkling water used.