Summertime Bourbon Peach Iced Tea

Whether you’re hosting a cookout or hanging out at the beach, this bourbon peach iced tea will become your go-to cocktail to sip on in the warmer months. Bourbon has become one of my favorite spirits recently because it pairs so well with a variety of citrus and fresh herbs. I drink bourbon year round— in the colder months I’ll have an old fashioned or manhattan, and in the warmer months I like to mix it in fruit forward cocktails. Today I’m sharing with y’all a bourbon peach iced tea that is easy to make and take on the go.

This is a batched cocktail, meant to share with friends and family (serves 4-5 people). It’ll take you relatively 30 minutes to prep and make the cocktail from start to finish.

Ingredients:

• 5 peaches

• 2 oranges

• 1 lemon

• 8 bags of black tea

• 8 cups of hot water

• 1 1/2 cup water

• 1 1/2 cup sugar

• Four Roses bourbon

To start off, put 1 1/2 cup of water to boil. Once it reaches a boil, add the 1 1/2 cup of sugar and stir until it’s completely dissolved. Take the 4 peaches and cut them into tiny cubed pieces. Add the cubed pieces into the sugar water to create your peach simple syrup. Take the lemon and orange and cut them in halves, juicing both over the simple syrup to add more flavor. Bring the temperature down and let the simple syrup simmer for a solid 5-10 minutes until the simple syrup is light pink and the cubed peaches are soft and mushy.

After about 10 minutes, strain the simple syrup and set it aside so it can cool down. Grab a large pitcher and pour 8 cups of hot water into it, and insert the 8 bags of black tea. Let this steep for 5-10 minutes. In the meantime, you can prep your garnishes. Cut the last orange and peach into thin slices. Once the tea is all set, add the peach simple syrup and fruit slices and stir.

I always save the best part for last— the bourbon. I chose to use Four Roses bourbon because it’s one of my favorites. What I really like about this bourbon is the fact that it’s easy to drink. It has a light body and is only 80 proof. It’s a great introductory bourbon for those who don’t know where to begin.

Add 1 cup of bourbon and ice to your pitcher and stir. You can add more or less depending on your preference and the occasion. Feel free to add extra slices of peaches, oranges, or lemons to each glass as you serve your guests.

Let me know in the comments below if you tried the bourbon peach iced tea and if you liked it! If you’d like to see more drinks for the summer, check out my cocktails series for more recipes and inspiration.