Green Tea Shot: What Is It & How To Make It

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green tea shot

If you’re someone who keeps on top of their bar trends, chances are you’ve heard of the green tea shot. If you haven’t, don’t be duped by the title of this terrific new addition to the ever-growing selection of shots available to you. Despite the name, there’s not a single ounce of green tea in the concoction, although the distinctive green colour has certainly tricked many into believing otherwise. Instead, this mouth-watering and highly satisfying shot concoction derives its recipe from whiskey, peach schnapps and sweet and sour ingredients, with none of that telltale bitterness usually reserved for green tea flavours.

What’s in it?

Although this is a simple enough shot drink, there’s a heck of a lot of ingredients thrown into the mix. Depending on where you put in your order for this delicious drinks delicacy, the exact composition will differ. However, there’s a general rule of thumb to follow for best results. As a general pointer, you’ll want to include the following: a third of an ounce of peach schnapps, a third of an ounce of whiskey, a third of an ounce of sweet and sour, plus a splash of lemonade to round things off with a distinctly sweet finish. You can have some fun playing around with the exact brands of spirit and mixers until you find a blend that best pleases your taste buds.

How to make the green tea shot

When it comes to putting together your ingredients for a green tea shot, the method is all important. You’ll want to gather all your ingredients bar your lemonade first. That’s the whiskey, sweet and sour, plus the peach schnapps. Blend all these ingredients together in a cocktail shaker, along with a healthy serving off ice. Shake it all together well and then strain the blended concoction into a shot glass. Once you’ve done that, add a little splash of lemonade and you’re ready to enjoy.

How does it taste?

As we’ve mentioned, despite the name, there really isn’t any signature flavour of green tea at work here. It’s the colour alone that gives this shot cocktail its name. If you’ve followed the recipe correctly, the overriding flavour you’ll notice is the peach schnapps, a distinctive and powerful flavour that packs a real punch. If you’re at odds with the taste of peach schnapps, this might be something to avoid unless you’re in the mood for adventure.

The ultimate taste of a green tea shot will also vary depending on the exact brands of whiskey and sweet and sour you’re opting to use. With many a green tea shot recipe, people tend to reach for the likes of Jameson Irish Whiskey. This is a particularly popular variety of whiskey that packs a rich flavour profile which blends well with the peach schnapps, ensuring you can savour the taste, even underneath that domineering peach edge. However, there’s room for flexibility here. If you definitely know you’re not a fan of Jameson, consider adding another brand to your cocktail shaker and see how things take.

When it comes to your soft drink mixer, almost any brand of lemonade will do. Certainly in the United States, Sprite is the way to go for many. The full sugar version is a notably sweet option, which helps undercut the harsher edges of the whiskey and schnapps used in the recipe. If you’re someone with a weak stomach or the kind likely to gag at the first hit of scotch on your palette, a sweeter selection like Sprite is definitely worth considering. That being said, with a host of popular store-bought options available, you’ve plenty of room to play around with the final make-up of your green tea shot concoction. Whatever you reach for in regards to lemonade, you’re not going to mix it up fundamentally, so it’s hard to stray too far from the desired recipe when picking out your soft drink mixer.

When to drink green tea shots

As long as you’re okay with the powerful punch of peach schnapps, green tea shots are a versatile choice of drink for all manner of occasions. They’re an easy to drink decision when lining up at the bar or gathering around the kitchen counter with friends, meaning they’re a go-to for kicking off a night in style. They’re also incredibly easy to make at home, with minimal effort when it comes to the method and an ingredients list that nobody will struggle to acquire. As long as you’ve got something to mix it together in, it’s a piece of cake to pour one of these beauties.

The green tea shot is also a very versatile option if you’re looking to scale up your drink recipes. Because of the easy-to-follow recipe, it’s very simple to turn a single shot into a pitcher. Remember, you’re only really dealing with a third of peach schnapps, a third of sweet and sour and a third of whiskey. You can turn a third of an ounce into a third of a glass with ease, while a splash of lemonade can easily be swapped out for a generous pour from the bottle. Of course, when scaling up a shot glass to something more sizeable, you’ll want to ensure your glasses are suitably chilled or loaded with chopped ice to help make that punch peach schnapps edge a little more palatable.