Black Tea Birdie

From: Owner/beverage director Jenny Schwarz, Hopscotch, Oakland, CA. Yield: 1 serving.

2 oz. tea-infused vodka*
1 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 oz. honey syrup (honey diluted 1:1 with water)
as needed to top off, ginger beer

Tea-Infused Vodka:
750 ml vodka
10 grams red rooibos tea
10 grams sun-ripened Pu’er tea

To infuse vodka: Mix a blend of red rooibos and sun ripened Pu’er teas (aged dark tea from China’s Yunnan province).  Let tea steep in vodka for 36 to 48 hours and then strain.

For cocktail: Fill a glass with ice (a tall glass, short glass, fat glass or 10- to 12-oz. coffee cup. Add ingredients and top off with ginger beer. Give it a quick stir before serving.