About two years ago, I purchased a two-ounce packet of Hawaiian Colada Rooibos from Ohio Tea Co. during a sidewalk sale at their establishment. The sweet earthiness of the rooibos blended perfectly with the other ingredients and lent itself quite well to the teatail I had in mind. Although we could never settle on a name for our teatail, we enjoyed it thoroughly and frequently that summer. But alas, Hawaiian Colada Rooibos was a limited edition and is no more. Imagine our heartbreak.

The good news is that in their creative wisdom, Ohio Tea Co. took it upon themselves to offer us Pina Colada, which has turned out to be a more than adequate replacement. So, this summer, when I returned to the drawing board for crafting teatails, I went straight for the Pina Colada. The heady aroma of this tea, or tisane if you want to be technical, smells like all things lush and tropical. Ingredients include apple, rosehip, pineapple, coconut pieces, hibiscus petals, and natural flavors. It is visually pleasing in the tea ball and the color is spectacular in the glass.

I recently made our new teatail for my mother, and after a couple of sips, I asked her for ideas on a name. Before she had the opportunity to respond, I told her that I was thinking of calling it “Escape” in honor of the Rupert Holmes song more commonly known as “The Pina Colada Song.” She laughed and said she was going to suggest that but didn’t think I’d go for it.

That settled it, and if you follow the directions below, you’ll be experiencing your own Escape before you can sing, “If you like pina coladas, and getting’ caught in the rain . . .”

Escape Teatail

6 c fresh water

6 t Pina Colada tea

1 c demerara sugar

1 c fresh water

Malibu Rum

Bring the water to 212° F in a stainless-steel pot on the stove. While the water heats, measure out the Pina Colada tea into a large, mesh tea ball. When the water reaches the appropriate temperature, place the tea ball in it and cover the pot with a lid. Remember to turn off the heat below the pot (gas stove) or remove it from the burner (electric stove).

Allow the tea to brew for six hours, during which time it will also come down to room temperature. You may swirl it gently, otherwise do not remove the lid from the pot. The long, undisturbed brewing time ensures the tea is strong enough to stand up to the liquor you will add later without being bitter.

While the tea is brewing, add the raw sugar to one cup of water in a stainless-steel pot and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring gently, until a rich syrup has formed. Remove from the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. The syrup can be stored for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

When the tea has brewed, you may swirl the tea ball once to ensure evenness of color. Remove the tea ball and discard the expended tea. Do not press out the contents into the brewed tea. Pour the tea into a glass pitcher, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator until the tea is completely chilled.

To prepare:

You can perform a dry shake with a cocktail shaker if you choose. I recommend Viski products as they are quality and a great place to start building your personal bar. You can, however, achieve the same results, which is to thoroughly combine the Malibu Rum and chilled syrup, using a glass and a fork.

Measure ½ – 1 oz. Malibu Rum into a cocktail shaker or short glass and add ½ – 1 oz. of the rich syrup. Shake or stir until the liquor and syrup are completely combined. Set aside.

Choose a glass tumbler that is at least 12 oz. in size. Add four to six ice cubes depending on the size of your glass and cubes. Pour the chilled Pina Colada tea into your glass to within one inch of the rim. Top with the Malibu Rum/sugar mixture. Stir gently and enjoy!

I’d love to make this teatail again and garnish with a skewer of fresh pineapple, coconut, and apple slices. Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried the Escape teatail and how you served it up!