This one is for the men! I’ve crafted a teatail that is husband and son approved. Not that they haven’t absolutely enjoyed drinking the previous ones, but The Huntsman is clearly their favorite. Hence the manly name in honor of the spirit that backs this teatail.

I started with Root Beer Rooibos from Ohio Tea Co., which I tried hot and admittedly did not enjoy. I knew this tea was meant for cooler things such as iced tea. What I loved about the tea was the rooibos perfectly blended with ginger root, anise seed, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, pepper, fennel, sarsaparilla root, licorice, red peppercorns, black peppercorns, and star anise. What’s not to love?

Following the directions below for some smooth sipping with my latest teatail, The Huntsman

The Huntsman Teatail

6 t Root Beer Rooibos

6 c water

1½ c raw sugar

1 c water

Jägermeister

half & half

Bring the water to 212° F in a stainless-steel pot on the stove. While the water heats, measure out the Root Beer Rooibos 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:

In a cocktail stirring glass, measure ½ oz. Jägermeister and ½ oz. sugar syrup. Stir for about 20 seconds to combine.

In a drinking glass that holds at least 16 oz., place 4 – 6 ice cubes. Pour the Jägermeister and sugar mixture over the cubes. Top off with chilled Root Beer Rooibos tea to within one inch of the rim.

Slowly pour half & half over the back of a spoon to within half an inch of the rim, creating swirls as the thicker liquid sinks into the drink.

The Huntsman is ready for sipping. Let me know in the comments if you tried this teatail and how you liked it.