A Tea Cocktail to Toast to the Season 4 Premiere of Downton Abbey

By Anna Monette Roberts

Updated on 1/3/2014 at 6:15 PM

During this Sunday's season four premiere of Downton Abbey, fill your finest glassware with this cocktail: the Earl of Grey-tham. Based loosely off of a gin sour, the cocktail contains London dry gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and an Earl Grey simple syrup. Expect a slightly herbaceous, zesty flavor with a lingering bergamot orange aftertaste. Go ahead and set that shaker up for a second round . . .

The Earl of Grey-tham

Yield1 cocktail

Adapted from The Grey Lady by Greg Lindgren of Rye

INGREDIENTS

    • For Earl Grey simple syrup:
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1 Earl Grey tea bag
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • For cocktail:
    • Ice
    • 1 3/4 ounces London dry gin
    • 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed

    • 1 ounce Earl Grey tea simple syrup
    • Orange peel, for garnish

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. To make Earl Grey simple syrup: In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil over high heat. Cover with a lid to prevent evaporation. Once water reaches a boil, turn off heat and add tea bag. Steep for 4 minutes. Add sugar, and turn on heat once again. Stir occasionally, and cook until sugar melts completely. Remove from heat, and set to cool. Once cool, remove tea bag.

    2. To make cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add gin, lemon juice, and Earl Grey syrup. Shake vigorously for 10 to 20 seconds.

    3. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel.