Recipe Help -- How To Get Orange Flavor -- Russian or Friendship Tea

[WinterWarrior]

I have a standard go-to hot tea mix I drink in the fall & winter. It's called Russian Tea or in some places Friendship Tea.

It's an instant mix that's added to hot water & isn't alcoholic. You can see the original recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/russian-friendship-tea-mix-16632

I'd like the same flavor in a Hard Tea. I can add lemonade concentrate for the lemon flavor. I've never added orange to any fermentation that I've done so far. Should I add orange juice concentrate? Or whole oranges?? Not sure what's best to get that lovely "Tang" flavor.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Sunday Drive Spiced Tea
5 Gallon Batch

50-75 Tea Bags
2-4 Cans Frozen Lemonade Concentrate
2-4 Cans Frozen Orange Juice??? or Whole Oranges
6 Cups Sugar
Water to 5 Gallons
Yeast Nutrient & Yeast Energizer
Potassium Bicarbonate
1 T. Cinnamon
2 t. Allspice
1 t. Cloves
EC-1118

 

[calmingapple]

I am sorry I cannot add any helpful advice since I am still newbie status but I just wanted to say that this sounds like a super fun recipe and I hope it works out for you.

I am just going to guess... Slicing up whole oranges might help?

I have a standard go-to hot tea mix I drink in the fall & winter. It's called Russian Tea or in some places Friendship Tea.

It's an instant mix that's added to hot water & isn't alcoholic. You can see the original recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/russian-friendship-tea-mix-16632

I'd like the same flavor in a Hard Tea. I can add lemonade concentrate for the lemon flavor. I've never added orange to any fermentation that I've done so far. Should I add orange juice concentrate? Or whole oranges?? Not sure what's best to get that lovely "Tang" flavor.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Sunday Drive Spiced Tea
5 Gallon Batch

50-75 Tea Bags
2-4 Cans Frozen Lemonade Concentrate
2-4 Cans Frozen Orange Juice??? or Whole Oranges
6 Cups Sugar
Water to 5 Gallons
Yeast Nutrient & Yeast Energizer
Potassium Bicarbonate
1 T. Cinnamon
2 t. Allspice
1 t. Cloves
EC-1118

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I have a standard go-to hot tea mix I drink in the fall & winter. It's called Russian Tea or in some places Friendship Tea.

It's an instant mix that's added to hot water & isn't alcoholic. You can see the original recipe here: http://www.food.com/recipe/russian-friendship-tea-mix-16632

I'd like the same flavor in a Hard Tea. I can add lemonade concentrate for the lemon flavor. I've never added orange to any fermentation that I've done so far. Should I add orange juice concentrate? Or whole oranges?? Not sure what's best to get that lovely "Tang" flavor.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Sunday Drive Spiced Tea
5 Gallon Batch

50-75 Tea Bags
2-4 Cans Frozen Lemonade Concentrate
2-4 Cans Frozen Orange Juice??? or Whole Oranges
6 Cups Sugar
Water to 5 Gallons
Yeast Nutrient & Yeast Energizer
Potassium Bicarbonate
1 T. Cinnamon
2 t. Allspice
1 t. Cloves
EC-1118

1st off, avoid powdered spices, they make a big mess & are impossible to remove without filtration (unless you make a sort of "teabag" to contain them). Use whole, cracked or sliced spices, contain them in a hop sack; weigh them down with a couple sanitized marbles if you want.

I'd use orange zest & FOJC (frozen orange juice concentrate) thawed of course. Now here's the catch: The FOJC will add significant acids to the must, which will impact the yeast. The bicarb will help, but I think you'll need to keep an eye on the PH & adjust as needed.

You could also add the FOJC to secondary, or even at bottling, but you'd need to stabilize or pasteurize to avoid bottle bombs. I think you'll need to back sweeten too, in order to get the flavour you're wanting. Not trying to dissuade you, but wouldn't it be easier to simply add a couple shots of vodka to the original tea? Just sayin'.
Regards, GF.

 

[WinterWarrior]

You could also add the FOJC to secondary, or even at bottling, but you'd need to stabilize or pasteurize to avoid bottle bombs. I think you'll need to back sweeten too, in order to get the flavour you're wanting. Not trying to dissuade you, but wouldn't it be easier to simply add a couple shots of vodka to the original tea? Just sayin'.
Regards, GF.

Of course it would be simpler ... but not nearly as much fun! Besides, I don't like distilled alcohol and, other than Bailey's at Christmas, never drink it. Id mayyes muh fayth feehl fuhunny.

I agree on the spices, but I know that cloves are hard to predict when whole or cracked -- I really don't want to end up with clove wine. Ugh! I have a "poor man's" filtering system, so I'm hoping that it along with a spice teabag like you recommended will work in a pinch.

I've never used FOJC before, so wasn't even sure if I should. I make my Firefly Nectar (hard lemonade) all the time and never have a problem. So, fingers crossed this works.

Thanks so much for your ideas -- they are much appreciated.

 

[h_t]

um, I am Russian and I never heard of that Russian tea

Here's grog recipe for you, if you want tea with alc
You need good leaf tea btw
Make strong tea, add slice of lemon (or orange), sugar or honey, spices and rum (or any other booze) to taste.