How To Make Green Tea Shots (Recipes And Tips)

Do you want to know the secret to making green tea shots?

They don’t contain any green tea!

So why are they called green tea shots then?

It’s simple. They have a light green color similar to green tea.

And once you read how to make green tea shots below, you’ll see why they have that color.

So let’s get right to it. Keep reading for my simple instructions for making green tea shots. And just for fun, I’ll show you how to make white tea shots too. They don’t contain any white tea either.

 

How To Make Green Tea Shots

We’ll begin by making our own sweet-sour mix, because it is easy and much better than buying one.

 

Step 1: Make The Sweet-Sour Mix

As mentioned, you can always use store-bought sweet-sour mix, but it is easy enough to make at home.

 

Materials And Ingredients Needed

• 1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• ½ cup lime juice, also freshly squeezed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup of water
• A pinch of salt
• Saucepan
• Spoon
• Fine mesh strainer
• Decanter
• Bottle

 

Steps

• In a saucepan, heat the sugar and the water until completely dissolved.
• Switch off the heat and add the lemon and lime juices. Add a pinch of salt.
• Stir to mix well.
• Cool completely before decanting into a bottle.
• You can refrigerate it for about 2 weeks.

 

Step 2: Make The Green Tea Shots

Now that we have our sweet-sour mix, we are ready to make the actual shot. Here is how you do it.

 

Materials Needed

• One bottle of Irish whiskey
• Peach Schnapps
• Homemade sweet-sour mix
• Sweet lemon soda such as Sprite or 7 Up.
• A cup of ice cubes
• Cocktail shaker
• Shot glasses
• Lime wedges for serving

 

Steps (For 3 Shots)

• In the cocktail shaker, add ice cubes, 1 ½ ounces of Irish whiskey, 1 ½ ounces of Peach schnapps, and 1 ½ ounces of sweet-sour mix.
• Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
• Pour into shot glasses until only 3/4 full.
• Top off each glass with Sprite or 7 Up.
• Serve with lime wedges.

 

What Is A Green Tea Shot Made Of?

As you can see from the recipe above, green tea shots contain Irish whisky, peach schnapps, sweet-sour mix in equal parts, and a dash of lemony soda, such as Sprite or 7 Up. Green tea shots are popular in bars, and with the above recipe, you can easily make them at home.

As mentioned, green tea shots do not actually contain any green tea. Their color is light green, just like green tea. Hence the name.

The recipe was first made by the Jameson Irish Whisky Company, which is why purists only use Jameson Irish whisky in their green tea shot recipe. The shot is easy to make and requires just four ingredients.

If you are looking for shorts or alcoholic drink made with actual tea, I have another article on hot alcoholic tea drinks and one on iced tea with alcohol.

 

How Does A Green Tea Shot Taste?

People love green tea shots for their sweet-sour, tangy taste. The addition of peach Schnapps imparts a peachy, fruity flavor. The lemonade soda (or Sprite or 7 Up) gives that fizzy, cooling, and refreshing taste.

Green tea shots have a lovely green color and a mellow taste. They are especially popular on St. Patrick’s Day, when you make green colored beverages. Their sweet and sour taste is ideal for hot summer days.

 

How Many Calories Are In A Green Tea Shot?

A standard green tea shot consists of around 15 ml of whisky, which amounts to around 50 calories. Add in the peach schnapps and you will have around 20 calories more.

The shots also contain Sprite/7 Up and sugar from the sweet-sour mix, which can contribute around 10 calories. This can bring the total to 80 calories per green tea shot.

 

Are Green Tea Shots Good for You?

Green tea shots aren’t exactly healthy. And since there is no green tea in them, you certainly won’t get a boost of antioxidants from these drinks.

There is alcohol in the shot, albeit very little. However, in excess, alcohol can lead to drastic changes in your body. These effects also worsen the more shots you take.

Here is how green tea shots could affect you, when you drink them in excess:

• They can increase your appetite and lead to food cravings, which can cause binge eating and weight gain.
• They could make you feel hot and flushed.
• You could have lower inhibitions and poor judgment.
• Your body may not be able to process certain medications that you may take for certain health issues.

 

What is Similar To Green Tea Shots?

White tea shots come close to green tea shots in terms of taste and recipe. Again, like green tea shots, white tea shots do not contain white tea. They are made using vodka, peach schnapps, and a lemony sour mix. Here is a delicious recipe for making white tea shots.

 

White Tea Shot Recipe

Follow this recipe for delicious white tea shots, containing zero parts white tea.

 

Materials Needed For 6 Shots

• 1 lemon, juiced with no pulp
• 1 lime, juiced with no pulp
• 1 cup of ice cubes
• 3 oz of vodka; you can use orange-flavored vodka; if you aren’t a fan of vodka, use gin, white rum, or tequila
• 3 oz peach schnapps
• 4 oz Sprite Zero
• 1 oz simple syrup (or you can use sweet-sour mix recipe given above)
• Orange slices or lemon wedges for serving
• Cocktail shaker with strainer
• Shot glasses

 

Steps

• Add ice cubes to the cocktail shaker.
• Measure the vodka, peach schnapps, simple syrup, lime, and lemon juice into the shaker. Shake well for at least 30 seconds.
• Add the Sprite on top – do not shake any further.
• Pour into shot glasses.
• Serve with lemon or orange slices.

 

Tips And Variations

Next, I’ve got some additional tips for you, along with some possible variations on the standard recipes. We’ll begin with a tip you have already implemented, if you followed the recipe above.

 

Make Your Own Sweet-Sour Mix

Both green tea and white tea shots can be made using a homemade sweet-sour mix. Instead of limes and lemons, you can use any citrus fruits for making your sweet-sour syrup: oranges, clementines, grapefruit, etc.

Making the syrup at home not only helps you save money, but also gives you more control over its taste. You can choose to add more or less lemon juice. Most people like a hint of sweetness in these shots but you can cut back on the sugar and add more lemon juice for a tangier shot.

 

You Can Make The Recipe In Bulk

You can store a large batch of the recipe in the refrigerator. Just don’t add the 7 Up/Sprite. The sugar will make it go bad faster. You can add a splash of the lemony soda just before serving.

 

Try Blended Whiskeys

Instead of Irish whiskey, you can go for blended whiskeys, which have a smoother profile. Alternatively, you can use bourbon instead of Irish whisky and triple sec instead of peach schnapps to make red tea shots.

 

You Can Make Non-Alcoholic Green Tea Shots Too!

Simply use your favorite non-alcoholic whiskey alternative and go for non-alcoholic schnapps. You can also add peach juice, peachy iced tea, or peach nectar.

 

Green Tea Shot Recipe: Final Thought

Now that you know how to make green tea shots, you can see that they are as easy to make as they are delicious. The most important ingredient is the one you don’t include: green tea.

If you want to make a shot that does include green tea, check out the links I provided above for some recipes for alcoholic drinks using tea. You can pair many different liquors with tea. Stronger teas like black and oolong work best, but you can make some great drinks with green tea as well.