Perk Up With Matcha Cocktails

Looking for a trendy energetic kick to add to your cocktail repertoire?

Matcha is the latest in the global lifestyle trend and I absolutely love it! Matcha has replaced all of my caffeinated sodas and wakes me up in the morning and keeps me perky throughout the day. I also find the flavor of matcha very yummy when combined with the right ingredients. The energy boosting effects of matcha are reportedly as high as coffee and is more gentle on the digestive system, promoting a positive and happy boost without that sugary crash you get from other drinks. It is also packed with anti-oxidants including L-theanine–which promotes an “alert calm” within the body.

Matcha is a finely ground powder of an amazing green tea that has been grown in the shade to encourage chlorophyll production and giving it its vivid green colour. The stems and veins of the tea leaves are removed before processing enabling the tea to be ground down to such a fine powder.

Here are a few of my favorite matcha cocktail recipes that I think make for a fun, frisky and refreshing beverage. Each can be served with or without alcohol! And all of them are vegan! Tip: Use a fine strainer to eliminate clumps and lumps matcha powder produces when mixed with liquid.

Matcha Highball

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 cocktail

Serving Size: Serves 1

Ingredients

1-1/2 ounces Whisky
¾ ounce Ginger Honey Syrup
½ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ ounce Green Chartreuse
2-1/2 ounces brewed and cooled Matcha Green Tea
Soda water
A fresh slice of lemon for garnish

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker, combine the whisky, lemon juice, honey syrup and matcha; shake vigorously. Pour into a chilled, ice-filled collins glass. Pour the club soda into the shaker, swirl around to rinse, then stir into the glass. Garnish with a lemon sliced wheel.

Matcha Martini

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 cocktail

Serving Size: Serves 1

Ingredients

1 tsp Matcha powder
50ml Non-dairy milk
25ml Vodka
Splash of Dry Vermouth
Ice to serve
Instructions

Whisk the matcha powder with the vodka until smooth.
Add the matcha infused vodka to a cocktail shaker along with the non-dairy milk and ice.
Shake well and strain into a martini glass to serve.

Tokyo Soul Cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 1 cocktail

Serving Size: Serves 1

Ingredients

1 oz Lemon Vodka

1/2 oz Matcha green powder
1/2 oz Ginger syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 oz Soda water
Crystallized ginger for garnish
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and smashed

Instructions

• In a small sauce pan, add water, sugar, and ginger
• Let boil and stir until sugar is dissolved
• Turn down to a simmer for 5 minutes
• Turn off heat and let cool
• Remove ginger
• Can be refrigerated for 1 week
• In a small pot, bring 1 cup water to a boil
• Turn off heat
• Add matcha powder and whisk
• Let cool
• In large glass, add vodka, matcha green tea, ginger syrup and lemon juice, stir
• Fill a high ball glass with ice
• Pour drink into highball and top with soda water
• Garnish with crystallized ginger