We put together 10 fireweed tea cocktails (five with alcohol, five without) recipes that work beautifully with our boreal teas. They were created by the master mixologist Jean-François Laurence from the renowned Quebec city Légende restaurant who has been working with our teas for many years. Whether you’re mixing something for the patio or looking for a creative mocktail or cocktail for the whole family, there’s something in here for every occasion..
So grab some friends and your favourite cocktail shaker!
Naturally caffeine-free, naturally delicious, and Canadian!
A quick note before you start: a lot of these recipes call for verjuice,the tart, unfermented juice pressed from unripe grapes. Although not widely known, you can easily find it at many retailers.
Lemon or lime juice makes an easy swap in every recipe below.
*Don’t have all the ingredients for the recipe?*
No problem, be creative and improvise with what you have on hand 😉
1. La Marelle
Type: With alcohol
Style: Stirred and shaken cocktail
Tea used: Original Fireweed Tea, infused into honey syrup
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 1.5 oz Le Gros Gin du Pirate
- 0.75 oz red vermouth
- 0.75 oz fireweed honey syrup (recipe below)
- 0.5 oz verjus (or lemon/lime juice)
10 g Original Fireweed Tea
- 6 fresh raspberries
Preparation :
- Drop the raspberries into your shaker.
- Add the gin, vermouth, honey syrup, and verjus.
- Gently muddle the raspberries, just enough to release the juice, not so much you crush the seeds.
- Add ice and shake hard for 10–12 seconds.
- Double-strain into an old fashioned glass over ice, or into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish with a fresh raspberry and a few small edible flowers.
Fireweed honey syrup (makes 500 ml):
Ingredients:
- 175 g honey
- 265 ml water
- 10 g Original Fireweed Tea
Method:
- Heat the water over medium heat until it just starts to simmer (about 80–85°C / 175°F).
- Remove from heat, add the fireweed, and cover.
- Steep for 10–12 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter.
- Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter
- While the infusion is still warm, stir in the honey until fully dissolved.
- Let cool, bottle, and keep in the fridge.
2. Fireweed Sour
Type: Non-alcoholic
Style: Stirred and shaken cocktail
Tea used: Original Fireweed Tea (as syrup)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 1.5 oz Noroi non-alcoholic gin
- 0.75 oz verjus (or lemon/lime juice)
- 0.75 oz fireweed tea syrup (recipe below)
- 0.75 oz pasteurized egg white, or Noroi vegan emulsifier (e.g. aquafaba)
Preparation :
- Combine everything in a shaker.
- Add ice and shake for 10 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Let it sit a few seconds so the foam rises..
- Garnish with a pinch of dried fireweed flowers, or a dash of citrus bitters over the foam.
Fireweed tea syrup (makes 500 ml, about 16–20 cocktails):
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 10 g Original Fireweed Tea
Method:
- Bring the water to a light boil.
- Remove from heat, add the fireweed, and cover.
- Steep 10–12 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter.
- Stir the sugar into the hot infusion until fully dissolved.
- Cool, bottle, and refrigerate.
3. Pirate of the North
Type: With alcohol
Style: Stirred and shaken cocktail
Tea used: Fireweed Black Tea (as syrup)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 1 oz Amaro Lore & Legend
- 1 oz fire cider (a bold or reduced ice cider works well)
- 0.75 oz verjus (or lemon/lime juice)
- 0.75 oz fireweed black tea syrup (recipe below)
Preparation :
- Fill a shaker with ice and add all the ingredients.
- Shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
- Strain into an old fashioned or highball glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with apple slices or a sprig of rosemary.
Fireweed black tea syrup (makes 500 ml):
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 1.75 cups (340 g) sugar
- 0.35 oz (10 g) Fireweed Black Tea
Method:
- Heat the water to about 95°C (just before it boils).
- Remove from heat and steep the fireweed for 10–15 minutes, covered.
- Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter
- Stir the sugar into the hot infusion until fully dissolved.
- Cool and refrigerate.
4. Comfort of the North
Type: Non-alcoholic
Style: Hot cocktail
Tea used: Fireweed Black Tea (hot infusion)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 3 oz hot Fireweed Black Tea infusion (recipe below)
- 1 oz NOA non-alcoholic amaretto
- 1 oz apple juice
- 1 fresh ginger slice
Preparation :
- Warm the tea infusion and other liquids together, but don’t let it boil.
- Pour into a heatproof mug.
- Garnish with an apple slice or a piece of ginger.
Hot fireweed black tea infusion (single serving):
Ingredients:
- 200 ml just-simmering water (95°C)
- 1 tbsp (3 g) Fireweed Black Tea
Method:
- Steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain before using.
5. La Bohème
Type: With alcohol
Style: Stirred and shaken cocktail
Tea used: Fireweed Green Tea (as syrup)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 1.5 oz Original Gin Lore & Legend (sea buckthorn notes)
- 0.75 oz Menaud rhubarb liqueur
- 0.75 oz verjus (or lemon/lime juice)
- 0.75 oz fireweed green tea syrup (recipe below)
- 0.75 oz egg white or Noroi vegan emulsifier
Preparation :
- Shake all the ingredients.
- Add ice and shake vigorously.
- Shake all the ingredients together.
- Garnish with an edible flower or a sprig of wood sorrel.
Fireweed green tea syrup (makes 500 ml):
Ingredients:
- 480 ml (16 oz) water
- 300 g (10.5 oz) white sugar
- 10 g (0.35 oz) Fireweed Green Tea
Method:
- Steep the tea in hot water (80–85°C) for 8–10 minutes.
- Strain, then stir in the sugar.
- Cool and refrigerate.
6. Garden Flavour
Type: Non-alcoholic
Style: Stirred and shaken cocktail
Tea used: Fireweed Green Tea (as syrup)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 1.5 oz NOA non-alcoholic garden gin
- 0.75 oz fireweed green tea syrup (see recipe above under La Bohème)
- 1 dash celery bitters
- 0.75 oz verjus (or lemon/lime juice)
- 0.75 oz egg white or Noroi vegan emulsifier
Preparation :
- Dry shake all the ingredients (no ice yet).
- Add ice and shake vigorously again.
- Strain into a coupe or cocktail glass.
- Garnish with edible flowers or fresh herbs.
7. Dartmouth Sour
Type: With alcohol
Style: Stirred and shaken cocktail
Tea used: Raspberry leaf tea (as syrup)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 2 oz Dartmouth Amaretto
- 0.75 oz raspberry tea syrup (recipe below)
- 0.75 oz verjus (or lemon/lime juice)
- 0.75 oz egg white or Noroi vegan emulsifier
Preparation :
- Shake all the ingredients.
- Add ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into an old fashioned glass over ice.
- Garnish with wood sorrel or a citrus zest.
Raspberry leaf tea syrup (makes 500 ml):
Ingredients:
- 240 ml (8 oz) water
- 200 g (7 oz) white sugar
- 10 g (0.35 oz) raspberry tea
Method:
- Steep the leaves in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Strain, then stir in the sugar until fully dissolved.
- Cool and refrigerate.
8. Spring Rosé
Type: Non-alcoholic
Style: Built cocktail
Tea used: Raspberry tea (as syrup)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 3 oz Natureo non-alcoholic rosé
- 0.75 oz raspberry tea syrup (see recipe above under Dartmouth Sour)
- 3 dashes cucumber bitters
- 1 oz cranberry juice
- 3 oz 1642 green tonic
Preparation :
- Pour everything except the tonic into a wine glass.
- Stir gently in the glass, filled with ice.
- Top with the tonic.
- Garnish with a cucumber slice or a few berries.
9. Summer Pleasure
Type: With alcohol
Style: Built cocktail
Tea used: Sweet Summertime blend (cold-infused)
Ingredients (makes 1 cocktail):
- 2 oz elderflower liqueur, cold-infused with Sweet Summertime blend (recipe below)
- 0.5 oz Clair de Lune honey spirit
- 0.75 oz cranberry concentrate
- 2 oz sparkling wine (brut or rosé, whichever mood you’re going for)
Preparation :
- In a wine glass, combine the spirits and cranberry concentrate with ice.
- Fill the glass with ice and stir briefly with a bar spoon.
- Top with the sparkling wine.
- Garnish with a mix of red berries.
Cold-infused elderflower liqueur (makes 750 ml):
Ingredients:
- 750 ml elderflower liqueur (e.g. St-Germain)
- 15 g (0.5 oz) Sweet Summertime blend
Method:
- Infuse the blend directly in the bottle, or in an airtight container, in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Strain through a coffee or tea filter and return to the bottle.
- Keep cool.
10. Summer Gathering
Type: Non-alcoholic
Style: Pre-game mocktail, made from a bottle of wine
Tea used: Sweet Summertime blend (cold-infused in the wine)
Ingredients (makes 750 ml, about 4–5 glasses):
- 1 bottle (750 ml) non-alcoholic red wine (e.g. Natureo)
- 10 g (0.35 oz) Sweet Summertime blend
- 8 oz simple syrup, to taste (recipe below; adjust after tasting if you want it sweeter)
- 1 oz sweet clover (mélilot) essence
Preparation :
- Infuse the tea in the non-alcoholic wine in a covered container, in the fridge, for 24–48 hours.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently.
- Strain finely.
- Serve over large ice cubes in a highball glass.
- Garnish with a sprig of lovage, or another herb or flower of your choice.
Simple syrup (makes 500 ml):
Ingredients:
- 250 ml (8.5 oz) water
- 250 g (8.5 oz) white sugar
Method:
- Heat the water without boiling and dissolve the sugar.
- Cool and refrigerate.
Let’s Get Mixing
Ten drinks, one tea, endless ways to pour it. Now it’s time for you to experiment. Pick whichever one matches your mood, and don’t be shy about swapping some ingredients to make your own custom versions of boreal cocktails and mocktails.
Grab the teas that started it all, our Original Fireweed Tea, Fireweed Black Tea, Fireweed Green Tea, or Sweet Summertime, and start making your own syrups!
