Paul Kushner
Think: Arnold Palmer, but spiked. That’s exactly what you get out of this simple yet refreshing drink. Backyard tea is a straightforward cocktail that doesn’t require any special skills or complicated ingredients.
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Just like a summer day sitting out on your front porch, the backyard iced tea brings you down to earth and back to simpler times. When it’s hot outside, it doesn’t take much more than this drink to cool you off.
How to Make Backyard Tea
Making backyard tea is as easy as it sounds, using the ingredients listed below and following these steps to do so. All of these components combine to deliver top-notch flavor in a classic summer cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 oz. unsweetened iced tea
- 2 oz. lemonade or freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 oz. spiced rum
- Lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass with glass, as much as you prefer.
- Add the iced tea, the lemonade, and the spiced rum to the glass.
- Stir the ingredients until combined and chilled.
- Add the lemon wedge to the edge of the glass for garnish.
History of Backyard Tea
You have probably heard of the classic Arnold Palmer drink. It’s the one you can order at any restaurant or buy in a can from any convenience store. Yes, we’re talking about the half-tea, half-lemonade drink chilled to perfection.
But do you know the story behind this drink?
Arnold Palmer was a very famous American professional golfer who won numerous golfing events dating back to the 1950s. The story goes that one day, after golfing in the Palm Springs area, Palmer ordered lunch and asked if his waitress could mix lemonade with iced tea.
Apparently, a woman sitting near him heard his drink order and asked for the same, calling it “that Arnold Palmer drink.”
Thus, the Arnold Palmer was born.
It should come as no surprise that someone later had the fantastic idea to add some alcohol to this already popular drink. Whether it was at a backyard barbeque or during a dull day at the golf course, we may never know, but the cocktail has certainly gained traction over the years.
Backyard tea simply adds some spiced rum to the classic Arnold Palmer. What’s great about this cocktail is that there are plenty of ways to customize it to your taste.
You can use any kind of tea you like, including flavored tea, along with store-bought lemonade or freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can also use any kind of rum you prefer.
Cheers!
Additionally, some people like to use flavored tea, such as raspberry iced tea. You can also use a flavored lemonade, like strawberry lemonade. These options are great for switching things up. You can also get one in a can for the ultimate convenience!
Shake up a Backyard Tea the next time the weather is nice and let us know what you think of our recipe in the comments!
