What Is Twisted Tea? A Deep Dive Into This Refreshing Drink

Created in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2001, Twisted Tea is an alcoholic beverage that strives to taste as much like real iced tea as possible. This sweet malt beverage features citrus flavors in the original version, and the popularity of this drink has inspired the creation of a wide range of Twisted Tea varieties.

In our article, we give you all the facts about Twisted Tea including the alcoholic content of this drink, the primary ingredient of Twisted Tea, and the creation process of this beverage. With our help, the next time you consume Twisted Tea, you’re going to know exactly what makes it so twisted.

Twisted Tea: The Main Facts

Twisted Tea is a hard iced tea beverage, and the creators of this drink strive to make it taste as much like regular iced tea as possible. It’s sweet, with hints of citrus, and blended with black tea leaves and a malt base to create the boozy aftertaste of the drink. Twisted Tea is best served chilled so you can fully taste the tea, citrus notes, and subtle malt in this drink.

Twisted Tea is generally sold in bottles or cans, and the logo is bright yellow. As Twisted Tea has grown in popularity, there are many different flavors in addition to the classic tea flavor, such as peach tea and half & half, which includes lemonade.

Most individuals tend to enjoy Twisted Tea in the warmer months, as it’s a great addition to cookouts, tailgates, beach parties, and summer evenings relaxing after a long day at work. It’s perceived as a casual drink, on par with beer, seltzers, and ready-to-drink spirits.

What Is the Alcohol Content of Twisted Tea?

Twisted Tea features a malt beverage base, and this gives it an alcoholic content similar to beer. The original Twisted Tea has an ABV of 5%, though different flavors and mixtures of Twisted Tea may have higher or lower ABVs. Pay attention to the label on your preferred Twisted Tea flavor to be sure of the ABV before consuming.

What Is Twisted Tea Made From?

According to the Twisted Tea website, the original flavor of Twisted Tea is created from a malt base of fermented grains (this is also how beer is made), tea leaves, sugar, and flavorings, which provide the twist of lemon the original Twisted Tea is known for.

Unlike beer, there is no carbonation in Twisted Tea, and the brand works to create a taste that is as similar to a Southern iced tea as possible.

The Twisted Tea brand has expanded into many other flavors, and a light version of the original Twisted Tea is available. All of these beverages will have a similar malt base, plus sugar, tea leaves, and specific flavorings that give each one its unique taste.

What Is the Primary Ingredient of Twisted Tea?

The primary ingredient of Twisted Tea is the fermented malt base that gives it an alcoholic content. Tea leaves and sugar aren’t far behind on the ingredients list, as these are what contribute to Twisted Tea being more like a Southern iced tea and less like a beer or other malt beverage product.

How Is Twisted Tea Made?

The exact formulation and recipe of Twisted Tea isn’t available, unfortunately, as this recipe is kept a secret by the company that produces Twisted Tea, the Boston Beer Company.

However, Twisted Tea is made with a combination of a malt base similar to beer, black tea leaves, sugar, and flavorings. These flavorings may give it a citrus, peach, mango, or lemonade flavor, among many others.

How Is Twisted Tea Distilled or Filtered?

Twisted Tea is created from a brewed base alcohol, which is the element that classifies this drink as a malt beverage. This alcohol is then filtered and combined with black tea leaves, sugar, and flavorings to create the original Southern iced tea flavor of Twisted Tea.

Can You Make Twisted Tea Yourself?

Making Twisted Tea at home is likely not possible, as you will need to brew an alcohol base to create this drink. For most people, brewing their own alcohol base is a time-consuming process, and it can be dangerous when not done correctly.

If you are looking for a lower-sugar version of Twisted Tea or if you are inspired by Twisted Tea’s Southern iced tea flavor, you can blend iced tea with sugar and vodka or whiskey. This will create a boozy cocktail similar to Twisted Tea.

Just be careful when mixing your own cocktails – iced tea mixed with hard liquor has a higher alcoholic content and will likely catch up to you faster than the original Twisted Tea.

Making Time for Twisted Tea

Twisted Tea is a popular summertime drink, and this malt beverage offers individuals the smooth taste of Southern iced tea with a twist of lemon. Due to its popularity, there are many flavors of Twisted Tea on the market, though the original remains a fan favorite.

The next time you’re shopping for a smooth, lower-alcoholic content beverage that’s not quite as bitter as beer, Twisted Tea might be the right option for you. Serve this drink chilled to maximize your enjoyment of its smooth, somewhat boozy, lemon and tea flavor. In fact, you can add gin or other types of alcohol to come up with your own unique concoctions!