Lavender & Camomile Bourbon Sweet Tea

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Milo’s Tea Company, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #MakeItWithMilos  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV.

It is officially summer! Wahoo! It is time to break out the swimming suits, fire up the BBQ, and sip on some ice-cold drinks. As the hot weather rolls in, you’ll need to gather an arsenal of refreshing cocktail recipes to have at the ready. Lucky for you, I have teamed up with Milo’s Tea to create an uniquely Southern cocktail that will help you cool off on those unbearably muggy summer days. Come on y’all, let’s have a glass of my Lavender & Camomile Bourbon Sweet Tea!

Earlier this month, I gave my Instagram followers a sneak peek of the recipe and left it up to them to decide on one important ingredient… the alcohol! I posed them a very important question: Did they want the cocktail to have the obviously Southern choice of bourbon, a hint of smokiness with a peaty Scotch, or a stealthy kick with a flavorless vodka? Well, no need to recount the votes here. Bourbon won out in a landslide victory. And as many of my Instagram followers rightfully pointed out, why mess up a good thing? Sweet tea and bourbon are a match made in Southern heaven. And when you take into account that it’s Milo’s Tea at the drinks’ foundation, it really can’t get any better…

There’s a little bit of prep with this drink, but it’s worth the extra effort. Let’s walk through the steps together, shall we? Start off by creating the lavender & camomile syrup. In a medium saucepan add 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of dried camomile, 1 tablespoon of dried lavender, and 1/2 of a vanilla pod. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the stove, strain into a jar, and let cool.

To make the cocktail, add 2 ounces of bourbon and 1 tablespoon of the lavender & camomile syrup to a tumbler.

Top off with Milo’s Tea – No Calorie Famous Sweet Tea and garnish with dried lavender. And that’s it!

Milo’s Tea is a perfectly refreshing addition to a sweet tea cocktail. It is the ideal beverage for summer meal entertaining and get-togethers. Plus Milo’s Tea is fresh brewed, features natural ingredients, and includes no preservatives or added acids. The tea is available sweetened with pure cane sugar, unsweetened, or the no calorie version, like the one I used in today’s recipe. Lastly, Milo’s Tea Company has a great history. It is a family owned, certified woman-owned business operating out of the USA in Bessemer, Alabama. Who run the world? Girls! The family started off selling their fresh brewed Famous Sweet Tea to local Birmingham grocery stores in 1989 and have worked hard to grow the company to what it is today. Personally, I love a good family run-business success story and try to support those living the dream as best I can.

So who will you be sharing a glass with? Let me know in the comments below and make sure to pick up some Milo’s Tea for yourself. I found Milo’s at my local Kroger in the refrigerated juice section, but they are available in lots of retailers. Find a store near you by using the store locator. Happy sipping!