Sparkling Tea: What is it, how does it taste — and what does it pair with?

Sparkling Tea is the most exciting non-alcoholic beverage category of recent years. Sommeliers are increasingly reaching for a tea bottle – not because they are abandoning their wine repertoire, but because Sparkling Tea works as a full-fledged food companion: complex, sparkling, with tannins and acidity.

This article explains what makes Sparkling Tea, how it's made, what it tastes like – and which variety pairs best with which course.

What is Sparkling Tea?

Sparkling Tea is a non-alcoholic beverage based on high-quality teas that undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle – analogous to the bottle fermentation in sparkling wine – and thereby develops a true, in-bottle created perlage.

It is not iced tea with fizz, not tea lemonade, and not non-alcoholic sparkling wine with tea aroma. The idea comes from Danish sommelier Jacob Kocemba, who wondered why, in upscale restaurants, there were excellent wine pairings but no complete non-alcoholic ones. His answer: fermented tea with bottle fermentation.

How is Sparkling Tea made?

Production follows a wine-like process:

1. Tea Cuvée. Several teas are combined to form a base – black Darjeeling, green Sencha, white Bai Mu Dan, Oolong, sometimes Lapsang Souchong for smoky depth. Each variety has its own cuvée.
2. Infusion. Each tea is infused at its appropriate temperature, then the extracts are blended.
3. Fermentation. The cuvée is fermented with yeast; the resulting alcohol is then removed.
4. Bottle Fermentation. A yeast-sugar mixture is added to the bottle. The yeast ferments the sugar into carbon dioxide – this creates the perlage. If the beverage remains on the lees longer, a brioche-like note develops.
5. Disgorgement. The bottleneck is frozen, the yeast removed, a small dosage added, then finally sealed.

The result is non-alcoholic, sparkling, and multi-layered – and priced accordingly, as the effort is similar to that of a sparkling wine.

What does Sparkling Tea taste like?

Experienced wine drinkers often describe it this way: like sparkling wine, but with a different aromatic foundation. The structural components are indeed similar:

• Acidity and Minerality – as in dry sparkling wine.
• Perlage – fine and persistent, supported by bottle fermentation.
• Tannin – from tea instead of grapes.
• Aromatic Complexity – Tea brings notes not found in wine: tobacco, honey, bergamot, smoky aromas, spice.

What Sparkling Tea doesn't have is the fruity sweetness of a lemonade. What it does have: dryness, depth, and an aroma profile that plays with food instead of overpowering it.

The three non-alcoholic varieties from Copenhagen Sparkling Tea

We carry the line from Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company, Jacob Kocemba's own brand. Three varieties are non-alcoholic:

Lysegrøn

A cuvée based on white teas with Sencha accents. Fine-floral, with honeydew melon, almond blossom, and a light white peach note. The lightest variety in the line – pairs well with sashimi, grilled asparagus, or goat cheese with honey.

Lyserød

Rosé variant with a proportion of smoky Lapsang Souchong. Deeper profile – dried strawberries, tobacco, a hint of smoked wood. Works unusually well with game, saddle of lamb, or dark chocolate.

Blå

Cuvée with a stronger black tea as its base. Dry and tannic, with hints of stewed plum, black olive, and cedarwood. Best with red meat or a strong cheese selection.

Important distinction: The line also includes the varieties Grøn, Rød, and Vinter – these contain 5% vol. alcohol and are therefore explicitly not non-alcoholic. If you are looking for non-alcoholic options, look for Lysegrøn, Lyserød, and Blå.

When and how to serve Sparkling Tea?

It can be served like sparkling wine as an aperitif, but it's truly at home as a food pairing. Three occasions where it particularly shines:

• Multi-course menus without wine. If a guest doesn't drink alcohol or if the entire menu is to be accompanied non-alcoholically, Sparkling Tea provides the depth that non-alcoholic sparkling wine alone cannot.
• Festive Aperitif. Served well-chilled in a flute, this makes for a welcoming drink that looks sophisticated and not like a compromise.
• Cheese Courses. Tea tannins and ripe cheese often play better together than sparkling wine and cheese.

Serve Sparkling Tea in a tall flute or a fine white wine glass, well-chilled at 6–8 °C. One bottle, like sparkling wine, is enough for five to six glasses.

Four Misconceptions

• "Iced tea with fizz." No. Iced tea is a mixture of tea, sugar, and water. Sparkling Tea undergoes bottle fermentation and is structurally built like sparkling wine.
• "Sweet like lemonade." No, it's predominantly dry – the dosage is at Brut level.
• "Only one flavor." On the contrary: Lysegrøn, Lyserød, and Blå are three distinctly different beverages, not variations of the same idea.
• "A passing fad." Sparkling Tea now has an international sommelier following and is listed as a regular non-alcoholic accompaniment in several Michelin-starred kitchens.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sparkling Tea?

A non-alcoholic beverage made from high-quality teas, which undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle and thereby develops a true perlage. Structurally, it is built like sparkling wine – with acidity, tannin, and perlage – but the aromatic foundation comes from tea instead of grapes.

What is the difference between Sparkling Tea and Kombucha?

Kombucha is fermented with a SCOBY culture and develops sour-vinegary notes. Sparkling Tea is produced in a wine-like, controlled process without an acetic acid component. Flavor-wise, Sparkling Tea approaches sparkling wine, while Kombucha is more akin to a light cider.

Does Sparkling Tea contain caffeine?

Yes, in small amounts – it is made from real tea. The content is significantly lower than that of an espresso. Those sensitive to caffeine in the evening should opt for Lysegrøn, which is based on lighter teas; the exact content for each variety is stated by the manufacturer.

Is Sparkling Tea really non-alcoholic?

The varieties Lysegrøn, Lyserød, and Blå are non-alcoholic. The varieties Grøn, Rød, and Vinter from the same line, however, contain 5% vol. – it's worth checking the label here.

How long can an open bottle be stored?

With a sparkling wine stopper in the refrigerator, about two days. The perlage noticeably diminishes, but the aroma profile lasts longer. Freshly opened is much better – Sparkling Tea is therefore particularly suitable for occasions with several guests.

Is Sparkling Tea suitable for mixing?

Yes, as a premium base for non-alcoholic cocktails – for example, in the Sparkling Tea Bellini from our cocktail article. However, drinking it neat remains the primary reason to buy it: mixing loses some of the subtle tea aromatics.

What you should try from the range

• Entry: Lysegrøn – the lightest and most accessible variety.
• For wine lovers: Lyserød – Rosé depth with smoky notes.
• With cheese and strong dishes: Blå – the most structured variety.
• For comparison: in non-alcoholic sparkling wine & sparkling wine you will find Geiger PriSecco and ViSecco – a worthwhile side-by-side test.
• Entire selection: Sparkling Tea & Iced Tea.

If you want to know how the other major non-alcoholic category is created: How is PriSecco made? explains the traditional orchard fruit method – and Non-alcoholic Wine the de-alcoholization process.