Sparkling Tea & Iced Tea

Sparkling Tea & Iced Tea — fermented tea cuvées and sparkling iced tea, non-alcoholic

Sparkling Tea has established itself as a distinct beverage category in recent years: neither a classic iced tea, nor a carbonated tea, nor a wine substitute in the strict sense. Instead, infusions of tea create cuvées that gain character through fermentation, carbonation, and single-varietal composition. A Sparkling Tea can fulfill the aspirations of a premium sparkling wine — served chilled in a champagne flute, with a recognizable tannin and acid structure that each tea brings from its variety.

What Sparkling Tea is — and what it is not

Sparkling Tea involves infusing high-quality tea, optionally fermenting it or combining it with other flavors, and then carbonating it. The spectrum ranges from white tea with a delicate, floral note, to green tea with grassy freshness, to black tea with a robust tannin body. Some Sparkling Teas are also blended with fruit, herbs, or other teas. Unlike supermarket iced tea, Sparkling Tea generally contains no or very little sugar — its flavor comes from the tea itself.

Which manufacturers can you find at genussland

Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company from Denmark has established its own school of Sparkling Tea with its line. The varieties Lysegrøn (Green), Lyserød (Rosé), Blå (Blue), and Hvid (White) are single-varietal cuvées from teas of different growing regions — Lysegrøn, for example, combines Sencha from Japan with South Indian tea, Lyserød relies on hibiscus and black tea. The bottle design deliberately aims for winery-level aesthetics, as does the drinking etiquette at the table.

The Manufaktur Jörg Geiger offers its own variation with the Teasecco line: Teasecco Weiss (white tea cuvée) and Teasecco Rosé (tea with rose petals and fruit). Both varieties combine the manufacturer's orchard-fruit signature with the world of tea — sparkling, refined, and without added sugar.

van Nahmen from the Lower Rhine region introduces a very unique idea with its Sparkling Juicy Tea line: white tea with vanilla and quince, rose and Darjeeling with rhubarb, verbena with jasmine and Riesling grapes. These cuvées combine tea infusions with direct orchard-fruit juices, making them a transitional beverage between Sparkling Tea and fruit secco.

Glow Glow complements the range with Freija No.1, a fermented Sparkling Tea from a German manufacturer.

What to use Sparkling Tea for

• As a non-alcoholic accompaniment to a meal — white tea with fish, black tea with lamb, tea cuvées with cheese
• As an aperitif before a meal, chilled in a champagne flute
• As a non-alcoholic toast at receptions and weddings
• As a sparkling summer drink, pure or with a few ice cubes

Frequently Asked Questions about Sparkling Tea

What is the difference between Sparkling Tea and Iced Tea?
Classic iced tea is a chilled tea, often with added sugar and fruit flavor, and no carbonation. Sparkling Tea is a high-quality tea infusion that is carbonated, usually with little to no sugar, often as a single-varietal or cuvée-like composition. Its ambition is closer to non-alcoholic sparkling wine than to classic iced tea.

Does Sparkling Tea contain caffeine?
That depends on the tea base. Black tea and green tea-based Sparkling Teas contain caffeine (theine), albeit in smaller amounts than an equivalently prepared hot tea. White tea-based varieties have a lower caffeine content, and herbal-based Sparkling Teas (e.g., with verbena or rose) contain no caffeine. The exact amount varies depending on the variety and infusion strength.

Which glass is suitable for Sparkling Tea?
As with sparkling wine, the glass follows the variety. A narrow champagne flute retains the perlage longer and concentrates the aromas — ideal for Lysegrøn or Teasecco. A bulbous champagne glass showcases more complex cuvées like Lyserød or Sparkling Juicy Tea Rose-Darjeeling-Rhubarb in their breadth.

How long does an opened bottle last?
An unopened bottle of Sparkling Tea will last for about a year when stored in a dark, cool place. Once opened, Sparkling Tea — like non-alcoholic sparkling wine — is more delicate than its alcoholic counterpart. We recommend drinking an opened bottle within one to two days and storing it in the refrigerator.

Sparkling Tea — the non-alcoholic accompaniment with its own character, beyond lemonade and wine substitutes.