Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield Spice Up Cocktails With Tea Blends [Interview]
By: Rosemina Nazarali
Published: July 7, 2013

Imagine this: a delicious tea blend mixed with a little juice and Captain Morgan's Rum to enjoy on a hot summer's day. Well, imagine no more because Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield are taking the world by storm with their unique teaology methods that serve as a great way to spice up an ordinary cocktail. The duo are making these tea blends available to the masses through their recently launched business, Owl's Brew. They have also teamed up with Captain Morgan's to create unique cocktails that add a little extra flavor to your typical summer cocktail. 
1. Where did the idea for tea-infused cocktails come from?
We were looking for a fresher flavor profile for cocktails and were frustrated with only drinking cocktails that were “clunky.” So we started substituting tea for ingredients like Sweet Vermouth or Cranberry Juice, and began brewing some delicious tea cocktails.
2. You've recently teamed up with Captain Morgan, how did that partnership come about?
We’ve been pairing tea with Captain Morgan for several years and got to know the brand fairly well. When they invited us to create some loose-leaf tea recipes that complemented well with Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum for summer sipping, we were thrilled.
3. Did you design new specialty brews to go with the taste of Captain Morgan?
Yes, we did. We spent some time developing tea blends that were ideally matched for Captain Morgan. One example is our Ginger Chamomile, which is a subtly spicy blend which brings out some of the great flavor notes of Captain Morgan. 
4. What other types of alcohol work well for tea-infused cocktails? 
We were particularly excited to craft these custom, loose-leafed blends for Captain Morgan, but you pair tea with any and all spirits. For more information and recommendations, check out our website at www.theowlsbrew.com.
5. What are some easy tea-infused cocktails readers can make at home?
All of these recipes are super simple and can be created with tools and ingredients you can find at your local grocery store or purchase the brands we created for Captain Morgan at TheOwlsBrew.com. Nothing fancy needed!
6. You have a new venture coming soon, The Owl's Brew. Can you describe what The Owl's Brew is all about?
Owl’s Brew is the first ever “tea crafted for cocktails.” It’s an artisanal ready-to-pour tea mixer, intended to be paired with a variety of spirits. It’s brewed with only whole tea leaves, fruits and spices.
To try your hand at some of Maria and Jennie's tea-blended cocktails, check out the recipes below!
Captain’s Brew 
· 3 oz. Ginger Chamomile (tea base)
	· 1 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
	· 1 T agave (or sweetener of choice)
	· ½ oz. orange juice
	· Orange slice
Directions: Brew tea base or tea bag in 6-8 oz of water. Brew hot for four minutes and flash-chill, or cold for one hour. Combine tea with ingredients, shake and pour into Martini Glass, or pour over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with orange slice.
Captain Palmer 
· 3 oz. Darjeeling, Lemongrass (tea base)
	· 1 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum or Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
	· ½ oz. lemon juice or fresh squeezed Lemon
	· Lemon slice
Directions: Brew tea base or tea bag in 6-8 oz of water. Brew hot for four minutes and flash-chill, or cold for one hour. Combine tea with ingredients, pour over ice into a Highball Glass; with Black Spiced Rum, pour over ice into Rocks Glass. Garnish with Lemon Slice.
Black & Ginger 
· 3 oz. Ginger Tisane (tea base)
	· 1 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum or Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
	· 1 T agave (or sweetener of choice)
	· ¼ oz. lemon juice
Directions: Brew tea base or tea bag in 6-8 oz of water. Brew hot for four minutes and flash-chill, or cold for one hour. Shake and pour into Highball Glass (w/ Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum) or Rocks Glass (w/ Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum).