Best Hot Toddy Recipe | With Tea & For Colds | Inspire • Travel • Eat (2024)

FAQs

What tea is best for hot toddy? ›

You can use whatever tea you want for a hot toddy, and any full-bodied, flavorful tea that can stand up well to the strong flavors of spirits and lemon is a good option.

Experts say yes — sort of. The folklore goes that a hot toddy – the alcoholic drink composed of hot water, lemon juice, honey and whiskey or rum or brandy – can soothe your sore throat or clear your winter cold-induced congestion. And many people are believers.

Best consumed in small doses and infrequently, Hot Toddies can only be served as as medicine to those 21 and over, should not replace a medical professional's advice, and are best followed by a tall glass of water, some herbal tea, and plenty of rest and TLC.

To make a hot toddy, you'll need bourbon (which is a type of whiskey), honey, lemons, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, and whole cloves. Simply combine the bourbon, lemon juice, and honey in a mug and add boiling water (use more or less water depending on how strong you'd like your hot toddy to be).

The ingredients in a hot toddy have been shown to have cough-suppressing properties. Alcohol isn't needed in the recipe to experience these benefits. Consuming warm water, lemon, and honey is the key to symptom relief. Additional items can be added to taste, such as tea, clove, and ginger.

A hot toddy contains several ingredients that may be able to reduce cold symptoms, such as lemon, honey, and hot water. Adding spices, such as ginger, to a hot toddy may also have benefits. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that alcohol can help with the symptoms.

From a hot toddy, lemon and honey coat the throat and cut through the unpleasant mucus lingering in the head; cinnamon offers sweet warmth to the beverage, and the bourbon takes a more aggressive approach in combatting congestion.

Brandy, with its warming properties, is often considered a traditional remedy for cold symptoms. When consumed in moderation, brandy can help relax the muscles, providing relief from the aches and pains associated with a cold. Yes, you should drink a lot of water.

But fear not, hot cider, hot toddy, and mulled wine lovers: Around 85 percent of your beloved alcohol will survive the heating process. The U.S. Department of Agriculture did a study in 2007 that nailed down the numbers with the magic of the scientific method.

Furthermore, there's evidence that suggests drinking two hot toddies per day can help relieve cold symptoms such as sore throats and congestion when paired with restful sleep.

Which whiskey is best for hot toddy? ›

Irish Whiskey: Known for its smoothness and light sweetness, brands like Jameson and Bushmills blend well without overpowering the other ingredients. Bourbon: With its rich, vanilla, and caramel notes, bourbon like Maker's Mark or Woodford Reserve adds depth and complements the honey and lemon in the toddy.

Because toddy is prepared and stored in unhygienic condition and consumers are usually economically poor, malnourished, and have an unhealthy lifestyle, the chances of parasitic contamination, transmission and infection remain high with toddy consumption.

Traditionally a classic Negroni contains three ingredients used equally: sweet vermouth, gin and Campari. This recipe incorporates some sweet and some extra spice, and once heated up, it provides a delightful beverage that settles your stomach, soothes your sore throat and eases coughs without the medicinal flavor.

A hot toddy, also known as hot whiskey in Ireland, and occasionally called southern cough syrup within the Southern United States, is typically a mixed drink made of liquor and water with honey (or in some recipes, sugar), lemon, herbs (such as tea) and spices, and served hot.

The soft, vegetal, grassy flavors of most green tea means it adds to, rather than overpowers, even the lightest whiskies. Often, a green tea will highlight citrusy notes in whisky. The result is a refreshing, breezy drink ideal for summer picnics and sultry evenings.

Green Tea. Green tea is often associated with detoxing, because of its high antioxidant content. Research even suggests green tea could protect the liver against the damage caused by alcohol. And as it contains caffeine, green tea might be just the boost you need to overcome fatigue caused by alcohol-disturbed sleep.

The classic Hot Toddy recipe is the simplest way to incorporate alcohol into your favorite tea in a tasteful manner. Pour your preferred spirit—rum, gin, whiskey, or vodka—into a mug with a touch of honey and a spritz of lemon, then top with tea instead of hot water.

Add 1 1/2 ounces liquor and 1 tablespoon fresly squeezed lemon juice to the glass, then fill with the brewed tea. Stir well to incorporate the honey. Garnish with 1 lemon wedge and 1 cinnamon stick. Serve and enjoy.