Using tea as a cocktail ingredient

Kota Akasaka joined Spirts & Sharing Inc. in 2019 and now works as a bartender at Mixology Salon. He previously worked as a hotel bartender, but even then he says he took an interest in tea.

“I’m originally from Hokkaido, which isn’t really known for its tea, but it’s always something that I’ve been interested in. Thinking back on it now, I was a bit of an amateur, doing things like serving sencha at the hotel bar where I worked. Then, Mixology Salon opened and I can remember being surprised that there was an entire bar centered on the concept of tea. I visited as a customer, and it was then that I decided this was a place where I wanted to work.”

As a result, it was after he started working at Mixology Salon that he really began to immerse himself in the world of tea. “The more I learn about tea, the more I enjoy it,” says Akasaka cheerfully. I then ask him about what he likes about tea after using it as an ingredient in his cocktails.

“First, I have to say the sheer variety of different types. There can be differences within the same type of tea due to the place of origin and the farmer, so it’s basically impossible to keep abreast of everything. Also, I find the idea of combination blends to be quite fascinating. I feel that if you were to compare a tea strain to a single malt whiskey, then such combinations would be like a blended whiskey. That is why I liked the idea of mixing different types together in order to create a wider range of flavors, which is of course something that is quite prevalent in bartending too. Take for example this Shizuoka-based tea which has a delightful aroma that is reminiscent of sakura mochi (a rice cake filled with bean paste that is wrapped in a preserved cherry leaf), but tends to lack a robust flavor, so we can combine it with a Kyushu-based tea and then infuse it with gin. I feel that tea is a drink full of potential. When you then combine it with the many different kinds of alcohol available, you are basically presented with an endless range of possibilities. It truly fascinates me to no end.”

In this way, the presence of tea helps to accelerate the evolution of cocktails. Akasaka also believes that incorporating tea into his work has helped him grow as a bartender.

“Before I came to work here, I never really thought about maintaining a sense of ‘balance’ with my concoctions. I always made cocktails behind the premise that they’re fine as long as they’re sweet, sour, and contain a decent amount of alcohol. However, if you add sourness to tea, for example, you end up removing its aroma entirely. That is how delicate tea’s presence can be when used in a mixed drink. Once I realized that important truth, it caused me to focus more on finding a proper balance for the tea’s inherent qualities and keeping them intact. It is that sense of balance that now serves as the foundation for all of the cocktails that I make.”

Akasaka frequently visits tea farms across Japan in order to see how tea is grown. You can sense the joy in his voice when he talks about his conversations with the tea farmers.

“Even though it’s part of my job, it’s something that I truly enjoy doing. I speak with the tea farmers and learn exactly how the tea leaves are produced. Last year, I paid a visit to Danouen (see related article) in Shizuoka and learned all kinds of useful things. Kamairicha (pan-roasted tea), sencha, and bancha teas have delightful aromas, which seems to come from the quality of the gravel in the fields’ soil. I feel like one of the most interesting aspects of tea is how conditions such as these can affect its flavor. It’s also interesting to hear the farmers talk about their methods and attention to detail, so I end up learning a lot.”

A “Teatail” created out of respect for tea

In the first half of this feature, I covered the three cocktails I tried as part of the Signature Tea Cocktails Course, but there is also a selection of “Teatails” that I recommend to those visiting Mixology Salon for the first time. I feel like these cocktails truly demonstrate what a mixologist is capable of.

Their Teatails are low-alcohol content cocktails that focus on the taste and aroma, and are inspired by a “wine-like take on tea.” Currently, they have a selection of five different Teatails to choose from: oolong tea, roasted tea, jasmine tea, and Darjeeling tea, all of which are served in wine glasses. I chose two out of the five to sample.

First, I went with Jasmine Teatail No. 1. The cocktail starts with brewing jasmine tea in hot water and then quickly cooling it down before adding a splash of pear-flavored vodka, elderflower liqueur, and apple brandy. The drink gives off an elegant and fruity aroma like wine but manages to retain the refreshing taste of the jasmine tea.

“Jasmine is a flower, so it pairs nicely with both the elderflower and pear. I then rinse the glass with apple brandy to give the drink a more refined, wine-like flavor. When a customer orders this drink, I first have them take a sip, and then I give the glass a slight swirl before they take another. In doing so, the apple brandy rinse falls to the bottom of the glass, thereby giving it a different aroma.”

Akasaka hands me the glass, and I take a whiff of the aroma. Just as he mentioned, it is completely different compared to my first sip, and you can detect the jasmine tea’s aroma rising from the glass. This means that no matter what alcohol is added to the wine glass, the jasmine tea remains the primary attraction. While I am admiring the complexity of this drink and how it encapsulates Mixology Salon’s respect and understanding of tea, Akasaka places my next drink, Darjeeling Teatail No. 2, in front of me.

“This cocktail evokes images of a rose-based perfume. The Darjeeling tea features a muscatel flavor that hints of sugary grapes, and also contains floral scents such as linalool and geraniol. I then combine it with rose petals that have been soaked in vodka. Finally, it also contains a walnut liqueur. Many perfumes contain nuts, and I find that their inclusion really helps the scent linger.”

The fragrance created by this wide variety of ingredients is so rich and elegant that it is more like a “bouquet of roses” rather than just a single rose. However, it remains very light on the palette, leaving a pleasant aftertaste in the mouth.

“I mentioned earlier the things I find appealing about tea, but another important aspect of it is its diverse array of aromas. There is a tea research center in Shizuoka, and I have always wanted to take some tea leaves there and have them analyze the aromatic compounds. Doing so would help me better understand how the tea’s aroma is created, which could then create new possibilities for how we approach using the tea leaves.”

Akasaka’s endless curiosity and logical approach to creating cocktails are proof that he is a true mixologist to his very core. It takes a high level of respect for tea in order to identify which ingredients pair well with it and do not overwhelm the delicate drink with too much alcohol.

“I still have much to learn about tea, as it truly is an endless journey. There are many tea farmers in Japan that I would like to visit and learn from, and I’m also planning a trip to Taiwan so I can see how tea is made over there. I find the fact that there is still so much I don’t know to be extremely interesting.”

With its location in Ginza, a cultural center of Japan, Mixology Salon highlights new possibilities for tea in the form of cocktails. As Japanese tea continues to receive worldwide attention, it is of great significance that this bar is located in Ginza. Much like how tea farmers produce the finest teas that are attuned to their own preferences, Akasaka and others like him are exploring new frontiers for tea from a mixology perspective, all of which makes Mixology Salon a unique place where the paths of two entirely different worlds merge into a single destination that has earned an everlasting presence in tea culture.

Mixology Salon
This bar specializes in tea-based cocktails and uses mixology concepts to present a variety of unique cocktails that cannot be found anywhere else.
GINZA SIX 13F, 6-10-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
1:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. (10:00 p.m. last order), days off coincide with those of GINZA SIX
instagram.com/mixology_Salon

Kota Akasaka
Originally born in Hokkaido, he previously worked as a hotel bartender before joining Spirits & Sharing Inc. in 2019 and serving as a bartender at Mixology Salon.

Photo by Misa Shimazu
Text (originally in Japanese) by Rihei Hiraki
Edit by Yoshiki Tatezaki