Touchdown Iced Tea – The Ultimate Game Day Drink: If you’re looking for the perfect drink to bring the party vibes and keep everyone refreshed, Touchdown Tea is the answer. It’s sweet, citrusy, boozy, and ridiculously easy to make—which is exactly what you want when you’re hosting a crowd or kicking back for game day. Think of it as a grown-up twist on sweet tea, with a tropical punch and just the right amount of bourbon to keep things interesting.

Whether you’re tailgating, throwing a backyard BBQ, or just watching the game from your couch, you’ll love this! Cheer on your favorite football team as you sip on this Touchdown Tea cocktail! This is a sweet tea that is flavored with pineapple juice, orange juice, lemon juice, and some bourbon. This is a refreshing and citrus-flavored tea cocktail.

This boozy tea is one you will want to make all the time this football season. You are going to love how easy this cocktail is to make and serve up your family, friends, or a crowd at a party.

Make sure to check out my raspberry tea or strawberry tea recipes for more sweet drink ideas. Or use these flavored teas as the base for this game-day tea cocktail.

Touchdown Tea in a mason jar garnished with fruit

What is Touchdown Tea Cocktail?

Touchdown tea is a fun cocktail that starts with a base of sweet tea. The sweet tea is then paired with bourbon, and a few juices. This is a mixed cocktail that is bursting with sweet flavor, tangy, and tart in each sip.

Reasons You Will Love This Drink

This is a very delicious and unique cocktail. It is sweet, sour, tart, and tangy in each sip.
A fun cocktail to serve up, as it has a great presentation value with the sliced fruit on top.
Great for game day entertaining, summer cookouts, holiday events, and more. You can drink this cocktail all year round.
A fun drink that uses minimal ingredients which makes it so easy to whip up.
Touchdown tea is a signature drink for the football season!

bourbon tea cocktail ingredients on table

Ingredients You Will Need

Sweet Tea – So for the base of this cocktail I used sweet tea. You can make sweet tea or buy your favorite pre-made sweet tea from the store.

Bourbon – Quality bourbon is needed to help add that bite of alcohol to the drink. It offers that kick of flavor you are looking for.

Pineapple Juice – Pineapple juice is a tropical juice that is truly going to give you a nice acidic component to the drink.

Orange Juice – Reach for orange juice for another splash of tang and sweetness. It also helps to really bring the drink together.

Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice or bottled works. It is going to give you that zesty tart flavor.

Variations To Recipe

Alcohol – You can swap the bourbon with vodka, tequila, or even a whiskey. I think an apple or peach Crown Royal would be a tasty swap to the flavors as well.

Fruit Juice – If you want you are more than welcome to change up the types of fruit juice you use. Or use less pineapple and more orange juice. Feel free to create your own flavor profiles for the drink.

Fruit Garnishment – So as you can see in the recipe I used sliced pineapple, orange slices, and lemon slices. It showcases the fruits in the drink but also is gorgeous in presentation value. Feel free to use different fruit, grapefruit, strawberries, maraschino cherries, etc.

Tea – Sweet tea is the traditional option but you can always swap it with unsweetened tea if you don’t want it as sweet. Now if you are diabetic or need a sugar-free option do unsweet or sweet tea that uses an artificial sweetener.

sweet tea with borbon in serving pitcher and fruit around it

Why Touchdown Tea Wins Every Time

This drink hits the sweet spot between refreshing and bold. You’ve got that classic southern sweet tea as the base, but what takes it to the next level is the mix of citrus juices—pineapple, orange, and lemon. It’s fruity without being too sweet, and the splash of bourbon brings that smooth, warm finish that makes each sip go down just a little too easy.

It’s also one of those drinks that looks as good as it tastes. Loaded with slices of fresh fruit and served over ice in a big punch bowl or drink dispenser, it’s made to be shared—and Instagrammed.

Make It Once, Serve It All Day

The beauty of Touchdown Tea is how simple it is to put together. You’re basically just pouring everything into one big bowl or dispenser, giving it a stir, and calling it a day. No shaking, no blending, no fancy cocktail tools required. You can even make it ahead of time and just add the ice and fruit right before serving.

It’s super easy to scale up for larger parties, and you can adjust the juice-to-bourbon ratio depending on how strong you want it. Want it more tropical? Add extra pineapple. Want it boozier? Don’t be shy with the bourbon.

sweet tea bourbon in a glass serving container

Garnish Like a Pro (Without the Effort)

Garnishing is optional—but totally worth it. Thin slices of lemon, orange, and fresh pineapple not only make the drink look amazing, but they also add even more natural flavor as they soak in. Just toss the fruit right into the bowl with some ice and let it chill.

Serving Tips

Keep it cold: Serve over plenty of ice, and if you’re outdoors or serving for a long period, consider freezing some sweet tea or juice into ice cubes so the flavor doesn’t water down as it melts.
Spice it up: Feeling fancy? Add a few sprigs of fresh mint or a splash of ginger beer for a little kick.
Mocktail version: Want to make a non-alcoholic version for kids or guests who aren’t drinking? Just leave out the bourbon and add a splash of club soda or ginger ale instead.

Lemonade – Swap in lemonade instead of lemon juice for a bit of an Arnold Palmer twist to the cocktail. You could do a classic lemonade or even a flavored like strawberry or raspberry for added flavor.

Touchdown Tea in a pitcher sitting on table with ingredients used in drink around it

Tips for Success

Quality Tea and Bourbon

So make sure you use quality tea for this recipe. The tea and bourbon are both standout flavors so quality ingredients are key for the best flavor of the drink.

Measuring Ingredients

Make sure to measure the ingredients as it is going to help create the proper balance of ingredients. Now if you want to adjust and add less or more of the items go ahead. But I do recommend if you are new to making cocktails to try to follow the recipe and then adjust as you see fit.

Touchdown Tea in glass on table with fruit sliced around each cup

Cold Ingredients

When you go to make the drink, I recommend starting with cold ingredients. Keep the tea, bourbon, and juices in the fridge until they are chilled fully. This is going to really elevate the flavors of the drink to a whole new level.

Touchdown Tea with fruits sliced and placed around a round tray

Mixing Cocktail

Now if you add to a pitcher or a punch bowl make sure you mix the ingredients really well. If you go and make just a single glass use a cocktail shaker or a spoon for stirring.

twisted tea drinks on glass with pitcher with some tea mixture in it as well

Iced Drink

This is a drink that is best served over ice. The ice is going to keep the ingredients nice and chilled for that refreshing twist.

Touchdown Tea in a pitcher with fruit slices in the container

Storing Leftovers

If you do not drink all the tea cocktails you will store them in the fridge in a sealed container. Now, I do recommend making sure you store it in the fridge without the ice. As the ice will melt and water down the cocktail.

Make sure to stir the leftovers before you re-pour into a glass and drink it to ensure that this is fully combined.

bourbon and iced tea in glasses on table

FAQs

Can I make the sweet tea from scratch?

Of course. You are more than welcome to make sweet tea from scratch. Brew your tea and sweeten it with sugar while the tea is still warm. This is important as it will melt down the sugar.

Can I adjust the sweetness of the cocktail?

Using less sweet tea or less fruit juice is going to reduce the sweetness of the drink. Altering how much fruit juice you use will affect the sweet value of the drink.

Are there any alternatives to the fruit juices?

Grapefruit juice, lime juice, lemonade, and other fruit-flavored juices all work with this drink. Just know when you go to alter the fruit juices it will change the flavor of the overall drink.

Touchdown Tea is the kind of drink that brings people together. It’s easy, refreshing, and just boozy enough to feel like a treat. Whether you’re pouring it for friends on a sunny afternoon or making a batch for your next tailgate, this drink is a guaranteed win.

So the next time you need a crowd-pleasing cocktail that doesn’t require a mixology degree, give this one a go. Cheers to touchdowns, great food, and even better drinks!

More Cocktail Ideas

Touchdown Tea

Course Drinks

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings 12 servings

Touchdown Tea is a game day cocktail. You will find this bourbon based cocktail is paired with sweet tea, pineapple juice, orange juice and lemon juice. A simple and refreshing cocktail with a nice kick.

Ingredients

FOR GARNISH

▢ 2 lemons thinly sliced
▢ 2 oranges thinly sliced then cut in half
▢ Half a pineapple sliced and quartered

Instructions

Fill a large beverage dispenser or punch bowl with ice and fresh fruit slices.
Add your sweet tea, bourbon, pineapple juice, orange juice, and lemon juice. Mix well and serve and enjoy!

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