Twisted Tea Half & Half

Twisted Tea Half & Half is a spiked iced tea blended with lemonade, made under the Twisted Tea label and listed here as an Ohio product at 5.0% ABV. It sits in the ready-to-drink spiked tea category, but the lemonade half moves it away from the plain black-tea profile of the standard Twisted Tea. Expect a drink that opens with the citrus snap of lemonade and finishes on the dry, slightly tannic edge of brewed tea. The two flavors are meant to balance, so neither should read as a heavily sweetened soda. Exact sweetness and tartness will vary by batch and palate, but the Arnold Palmer pairing it is modeled on is usually a fairly even split. At 5% ABV it drinks like a typical beer or hard seltzer, so it works as a long, easy pour. Serve it cold, straight from the fridge at roughly 36 to 40°F. A tall glass with plenty of ice is the best way to drink it. A pint glass or a highball works well, and a squeezed lemon wedge on the rim or dropped in the glass sharpens the citrus. Ice will dilute it gradually, and because the base is already lightly sweet, the dilution tends to taste refreshing instead of watery. Drinking it from the can is fine, but pouring over ice shows off the tea's amber color and releases more of the lemon aroma. You can also use it as a mixer. Added to a few ounces of bourbon or vodka over ice, it makes a quick long drink that tastes like a spiked Arnold Palmer with more spirit behind it. Because the 5% ABV is already in the can, a half-ounce to one ounce of spirit is usually enough. A sprig of mint and a lemon wheel suit it. Mixing a pitcher with sliced lemons and ice keeps it simple for a group. For food, the lemon and tea combination goes well with grilled chicken, pulled pork, fried fish, and barbecue sides like coleslaw or cornbread, since the acidity cuts through smoke and fat. It also works with salty snacks such as pretzels and chips, and with lighter fare like chicken salad or a deli sandwich.