POUGHKEEPSIE – One of the Hudson Valley’s most popular mixologists has been working for several years to develop a light, refreshing hard ice tea with a subtle hint of alcohol that can be enjoyed “all day”. On Saturday at Tavern 23 in Poughkeepsie, Breezy Tea was introduced to the public in a release party hosted by the woman who developed the popular drink, Breezy Licari, the energetic bartender at the tavern.
Breezy Tea, marketed as “the cooler cocktail” was born out of a request from Breezy’s husband Chris. “My husband asked for a drink one day – he wanted a boozy tea,” the bartender explained, adding “so I made him a boozy tea.” Over time Licari refined the recipe and she began serving it a Tavern 23 where it became a popular request. As the requests grew, she began steeping her tea and using fresh ingredients, making it a unique “all-day drinking tea,” according to the patrons.
Breezy and Chris have teamed up with Paradox Brewery located north of Schroon Lake, New York who agreed to produce the sugar brew. With the sugar brew in production, the entrepreneurs then teamed up with Ninth Planet Beverage Solutions in Saratoga Springs to steep the tea leaves and produce the batches of product which get packaged and shipped to Dutchess Beer Distributors who distribute the two flavors, Original and Peach Green to bars, restaurants, and beverage centers in the Mid-Hudson Valley.
The startup company uses Instagram to promote the beverages and list the locations where the tea can be found. The tag for Breezy Tea is #whatsinyourcooler.
