Founder Alex Young draws on his South African upbringing for a new ready-to-drink gin and rooibos tea cocktail, now available in Chicago.

Chicago-based entrepreneur Alex Young has announced the launch of G&Tea, a premium sparkling hard tea that pairs gin with South African rooibos tea and honey. Available in Original and Passion Fruit, G&Tea offers a distinctive alternative to the malt-based ready-to-drink options and artificially flavored products commonly found in the hard tea category.

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G&Tea's Original and Passion Fruit sparkling hard teas combine gin, South African rooibos tea and honey in a caffeine-free, ready-to-drink cocktail, shown here in 12oz cans.

“People are paying closer attention to what they consume. They want quality not just in the taste, but in the ingredients,” said Young, founder of G&Tea. “We wanted to create something transparent and thoughtfully made, using clean ingredients that each contribute something meaningful to the finished drink.”

Young's inspiration for G&Tea began with his childhood near South Africa's Cederberg region — the only place in the world where rooibos naturally grows. That connection to rooibos stayed with him through moves to London and eventually Chicago, where G&Tea was born, shaped by his hands-on approach to craft, from roasting coffee and crafting hot sauce to building bicycles and distilling gin.

G&Tea translates that philosophy into a modern ready-to-drink cocktail. Its South African rooibos provides a smooth, earthy character naturally caffeine-free and without the tannin bitterness associated with some traditional teas. London Dry gin contributes botanical and citrus notes, while honey adds a rounded sweetness without the use of refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.

G&Tea is launching with two varieties:

• Original combines citrus-forward London Dry gin with smooth South African rooibos and clover honey for a crisp, lightly sparkling finish.
• Passion Fruit builds on the Original by introducing a bright, tropical passion fruit flavor.

Both varieties are caffeine-free, contain 7% alcohol by volume and are packaged in 12-ounce cans.

Following its Chicago launch, G&Tea is seeking relationships with distributors, retailers, restaurants and hospitality partners throughout Illinois.

Learn more about G&Tea and its ingredients at enjoygntea.com.

About G&Tea

G&Tea™ is a gin-based sparkling hard tea made with South African rooibos and honey, founded in Chicago by South African-born entrepreneur Alex Young. Caffeine-free with a low-tannin profile and 7% ABV, G&Tea launched with Original and Passion Fruit varieties. Must be 21 or older to enjoy. Please drink responsibly.

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“People are paying closer attention to what they consume. They want quality not just in the taste, but in the ingredients.” Alex Young, founder of G&Tea