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Iced Yuzu Sencha Sparkler

By • Updated July 2026
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This sparkling iced tea brings together the bright, grassy freshness of sencha and the tart, aromatic punch of fresh yuzu juice. It's a wonderfully elegant drink for summer garden parties, picnics and warm afternoons when you want something more interesting than lemonade. The secret to getting the citrus flavour just right is using a good citrus juicer: yuzu are small, knobbly and full of pips, so squeezing them by hand is messy and wasteful.

We've paired this recipe with our electric citrus juicer buying guide, because the right tool makes all the difference when you're working with small, fragrant citrus. The method is simple—brew Japanese green tea gently, chill it, then top with fresh yuzu juice and sparkling water. The result is a sophisticated, low-sugar fizz that's as beautiful to look at as it is to drink.

Iced Yuzu Sencha Sparkler
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time3 mins
Servings2 glasses
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp Sencha (high-quality loose leaf—[[sencha-kagoshima-flat-land-mechanization|Kagoshima]] or [[jeju-island-sencha-volcanic-basalt-soil|Jeju Island]] work beautifully)
  • 300 ml Water (just off the boil, about 70–80°C)
  • 2–3 Yuzu (fresh, to yield about 60 ml juice; substitute lemon and a splash of lime if yuzu unavailable)
  • 1–2 tsp Honey or Agave Syrup (optional, to taste)
  • 200 ml Sparkling Water (chilled)
  • Ice cubes (plain or [[tea-ice-cubes-the-complete-guide-to-freezing-tea-for-summer-drinks-cocktails-and-iced-coffee|frozen sencha]] for extra flavour)
  • Thin yuzu or lemon slices and fresh mint, to garnish
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 35
Fat: 0g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 0g

Instructions

1
Brew: Place the sencha in a small teapot or heatproof jug. Pour over 300 ml water heated to about 70–80°C (just off the boil—let the kettle rest for a minute). Steep for 2–3 minutes, then strain. Let the tea cool to room temperature, or speed things up by pouring it over a handful of ice in a jug.
2
Juice: Halve the yuzu and juice them using your citrus juicer until you have about 60 ml of fresh juice. (If using lemon as a substitute, juice 1–1½ lemons and add a squeeze of lime for complexity.) Strain out any pips or pulp if you prefer a clearer drink.
3
Sweeten: Stir the yuzu juice into the cooled sencha. Taste, and add honey or agave syrup if you like a touch of sweetness—yuzu is quite tart, so a little goes a long way. Start with 1 tsp and adjust to your palate.
4
Assemble: Fill two tall glasses with ice. Divide the sencha-yuzu mixture between them (about 180 ml per glass). Top each with 100 ml chilled sparkling water and stir gently to combine.
5
Garnish & Serve: Drop in a thin slice of yuzu or lemon and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately while the bubbles are lively. For a party batch, scale up the recipe and assemble in a large jug or pitcher, adding the sparkling water just before serving.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A good electric citrus juicer is invaluable when you're working with small, knobby citrus like yuzu. Hand-squeezing loses precious juice and takes ages; a quality juicer extracts every drop cleanly and quickly, so you get maximum flavour and aroma in your glass. For this recipe—and any tea drink that relies on fresh citrus—it's the difference between a watery drink and a punchy, professionally balanced sparkler.

See our citrus juicer picks →

Expert Tip: No Fresh Yuzu?

Fresh yuzu can be hard to find in UK supermarkets outside specialist stores. If you can't source them, use the juice of 1 lemon plus ½ lime and a drop of orange zest for a close approximation. Bottled yuzu juice (available online) works in a pinch, but fresh citrus always tastes brighter.

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