Johnny Tea (Corey @ Woodberry Kitchen)

( Brian Krista, b / July 1, 2011 )

Woodberry Kitchen is at 2010 Clipper Park Road, No. 126. Call 410-464-8000 or woodberrykitchen.com.

15-20 blueberries
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 oz Pikesville rye whiskey
.75 oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
2-3 shakes Angostura Bitters
3 oz unsweetened iced tea

Muddle the blueberries and thyme together to a pulp. Add rye, simple syrup, lemon juice, and bitters. Add fresh ice and shake for 10 seconds. Double-strain into a cocktail glass full of ice and top with cold iced tea. Stir. Garnish with skewered blueberries and spiral lemon peel, serve with straw and enjoy!

THE STORY: "How Americana is iced tea?" asks Corey Polyoka, bartender at Woodberry Kitchen since it opened four years ago.

He has crafted a summer cocktail, the Johnny Tea ($12), with three key American ingredients: iced tea, blueberries that just come into season for the holiday, and rye whiskey, the first type of whiskey produced in the colonies.

It's Pikesville rye whiskey, a sweeter, Maryland-style rye that lends local flair to the drink.

A sprig of fresh thyme "adds another dimension to what's going on, a savory element, which you don't see a lot of in cocktails," says Polyoka.

Lemon juice and bitters finish off this lovely drink that Polyoka recommends with barbecue.

"It's a very balanced cocktail. We strive to make all of our cocktails with a sense of balance. I think people that enjoy whiskey would definitely appreciate the taste there."