Ponder alcohol in stewed tea (8)
I believe the answer is:
ruminate
'ponder' is the definition.
('ruminate' can be a synonym of 'ponder')
'alcohol in stewed tea' is the wordplay.
'alcohol' becomes 'rum' (rum is a kind of alcohol).
'stewed' indicates an anagram.
'tea' anagrammed gives 'ate'.
'rum'+'in'+'ate'='RUMINATE'
(Other definitions for ruminate that I've seen before include "Ponder or meditate in mature way" , "Think deeply" , "Think over - as cows do?" , "Cogitate" , "Seriously consider" .)