With the weather getting warmer, it’s time to make sure your iced tea making skills are up to par. After all, no one wants to look forward to having their thirst quenched with a refreshing glass of delicious homemade iced tea, only to be disappointed on that first sip by a less than stellar - or worse, bitter - flavor. To ensure you make a perfect batch of iced tea every time, follow our general tips and steps below. Then experiment with different flavors and flavor combinations - we’ve provided a few recipes to get you started.
General Tips
- Amount: For loose leaf tea, the general ratio is 1 Tablespoon of tea for every 8 ounces of water. However, follow the instructions on your tea packaging, as the ratio could be different for certain types of teas.
- Temperature: Temperature can be achieved using an Electric Tea Kettle, thermometer, or by boiling water (for teas requiring 212°).
- Water: Filtered water is highly recommended for making iced tea.
- Steeping Tools: Gallon Tea Pitcher, 3” Mesh Ball Infuser, or Large Unbleached Tea Filters
- Steeping: Let the tea brew in hot, just-boiled water until fully steeped for the recommended time on packaging. Avoid over-steeping, as it can result in a bitter tea.
- Adding Ice: Take note, adding ice can dilute your tea! If you plan to add ice to your pitcher, adjust your water to HALF of the recommended amount to create a concentrated tea first. Example: 8 servings = 8 Tablespoons in 4 ounces of water.
- Adding Sugar: Don’t add raw sugar into a chilled iced tea. Add it while your tea is still steeping so it dissolves quickly, evenly and completely. However, if using a homemade simple syrup, add it to your tea once it has chilled.
Basic Steps - To Immediately Serve Over Ice (Create a Concentrate)
- Heat the right amount of water to the recommended temperature provided on tea packaging.
For this method of brewing, you’ll use HALF of the recommended water called for on the packaging to create a concentrated tea (example: 1 gallon (128 oz) = 16 tablespoons tea + 64 ounces water)
- 2. If desired, add in any sugars at this point so it can dissolve in the hot water.
- Place your filled tea infuser or filters into a heatproof pitcher (or remove water from heat and add directly to the Electric Kettle or pot).
- Add any additional aromatics that you’d like (e.g. lemon, orange peel, mint, rosemary).
- Allow to steep for the recommended time on packaging (see “General Tips” section above on steeping time).
- Remove and discard tea and aromatics (or save your tea leaves for composting)
- Allow the tea to cool for 10-15 minutes. If you’ll be adding a homemade simple syrup, mix it into your chilled tea during this time.
- Add ice to fill the remainder of the pitcher.
- Enjoy!
Basic Steps - If You Plan to Chill Before Serving
- Heat the right amount of water to the recommended temperature provided on tea packaging.
* For this method of brewing, you’ll use exactly the amount of recommended water called for on the packaging to create a concentrated tea (example: 1 gallon (128 oz) = 16 tablespoons tea + 128 ounces water)
- If desired, add in any sugars at this point so it can dissolve in the hot water.
- Place your filled tea infuser or filters into a heatproof pitcher (or remove water from heat and add directly to the Electric Kettle or pot).
- Add any additional aromatics that you’d like (e.g. lemon, orange peel, mint, rosemary).
- Allow to steep for the recommended time on packaging (see “General Tips” section above on steeping time).
- Remove and discard tea and aromatics (or save your tea leaves for composting)
- Place in the refrigerator to chill for several hours, or overnight.
- Enjoy chilled, over ice, or used as a mixed drink base! (note: adding ice will dilute the flavor of the tea when melted)
A Few Recipes to Try
Head over to A Sweet Pea Chef for not one, but four healthy homemade iced tea flavors: Lemon Basil, Blackberry Mint, Peach Ginger and Coconut Lime. Three of these recipes call for green tea and one uses black tea. Our Jade Cloud Green Tea and Earl Grey Tea would be perfect to use in these recipes!
Raspberry Iced Tea is a classic flavor that’s always refreshing. Use our Southern Iced Tea as your black tea base!
Blueberry Tea Lemonade is another refreshing, must-try iced tea with subtle notes of blueberries mixed with all-natural lemon juice to create a refreshing tea-lemonade combination!
Finally, this Strawberry Iced Tea is made with a homemade strawberry simple syrup and uses loose rooibos tea - it looks and sounds delicious!
Have fun experimenting with different flavors of iced tea and then enjoy relaxing outside while sipping your perfectly refreshing iced tea.