The “Tea”
on Iced Tea

Whether you like iced sweet tea, green tea or black tea, there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a delicious glass of iced tea. To brew the best batch every time, here are our 5 iced tea tips and tricks.

1.)  Brew It Hot

Start your iced tea by making traditional hot tea. Let the water boil for at least 10 seconds before adding in the tea. If you’re using loose tea, let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes, if you’re using bags, steep no longer than 2 minutes. For a tea that’s light in tannins (what gives tea a bitter taste), add in a pinch of baking soda for a clearer, less bitter taste.

2.)  Let It Cool Naturally

Once you’ve brewed your hot tea, let it cool naturally before you refrigerate. Once it gets to a nice, warm temperature, you can add in your sweeteners and any other flavorings since the warm water will help the additives dissipate quickly.

3.)  Sweeten & Flavor

To sweeten your tea, use a very fine sugar or make your own simple syrup for the best results. You can even use herbs like mint or fruits like lemon — and even orange juice — for an extra kick of summertime sweetness.

4.)  Amp Up Your Ice

To add even more color and flavor to your iced tea, use ice cubes that have berries, herbs or citrus slices right inside them! You can even use traditional ice cubes frozen in non-traditional shapes (think circles, big blocks, tubes, etc) for some extra spunk in a classic iced tea. Check out more ice cool ideas.

5.)  Garnish With Flair

A lemon wedge may be an iced tea’s favorite accessory, but you can dress it up however you’d like with a pineapple slice or skewer of your favorite fruits and berries.