How to Make Iced Tea

Guide Note

Making your own iced tea is a crucial skill for those lazy summertime days or Gatsby-esque luncheons. The perfect iced tea is easy to brew, whether you're making one refreshing glass for yourself or stirring up a pitcher of tea for guests.

Table of Contents

Making Iced Tea Tips

  1. Remove the tags from tea bags before steeping tea for extended periods
  2. Add sugar and/or fruit juice to your tea to sweeten it
  3. Use a heatproof pitcher if pouring hot water directly into your container
  4. A pinch of baking soda combats any bitterness while brewing iced tea
  5. Experiment with fruit flavorings in your tea, or use mint

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Introduction

(Photo by Carlos Paes)
(Photo by Carlos Paes)
  • Brewing fresh iced tea is extremely simple to do and will result in refreshing tea for an afternoon lazing about outside or by the pool. Popular around the world, iced tea has long been a drink favored especially in the summer months. You can brew it hot and simply add ice, or take more time steeping your tea in the refrigerator or the sun. Then add a little lemon and sugar, and you'll have a tall and refreshing glass of iced tea.

Brew as Usual

  • The simplest, and fastest, way to brew iced tea is exactly what you might think: pour hot water onto a few tea bags.
(Creative Commons photo by thebittenword.com)
(Creative Commons photo by thebittenword.com)
  1. Pick your tea flavors.
  2. Decide how much tea you want to make.
  3. Boil water.
  4. Remove tags from tea bags.
  5. Put tea bags in a pitcher and pour hot water over them.
    • When pouring hot water over tea bags, be sure to use a plastic container, or one that is heatproof, as glass may break on impact with hot liquid.
    • If you're sure you want sweet tea, you can add sugar now, so it dissolves in the hot water.
  6. Experts vary on how long tea should steep, but most guidelines suggest between 5 and 10 minutes.
  7. Remove tea bags and add ice. If you're making 2 quarts of tea, add 4 cups of ice.
  8. You'll also want to add ice to your glasses before pouring out the tea.
  9. You might wish to add a little lemon to taste, or add sugar or simple syrup to sweeten.
  10. Or try adding orange juice for another flavor kick.
  11. If you're brewing herbal iced tea, you might also try adding a few cups of apple juice to your tea to sweeten it.
  12. Serve as soon as it's cold—don't refrigerate your tea for days after you've brewed it. It will taste its best when it's been freshly brewed.

TIP: If you think brewing makes for bitter tea, add a pinch of baking soda to your pitcher before adding the hot water.

Brew Tea in the Fridge

  • If you have a little more time, you can brew iced tea right in your refrigerator so that it's cold as soon as it's done.
  1. Remove the tags from ten tea bags and tie them together for easy removal when tea is done.
  2. Fill a pitcher with water, add tea bags and stick it in the refrigerator to brew overnight.
  3. When tea is brewed, simply remove the tea bags and add fruit and a garnish—lemon, berries, or mint are all good ideas.
  4. Pour tea into glasses full of ice and serve.

NOTE: Don't leave tea out for more than 8 hours, and if you haven't finished it in a day, you'll need to throw it away.

Brew in the Sun

  • On a relaxing summer day, the sun can brew your tea.
  1. Remove tags from ten tea bags and tie together before adding to a pitcher full of water.
  2. Let tea brew in the sun for 4-6 hours before serving in glasses full of ice.

NOTE: "Sun tea" has been said to have a milder flavor than traditionally brewed tea, but remember that the temperature your tea will reach in the sun isn't hot enough to kill any lingering bacteria, so make sure the water is clean before brewing your tea.

Vary Tea Flavorings

  • Now that you've mastered the basic iced tea, you might wish to add different flavors and experiment with what you like best.
(Photo by Brian Lary)
(Photo by Brian Lary)
  1. In summer, hibiscus is a popular flavor to add to tea. Try recipes such as:
  2. Stir in fruit juice(s) for added flavor. Boston Iced Tea means adding cranberry juice concentrate, or you can stir in lemonade and orange juice concentrate for Tiger Tea.
  3. You might also like to try a black currant tea, which will require that you add a simple syrup, as well.
  4. You can also make a blueberry syrup for blueberry-flavored tea.
  5. Or, try making Thai iced tea, which is flavored with sweet condensed milk.

Conclusion

  • Whether you simply add water to several tea bags or begin experimenting with flavored iced teas sweetened by raspberries or simple syrup, making your own iced tea is an important skill for any host or hostess—as well as for surviving a hot summer day.

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Resources for How To Make Iced Tea

Iced Tea Variations