How do you make iced tea? Method, blends, etc.

[Soliloquy]

I make iced tea all summer long. Either sun tea or cold brew. I have a large, 2 gallon glass dispenser. Usually, I use 12 bags of Red Rose black tea and 12 bags of green tea. I either put it in the sun for a day or let it brew in the fridge overnight.

A friend told me that she uses half black tea and half Constant Comment. That sounds good, too.

I love hibiscus tea but I'm not sure how to make it affordably in large quantities. We go through 2 gallons pretty quickly.

[knitlove]

I make steong hot black tea and then port it over ice.

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[bliss]

We have really cheap hibiscus tea at the Hispanic stores here, if you have anything like that there you could check.

[ViolaMum]

My dh steeps 6 black tea bags in 2 cups of boiling water for 25 minutes. (He sets his timer!) Remove tea bags, dissolve 1/3 cup of sugar in the hot tea, then pour over ice for 2 liters of Slightly Southern Tea.

I'm not as picky about the method () and I like it Unsweetened, so I just make some super strong black tea and keep it in a mason jar in the fridge. Pour over ice and add water when I want a glass.

The kids actually like a lot of the herbal fruit teas I can buy at the grocery store. Last summer they drank a lot of peach tea - Bigelow. One of my kids really likes all those Zinger teas iced. Any of those I often make with half green or half black tea bags.

Cold brew coffee requires more coffee grounds to water than hot brew. I would assume the same for tea (although I've never measured it) and that you could use fewer tea bags to make the same amount of tea if you brew it hot. It might be more astringent, though, which I know doesn't appeal to some people.

[Lady Grey]

We just started making iced tea this week! I put 3-4 tea bags in a gallon pitcher and add a pot of boiling water. (or nearly boiling if making green tea) Steep for several minutes and add cold water.

I make a bunch of different blends. It's often oolong combined with something else - Earl Grey, Lady Grey, Cinnamon, Constant Comment etc.... Or I go herbal with whatever I have on hand - peppermint, rrl, zingers, etc... One of my other favorites is decaf green tea with Celestial Seasonings country peach passion.

I also love love LOVE Harney + Sons passion fruit iced tea blend. I need to watch for a sale so I can order more.

Sometimes I will do a cold brew in a mason jar with chai for iced chai lattes.

[derdsgirl]

For unsweet tea I like sun tea best. For sweet tea, I make a simple syrup and put a dash of baking soda in. Then steep right in the hot syrup. That makes a concentrate I dilute as needed, which is typically all at once. Sweet tea without baking soda is unsweet tea with sugar added to me. The taste is wholly different.

[Soliloquy]

I wish we had a Hispanic grocery near us. But I haven't tried ordering bulk hisbiscus online. I should check Azure and Frontier.

Today I bought Constant Comment green tea. I didn't know they had that variety. I'm going to try half balck and half that next time, which will probably be tomorrow.

I have not found I need to use more tea when making cold brew. It steeps in the cold water for at least 12 hours.

[greengirl19]

I make a strong tea, in the sun if it's summer (hibiscus is our favorite - buy in bulk, but I think I grew up with Tetley) and then when it's hot/warm add honey so it dissolves, then pour over ice for those who want it cold.

[kiloyd]

I'm the only one that drinks tea here. I put a little hot water in a quart jar and drop a tea bag in and let it steep. Then fill it up the rest with water and put it in the refrigerator.

[MaybeGracie]

I boil half a jug's worth of water, steep 4 tea bags for 15 or so minutes, add 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tin frozen lemonade, then fill the rest of the jug with water. Tastes like Starbuck's iced black tea lemonade.

[Laurlor]

Originally Posted by kiloyd

I'm the only one that drinks tea here. I put a little hot water in a quart jar and drop a tea bag in and let it steep. Then fill it up the rest with water and put it in the refrigerator.

This is pretty much what I do as well. We drink A LOT of unsweet iced tea as a family, so I do it pretty much every night and then we have a pitcher ready for the next day.

[Soliloquy]

We usually go through about a gallon a day. I have a 2 gallon dispenser and I have to wash it and make more about every other day. Sometimes more frequently but never less frequently.

None of us like it sweet.

One of my favorite iced teas is at Panera Bread. Plum Ginger Hibiscus Tea.
A refreshing iced tea made with Nigerian hibiscus, apple pieces, sweet blackberry leaves, rosehips, natural plum flavor, carob and ginger. https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/fe...r-hibiscus-tea

I tried the half black, half green Constant Comment. It was good. Everyone liked it. It's not going to replace our regular Red Rose black iced tea, though, but I'll make it once in awhile for a change.

[PrincessAnika]

I usually use 6 Lipton tea bags (black tea? I guess?) put in a large saucepan of cold water, bring to rolling boil then turn off and let sit for at least an hour. Put 1/2-3/4c sugar in the bottom of the pitcher, add the tea minus tea bags, mix, add water to make a gallon, and chill in fridge or serve over ice. My Grandmom does the same but adds 1/3-1/2 can frozen lemonade.


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[Soliloquy]

Yes, regular Lipton is black tea.

[PrincessAnika]

My summer favorite though is to grab a handful of fresh mint leaves from out back and use them instead of tea bags, same method, and 1/3-1/2c sugar, for meadow tea.
Speaking of which, I should see if we have any mint growing yet!!


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