Iced tea
is the perfect summer drink! It tastes like a million bucks and is very easy to
make. I’ve had a few friends ask me how to make iced tea, so I’ve compiled a
list of ways to help you enjoy this wonderful beverage on those hot summer
days.
If you have an iced tea pitcher or iced tea tumbler that has its own infuser, then you can make your iced tea very easily. This is what I do. But you can still make iced tea if you don’t have either of those things!
Making Cold Brewed Iced Tea
· * If you are using a pitcher, a thermos, or a
mason jar, be aware of how much liquid your container holds.
· * Add the appropriate amount of tea to your
container. You want to use 1 teabag/1tsp of loose leaf tea per 1 cup/250ml/8oz
of water.
· * Fill your container up with cold/room
temperature water.
· * Put your container in the fridge before going to
bed.
· * The next day, take it out of the fridge and
remove the tea leaves/tea bags.
· * Voila! You have iced tea!
Making Iced Tea with Ice
· * If you are using a pitcher, a thermos, or a
mason jar, be aware of how much liquid your container holds.
· * Add the appropriate amount of tea to your
container. You want to use 1 teabag/1tsp of loose leaf tea per 1 cup/250ml/8oz
of water that your container holds.
· * Fill your container halfway up with hot water. (For
example, if your container holds 1 litre, you still want to use 4 tsp of tea/4
tea bags even though you’re only filling the container with half a litre of hot
water. That’s because the ice you will add in a few steps will provide the rest
of the liquid.)
· * Let it steep according to tea type.
· * After steeping, remove your tea bags/leaves.
· * Fill your container the rest of the way with
ice.
· * Seal your container and shake it around a bit so
that the ice melts into the hot water.
· * Voila! You have iced tea!
Special Notes
· * If you’re using loose leaf tea, put the tea into
a tea ball/a few tea balls/a loose leaf tea bag.
· * If sugar is your thing, feel free to experiment
with putting sugar in your iced tea. I prefer to make my iced tea without sugar
but everyone is different!
· * You can add cut up fruit to your iced tea to
make it extra festive.
· * What kind of tea you use depends on what kind of
tea you like! When I make iced tea, I stick to fruit teas/infusions because
that’s what appeals to me. Experiment with it!
· * If you’re using the second method of hot
water/cold ice, make sure your container can withstand the sudden change in
temperature.
· * If you decide to look up iced tea recipes, you
may come across people who make sun tea – letting their tea steep in the sun.
Don’t try this. It’s a bad idea because of the bacteria that can grow in your drink
from using this method.
· * Iced tea pitchers are really very convenient and
if you are dedicated to drinking a lot of iced tea this summer, it might be
something to look into purchasing.
· * In the Southern USA, they drink what’s called
sweet tea. You can find more information on that by googling it.
· * You may come across the term “simple syrup” when
googling how to make Southern sweet tea. Simple Syrup is easy to make. Take 3/4th
of a cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Combine in a saucepan, bring it to a
simmer and stir it until the sugar has dissolved. Once it’s cooled, you can use
it.
· * Research! Look up ways to make iced tea online,
ways to make it taste better, sugar ratios, iced tea pitchers . . . there’s a
ton of information out there just waiting for you!
