Iced tea is a form of cold tea and can refer to any kind of tea that is chilled. While black tea is the most common iced tea, almost any tea can be turned into a fantastic glass of iced tea. Herbal teas such as hibiscus are especially popular for iced teas! Many people sweeten their iced tea with sugar, flavors, or fruit but unsweetened tea is also very common as a standalone drink.

 Iced tea is a delicious drink with interesting Americana origins. Way back in 1904, an American tea merchant popularized iced tea at the Saint Louis World’s Fair by bringing iced tea to the masses on an incredibly hot day. Prior to this point tea was incredibly uncommon in the United States. Since then 85% of all tea consumed in the United States is enjoyed over ice!

 

You can make iced tea with loose leaf tea?

 

The idea of brewing loose leaf tea may seem complicated at first. With a bit of practice and some proper guidelines for measurements, loose leaf becomes a cinch to make and an absolutely fresh, delicious treat!

 

How to make iced tea just for you!

 

You’re pretty much going to need to double the amount of tea you would use for hot tea. Start by measuring 5g of loose leaf tea into a large mug. Next, add 8oz of hot water into the large mug. Let it steep for 2-3 minutes. As you wait for the tea to finish steeping, fill a 16oz glass with ice. Once the tea is steeped and ready, pour it over a strainer into the 16oz glass. Top with ice if necessary!

If you have a Grosche Aberdeen strainer, you can use it in lieu of the large mug and strainer.

How to make gallon and half-gallon batches of iced tea with loose leaf tea!

 

If you would like to fill a pitcher of iced tea for your family and friends, no worries, it’s quite easy! Begin by pulling out a gallon or half-gallon pitcher. Below are the quantities needed for each. Fill a bowl or Pyrex measurement pitcher with the appropriate amount of hot water (195°F is the standard), place the tea in and steep it for 6-8 minutes. Every once in a while stir it around making sure the tea gets into the water to properly steep. Fill a separate gallon pitcher with ice, place a strainer on top, and pour the tea in over the strainer. Top it off with ice to make up for the ice that melted when the hot water was added. Refrigerate and enjoy! 

 

 

Iced Tea for Family and Friends
Type of Pitcher	Amount of Hot Water	Amount of Tea
Gallon Pitcher	64 oz / 8 cups	40-50g
Half-Gallon Pitcher	32 oz / 4 cups	20-25g

Adding your own flavors

 

The easiest flavors to add to your iced tea are fruits, citrus, and sweeteners. Common sweeteners used are sugar, honey, agave, and simple syrup. If you’re adding a thicker sweetener such as sugar or honey, make sure you add it in the beginning to the hot steeping tea. If you want to add a sweetener after the iced tea has been made so that you have some sweetened tea and some unsweetened tea, add a liquid sweetener such as simple syrup so it doesn’t need to dissolve. Classic Southern iced tea generally uses sugar as the sweetener, so keep that in mind when making your iced tea. 

Fruits and citrus make for some great flavors. You can slice fruit or citrus and put them into the tea once brewed for a lighter taste. You could put freshly squeezed juice into your brewed iced tea for a fresh, notable taste. If you really want a strong sweet fruity taste you can add flavored syrup to your iced tea as well. Another way to get a fruity or citrus iced tea is to start with a loose leaf base that has that flavor already. 

Lastly you can also combine your tea with juices to make easy and delicious drinks such as Arnold Palmers. 

 

Storing Iced Tea

It is best to enjoy your iced tea immediately after you brew it. This is the absolute freshest option and you will taste a difference. You should not be storing your brewed iced tea any longer than a couple of days. Aim for storing your iced tea 1-3 days in a closed fridge. If you are drinking your iced tea throughout the day and not all at once be sure to refrigerate it whenever it is not in use.