Ice tea

[Anonymous]

Please help me make iced herbal teas like I am 5yrs old. Do I just use a regular tea bag and then put it in the fridge? Or is there another step? Or do I need to use specific tea meant for cold?

[Anonymous]

There are 2 (or 3) different ways to do this.

1. You can boil water and steep the tea, remove the tea when it has reached the strength you prefer, cool at/to room temperature and/or refrigerate. Serve over ice.

2. You can put tea and room temperature water in a container (some people use a glass jar and stick it in the sun. I use a Japanese pitcher with a strainer insert (and loose tea) and just leave it out on the counter overnight). Serve over ice.

In both cases, you make stronger than usual tea because the ice will dilute it. (Ratio of tea to water is kind of trial and error and varies depending on tea and method. I’d start out @ double strength). Either way, it’s a slow enough process that it’s worth making a pitcher at a time. Advantage of cold brew method is it tastes less acidic and uses less energy/equipment — but it takes more time. Because I’m using more tea, I either buy loose or get the Lipton iced tea bags (4 bags in one — same tea just less packaging).

If you only want one glass and you want it ASAP, method #3 is to microwave a cup of water (I use a Pyrex measuring cup) until it boils, add 2 teabags, wait about 5 minutes, then pour it over a glass of ice.

[Anonymous]

Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Coffee Maker, 1 qt, Black

This is the pitcher, it fits in a refrigerator door, and can also be used for iced coffee.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFLY64U?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_PW4KZ47342NCZT7G0418

[Anonymous]

I pour 4 c boiling water over 6 teabags and steep for 10 min. Remove teabags (don’t squeeze, because that will make your tea bitter). Add sugar or sweetener if you want while it’s still warm. I usually leave unsweetened, but you could add up to about 1/3 cup white sugar (which is too sweet for me, but perfect for sweet tea lovers and not a spec of judgment from me for that!). Add 4 cups cold water and refrigerate about an hour until chilled. I will sometimes add 4 / 5 cups of ice instead, to chill more quickly. Garnish with mint, lemon, fruit…

For “classic” ice tea, use orange pekoe tea, but this method works with pretty much everything, including herbal teas.

You can also cold brew,

[Anonymous]

1. boil 6 cups of water
2. steep 6 bags tea bags -- I leave it till the water is room temperature.
3. Add agave for sweetener

Optional: I add lemon aide for an Arnold Palmer.

Refridgerate.

[Anonymous]

^you don't need to use tea bags specific for cold brew. I use celestial seasons herbal tea bags -- different flavors.

[Anonymous]

It's Iced Tea

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's Iced Tea

Op, thank you. Any tips?

[Anonymous]

I make about 3 cups of water and steep about 8 tea bags for 20 minutes.

Add water to a pitcher, remove bags, fill with cold water.

If you want to sweeten it do it while the tea is steeping.

Pour over ice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's Iced Tea

Op, thank you. Any tips?

Don’t forget the ice.

[Anonymous]

I’m from the Deep South. I only know how to make sweet tea. 😂

[Anonymous]

I like the cold brew tea bags. If I use those, I just fill up a pitcher (I have one of those big Rubbermaid ones) and put in 4 tea bags. Put the pitcher into the refrigerator overnight. Easy as that. 4 is enough because you leave them in.

[Anonymous]

If you’re using regular teabags not meant for iced tea, make sure to double the amount of tea used. The ice waters it down.