How to Make Perfect Ice Tea
Making perfect ice tea can seem intimidating, especially if you are used to buying pre-made bottles at the store. But making your own ice tea isn’t nearly as difficult as you might think, and the results are definitely worth the effort! Here are our top tips for making the perfect ice tea.
1. Start With High Quality Tea
The foundation of any great ice tea is high quality tea. Start with loose leaf tea, matcha or your favorite tea bags. Some of the best tea for a great ice tea are oolong tea, Sencha, Assam black tea, and jasmine tea.
2. Select Your Sweetener
Sweeter teas are especially great on hot days. To sweeten up your ice tea, you can use any of the following sweeteners:
- Honey– a natural sweetener that will add a wonderful flavor to your tea.
- Sugar– You can add one or two teaspoons of sugar or other sweeteners like agave or stevia to make your ice tea sweeter.
- Citrus– a squeeze of lime or lemon juice will give your ice tea a pleasant acidic flavor and balance out the sweetness.
3. Make the Tea
In a pot or teapot, bring 4-6 cups of water to a boil and add 4-6 teaspoons of tea. Let it steep for about 5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Once the tea is done steeping, remove it from the heat and add the sweetener of your choice.
4. Add Ice and Cold Water
Once your tea is done steeping, add ice cubes and/or cold water to the pot until the tea is cool. Stir to combine.
5. Enjoy!
Your perfect ice tea is now ready to enjoy. Serve it in a glass over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint, a lemon slice, or a bit of honey.
Making perfect ice tea is easy when you follow these simple steps. Get creative with the kind of tea and sweetener you use for your ice tea, and it will be even more delicious. Enjoy!
