How to
Most homemade iced tea disappoints for one of two reasons. Either hot tea is poured over ice and turns into weak, watery tea, or a strong brew is left to cool on the counter and turns bitter and cloudy. Both problems are easy to fix.
Method one: overnight cold brew
Cold water pulls flavor out of tea leaves slowly and leaves most of the bitter compounds behind, so cold brew tastes smooth and naturally a little sweet.
- Put about two tablespoons of loose-leaf tea, or four to five tea bags, in a jar with four cups of cold, filtered water.
- Cover and refrigerate. Steep black tea and oolong for eight to twelve hours, green and white tea for six to eight.
- Strain, taste and dilute with a little water if it is too strong.
Cold brew stays clear and keeps well in the fridge for two to three days.
Method two: flash-chilled tea
When you need iced tea in fifteen minutes, brew it hot at double strength and pour it straight over ice.
- Fill a heatproof pitcher with about two cups of ice.
- Brew your usual amount of tea for four cups using only two cups of hot water, at the temperature and time right for that tea.
- Strain the hot tea directly over the ice and stir until most of the ice melts.
Chilling the tea quickly locks in the aroma, and the melting ice brings the strength back to normal.
Which tea?
- Black tea such as Ceylon or Assam gives the classic, brisk iced tea.
- Green tea like sencha is grassy and refreshing; keep the water below boiling.
- Oolong is floral and full, and holds up beautifully to cold brewing.
- Herbal blends with hibiscus, mint or lemongrass are caffeine free and colorful.
Sweetening and garnish
Sugar does not dissolve well in cold liquid, so make a simple syrup by heating equal parts sugar and water until clear, then cool it. Add it a spoon at a time. Honey syrup and a little maple syrup also work well. For garnish, try a strip of lemon or orange peel, a sprig of mint, a few slices of peach or a handful of crushed berries in the bottom of the glass.
Once you taste the difference, it is hard to go back to the bottled kind.
