Enjoy a refreshing and tasty, healthy glass of iced tea when you start with whole, loose leaf tea leaves. Your typical homemade black iced teas usually begin with tea bags, which are full of "tea dust" rather than whole leaf tea leaves. Using tea bags to make iced tea usually produce a lower quality tea and you miss out on the full body and flavor that only premium, loose-leaf teas can provide.
Making homemade iced tea is very similar to making hot tea, however, there are a few differences. Follow these simple steps on how to make great tasting gourmet iced tea.
First, double the amount of loose tea used in your brew (as compared to hot tea). If you prefer sweet iced tea, add rock sugar while steeping, rather than adding white sugar to the finished tea, for the best taste. The rock sugar will enhance the natural sweetness of your iced tea and easily dissolve in the hot water.
Next, immediately after the hot tea is brewed, pour it into a glass filled almost to the top with ice. The sudden cooling keeps the flavor and scent of the tea intact. Finish it off with a slice of lemon or sprig of mint for the perfect glass of cool, refreshing iced tea.
In general, our rooibos teas, black teas (which are traditional ice teas) and herbal teas are great over ice. Iced green teas can be delicious too, provided you choose a flavored or scented green tea that you enjoy. Mixing two or three teas together will get you a unique iced tea brew that is often better than any single tea. So try something new!
For a little inspiration, here are a few of our favorite gourmet iced teas and iced tea recipes:
Sour Cherry Serenade Black Iced Tea: This fruity delight has just a touch of tartness for an exceptional glass of iced tea! Once you try this, your old bagged black iced teas will go out the door! Add a touch of Silver Needle White Tea for a health kick (it won't change the flavor).
Rooibos Tropica Iced Tea: This is a delicious, refreshing iced tea with a fruity flavor. Perfect on a hot summer day—or any day for that matter—It will change the way you feel about iced tea! This can also be mixed with other loose leaf teas for a health kick.
Moroccan Mint Iced Green Tea: Kick your iced tea habit up a notch with this minty green tea. Get all the same health benefits in a glass of this iced green tea. Perfect with or without sugar.
Rooibos Peach Bloom & Blueberry Bliss Rooibos Iced Tea: This divine concoction is a fruit-lovers delight! Use 1/2 of each loose tea and a touch of sugar. Perfect during a hot, summer day, it will keep you coming back for more.
Samurai Chai Iced Mate Tea: With enough caffeine to wake you up, this slightly spicy tea makes a great iced tea. It's a bit different than your standard fruity teas, but is very refreshing and delicious with or without sugar.
Jasmine Oolong Iced Tea: Take a break from sweet and fruity teas with this richly scented Oolong. As an iced tea, it is refreshing and calming. Enjoy a glass while watching the sun set on a summer evening. Recommended without sugar.
Imperial Acai Blueberry White Tea & Apple Lemon Pomegranate Rooibos Iced Tea: This one is super- healthy and delicious. Use 1/2 of each loose tea. It makes a great fruity iced tea that works well with a touch of honey. Recommend using a little extra tea and steeping for only about a minute.
Kamiya Papaya Oolong Tea & Sweet Fruit Garden Iced Tea: This combination is so good we're putting in our stores as a sample. Use 1/2 of each loose tea. It makes a rich, delicious iced tea that works best with a little sugar. The fruity taste works all year long!
Utopian Jewel Oolong Tea & Rooibos Key Lime Iced Tea: Think of the islands as you enjoy this tropical iced tea. Use 1/2 of each loose leaf tea with sugar. The Key Lime Rooibos makes it taste exceptional and the Oolong adds a health kick.
Teavana also carries a few products that are great for making large amounts of homemade iced tea. For summertime picnics, bring along the Camellia Cylindre Glass Tea Maker and you’ll be able to view the tea leaves and color of your iced tea. This glass tea maker is made of strong heat resistant borosilicate glass so you can prepare the tea hot and place the tea maker in your refrigerator to cool until you’re ready to enjoy a glass of iced tea. Also, our pitchers make iced tea brewing easy – since it contains a tea ball, just add your tea leaves and hot water and store the pitcher in the refrigerator until cold.