How to Make the Best Iced Tea
Every coffee shop knows iced tea is a staple menu item. Iced tea may seem simple, but there's a real art to it. Here's a simple, fool-proof recipe for the best iced tea!
What You'll Need:
- 1 tea bag of choice
- 8 oz water
- 2 cups ice
- 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
- 16 oz clear plastic cup
How to Make Iced Tea:
1. Boil the Water
Heat 8 oz of water until it reaches the correct temperature. The temperature of your water will depend on the type of tea you're brewing.
What temperature should you heat your water?
- Black tea: 205 degrees Fahrenheit
- Green tea: 165-176 degrees Fahrenheit
- White tea: 194 degrees Fahrenheit
- Oolong tea: 185 degrees Fahrenheit
- Herbal tea: 205 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Steep Your Tea
Soak your tea bag in the hot water for a few minutes. This varies based on the type of tea as well. After it's steeped, remove the bag so your tea doesn't over-steep.
How long should you steep your tea?
- Black tea: 4-6 minutes
- Green tea: 2-4 minutes
- White tea: 4-6 minutes
- Oolong tea: 5-8 minutes
- Herbal tea: 5 minutes
3. Sweeten it
If you choose to sweeten your tea, this is when you'd add your sugar. After you've steeped your tea, stir in your sweetener until it's dissolved. If you do this after it's cold, your sweetener won't dissolve.
4. Pour it Over
Pour your tea over a cup filled with ice and enjoy!
If you want to prepare larger batches of tea and store it for later, brew it as you would single cups. Make sure you have 1 tea bag for every 8 oz of water. Rather than pouring it over ice right after making it, refrigerate it until cold. You can keep iced tea in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Iced tea is a staple for coffee shops. Brewing your tea at the right temperature and for the right amount of time is vital to preserving good flavor.
Have you made this recipe? Take a picture and tag us on Instagram, we love hearing from you!
