How to Make Iced Tea with Loose Leaf Tea – A Guide to Brewing the Perfect Summer Drink
Summer is here! That means BBQs, pools, trips to the beach, and outdoor summer fun. It also means you'll need a way to cool off. What better way than a delightfully refreshing pitcher of iced loose leaf tea?
Skip paying for the pre-made, sugar-heavy options at the grocery store. You can make your own premium, all-natural loose leaf iced tea at home. Feeling intimidated? Don't. We've got you covered. In just a few simple steps, you'll be an iced tea brewing guru.
Iced Tea Overview
The history of tea runs deep. This ancient drink traces its history back thousands of years to Chinese Emperor Shennong. Its iced counterpart, however, took many more centuries to become popular. Iced tea made its appearance in the 1860s in the United States. Then, in 1871, the first printed recipe for iced tea appeared. Its breakthrough moment came during the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.
Iced tea is traditionally brewed with black tea and served with a lemon wedge and usually accompanied by sugar. In the Southeastern part of the United States, however, this is likely frowned upon. They opt for sweet (iced) tea.
Iced tea is so popular in the United States that it actually accounts for 85% of the tea consumed in the country. And while the cup of a traditional iced black tea with a lemon wedge is delightful, there are plenty of other flavors and versions to be found. Not only do restaurants and pre-made iced tea companies add flavored syrup to doctor up the plain black tea into a fruity variety, but you can make iced tea from any of your favorite tea blends.
Some popular iced tea varieties include ice chai tea, iced green tea, iced matcha tea, and beyond. Having the power to choose your tea, its strength, and the amount of sugar (or lack thereof) is a definite advantage of brewing your own iced tea with our premium loose leaf blends.
Health Benefits of Unsweetened Iced Tea
Tea is one of the best sources of hydration. It's second only to water. So, this summer, as the sun's rays beat down on you and the sweats starts pouring, be sure to give your body a hydration (and caffeination) boost with a refreshing glass of unsweetened iced tea.
Unsweetened iced tea is naturally low in calories and has zero fat or sugar. It boasts a high number of antioxidants, which are essential to helping your body counter free radicals. Black iced tea is actually known to regulate blood sugar, while the green variety helps support your metabolism while also helping block UV rays. Talk about packing a healthy punch!
Iced Tea Recipes
Thai Iced Tea
Thai iced tea is a delightfully refreshing, typically bright orange, drink. It helps soothe the spice when eating Thai food and is just a delicious beverage on its own. Our version of Thai iced tea makes it easy to make at home –– but don't expect the orange color it's known for. That comes from yellow food coloring, something we steer clear of here at Tiesta Tea. Orange, brown, or otherwise – this is bound to be your new signature summer drink.
Step One:Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, adding ¾ cup of granulated sugar and 2 stars of anise. Stir until all the sugar dissolves. Add in 4 teaspoons of Chai Love. Let it steep at 195° F water for approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step Two:
Leave the tea in even after the 3 minutes have passed, for up to 2 hours. The more concentrated the tea flavor, the better the Thai tea will taste. Feel free to pre-make this tea concentrate, so it's had time to fully steep and cool before enjoying. Optional – add a dash of vanilla.
Step Three:
Fill glasses with ice. Pour in Thai tea, leaving room for your creamer of choice. Some favorites include half & half, coconut milk, whole milk, or sweetened condensed milk. Yields 6 servings.
Long Island Iced Tea
While traditionally a highly alcoholic drink, we think long island iced tea can and should be enjoyed in a non-alcoholic version. With, ya know, actual tea in it. So, next time you're craving this boozy cocktail but want to keep it family-friendly, brew up this version!
Brew 12 teaspoons of Royal (English) Breakfast in 4 cups of 195° F water and let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Strain the tea and let it cool for at least one hour.
Step Two:
Once the tea has cooled, add in ¼ cup apple cider vinegar. 2 ½ cups ginger beer, juice of 1 lemon, and ice. Stir well.
Step Three:
Garnish with slices of lemon and fresh mint. Enjoy!
Peach Iced Tea
Peach iced tea just sounds like summer, doesn't it? Lucky for you, we've got a hack to make enjoying peach iced tea a snap this year. Simply brew up our delightfully summer blend, Peaches N' Green. It took us years to tweak and perfect a peach tea recipe, but the wait has been well worth it. After just one sip, we know you'll agree.
You can brew up this bad boy as a delicious iced tea or skip the heat altogether with our Peaches N' Green Cold Brew Tea Packets.
Lemon Iced Tea
When you think of iced tea, you probably think of lemon black tea, right? Or at least a black tea garnished with a lemon wedge. Well, we'll do you one better with our newest blend, Lemon Black Tea. No need to pull out the lemon or the cutting board. Sip on the bright citrus flavor with high-quality loose leaf black tea and the perfect unsweetened energy boost to get you through a hot summer day.
How to Make Iced Tea with Milk
While technically you could add milk to any variety of iced tea and call it iced tea with milk, we think you're after a traditional iced English tea latte. Which, YUM! We highly endorse it. Sipping on this cold, refreshing latte is sure to hit the spot no matter the temperature!
With an English tea latte, there is actually no water. You brew the tea itself in milk. Wild, right!? And delicious. With just two ingredients –– okay, three once you add ice – you can be the coolest cat on the block this summer.
Step One:Heat 1 ½ cups whole milk (or milk of your choice) over low, stirring frequently. Remove when you see steam; do not allow the milk to boil.
Step Two:
Pour the hot milk over 2 teaspoons of the tea of your choice (may we recommend Chai Love, Royal Breakfast, or Victorian Earl Gray). Let the tea steep for 10 minutes. While this is significantly longer than we'd typically recommend, you're steeping tea in milk, not water. So, it takes longer to infuse.
Step Three:
Remove tea (in a tea bag, tea ball, or other infuser you've used). Allow the tea to cool, then refrigerate until cold.
Step Four:
Once cold, pour over ice and enjoy! Yields 1 serving.
Loose Leaf Iced Tea Types
How to Make Iced Green Tea
Iced green tea is a perfect take on traditional iced tea, especially during a hot summer day. Whether you're brewing up one of our premium loose leaf green teas like Lean Green Machine, Fruity Paradise, or creating your own blend – your summer is sure to be the best one yet with an iced green tea in hand.
Since you'll be diluting the tea with ice, always double the amount of loose leaf you add. For a single-serving glass of iced green tea, you'll scoop in 3 teaspoons of the blend of your choice.
Step Two: Pour in Hot Water
Green tea (yes, even iced) needs to brew in 175° F water. If you use any hotter, you risk scalding your leaves. Colder, and you'll miss out on the full flavor of green tea.
Step Three: Steep
Choose your favorite green tea blend and steep it in hot water for 1-3 minutes. The longer the steep time, the stronger the brew –– so choose the time and strength that works best for you. Psst! We recommend setting a timer, so you don't forget about your tea! Trust us, we've all done it.
Step Four: Strain, Ice, Enjoy!
As soon as your 1-3 minutes are up, strain your tea immediately. Pour over ice. Doctor up your tea to your liking –– maybe that means garnishing with a lemon wedge, a dollop of honey, a splash of milk or cream, or plain –– it's your tea, we won't tell you how to drink it.
How to Make Iced Black Tea
You're basically an expert at black tea by now – and know it's the traditional variety for iced. But how to make it? We've got you covered.
Step One: Measure Your TeaSince you'll dilute the tea with ice, double the amount of loose leaf. For a single-serving glass of iced black tea, you'll scoop in 3 teaspoons of the blend of your choice.
Step Two: Pour in Hot Water
Black tea (yes, even iced) needs to brew in 195° F water. If you use any hotter, you risk scalding your leaves. Colder, and you'll miss out on the full flavor of black tea.
Step Three: Steep
Choose your favorite black tea blend and steep it in hot water for 3-5 minutes. And yes! You do need to set a timer! The longer the steep time, the stronger the brew –– so choose the time and strength that works best for you.
Step Four: Strain, Ice, Enjoy!
As soon as your 3-5 minutes are up, strain your tea immediately. Pour over ice. Add any sweetener, lemon wedge, honey, creamer – or drink it plain! However you enjoy it, cheers to Living Loose!
How to Make Iced Herbal Tea
Fun fact: herbal tea isn't actually tea. But that doesn't make it any less delicious. Made from herbs, spices, and fruits, herbal teas are actually some of our favorites to enjoy on a hot summer day. Plus, they're super family-friendly. Ditch the juice boxes, kiddos. Sip on some tasty, premium herbal loose leaf tea that tastes better than juice and is better for you. Just follow these simple steps.
Step One: Measure Your TeaSince you'll dilute the tea with ice, double the amount of loose leaf. For a single-serving glass of iced herbal tea, you'll scoop in 3 teaspoons of the blend of your choice.
Step Two: Pour in Hot Water
Herbal tea (yes, even iced) needs to brew in 208° F water. You'll notice the higher temperature, and you guessed why – you don't risk scalding the tea because it's not actual tea. That's why it can handle higher temperatures and longer steep times.
Step Three: Steep
When brewing your tea, we recommend setting a timer, so you don't forget about it. Choose your favorite herbal blend and steep it in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. The longer the steep time, the stronger the brew –– so choose the time and strength that works best for you.
Step Four: Strain, Ice, Enjoy!
As soon as your 5-7 minutes are up, strain your tea immediately. Pour over ice. Now's the time to add anything to your tea. We won't judge ya. But we will tell you that our herbal teas rarely call for anything sweet or any add-ins. Something you may want to try is adding some lemonade into our Blueberry Wild Child. Level that up!
How to Make Iced White tea
As you've surely learned by now, restaurant or pre-made iced tea is typically black or green tea. That means you've probably never experienced the magic of the naturally sweet, floral flavors of white tea served over ice. And you're in for a real treat.
Step One: Measure Your TeaSince you'll be diluting the tea with ice, always double the amount of loose leaf you add. For a single-serving glass of iced white tea, you'll scoop in 3 teaspoons of the blend of your choice.
Step Two: Pour in Hot Water
White tea is the most delicate of the teas. That's why it requires the lowest temperature water at 175° F. Please be careful with white tea! Brewed properly, there will be no astringent taste –– the leaves and flavors are so light and delightful, so do them justice by brewing 'em up right!
Step Three: Steep Your Blend
Steep your white tea water for 3-5 minutes. The longer the steep time, the stronger the brew –– just don't let it over-steep, or you'll be sorry!
Step Four: Strain, Ice, Enjoy!
As soon as your 3-5 minutes are up, strain your tea immediately. Pour over ice. Doctor up your tea to your liking –– maybe that means garnishing with a lemon wedge, a dash of sugar, or plain. Raise your glass, cheers, and enjoy!
Ready to Try Some Delicious Iced Tea?
At Tiesta Tea, we travel around the globe to source the best quality ingredients to produce the best glass of iced tea. We believe in making loose leaf tea that's accessible and affordable without sacrificing quality. Ready brew up some iced tea? Check out our iced tea offerings here.
