How to make perfect ice tea??

Answer 1

This is the way I have been making it all my life:

Perfect Brewed Iced Tea

4 regular tea bags (orange pekoe or green tea or a combination)*
2 cups fresh cold water
Water
Ice cubes
Granulated sugar or other sweetener such as Simple Syrup
Lemon slices (optional)
Unwrap (if necessary) and carefully slide off any paper attached to the strings of the tea bags; tie the strings together and place the bags in a heat-proof 2-quart pitcher.
Bring 2 cups cold water (always start with fresh cold water) to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the tea bags. Allow tea to steep for 20 minutes or more. (This process simply forms the "concentrate". You can store the mixture in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)
Remove tea bags, squeeze out excess liquid (being careful to not break open the bags) and discard. Fill the pitcher with enough water to equal 2-quarts. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled before serving. Or to serve iced tea immediately, add a dozen or so ice cubes to tea concentrate then fill with water to the 2-quart level.
To serve, pour tea over a generous amount of ice cubes in a tall glass, stirring in desired sweetening and a squeeze of lemon, as desired.
Makes 8 servings.

*If using loose tea, measure 2 tablespoons into a paper coffee filter and seal it tightly with a twist tie, or simply pour water over loose leaves in a small heatproof container, and when ready separate the liquid from the tea leaves using a strainer.

Variation: Add 1 flavored tea bag such as Ginger Peach, Blackberry Sage, Vanilla Almond, etc., with the orange pekoe or green tea for a decidedly refreshing change in flavor.

Makes 2 quarts.

Answer 2

This is how I make mine. Everyone just loves it. Use about 6 tea bags of you favorite tea. About 4 cups of water. Put tea bags in the water on the stove in a pretty large pot. Turn on Medium heat. DON'T LET IT BOIL. Right before it starts to boil turn it off. It takes about 20 mins or so. Anyways then I put in a cup of sugar stirring in until it all dissolves. Set aside and wait til it comes to room temperature. Take tea bags out. Pour the tea in a 1 gallon pitcher and fill the rest with cold water. Put in refrigerator and let get cold. Then pour and serve. Good luck! If you want more flavor add lemon. I would add this after you put it in a gallon jug.

Answer 3

The perfect iced tea starts with the perfect tea! I'm something of a tea aficionado, and I've been trying different teas from all over. First of all, no tea bags! Unless you make them yourself from loose tea, tea bags are never a good sign, and are usually poor quality teas (and trust me, after you've had good tea you can tell the difference!). Order some loose tea online some place, or explore your area for a good tea store. If you have a 'Peet's Coffee and Teas' nearby, you're in luck; they have an amazing selection of really good teas from all over the world. Regardless of who sells it, my favorites for iced tea are Darjeelings and Ceylons (black teas), both of which come from India, or near India.

Secondly, you need to steep it for just the right amount of time. Since you are going to pour it over ice, you need to use more tea than you normally would so that it retains its full flavor (around two teaspoons per 8 ounces of tea is pretty standard for iced tea). How long to steep it depends on the tea and your tastes; after a little trial and error you'll figure out what you like best, but I usually steep mine for around 5-7 minutes.

I like iced tea so much I usually drink it plain, over ice, with no sugar or lemon. Of course, this is also up to you and your tastes. To change things up now and then, or on particularly hot days, I sometimes mix equal portions of lemonade into my ice tea. This is called an 'Arnold Palmer', and is quite refreshing!

Answer 4

In the south we love our tea and we love it SWEET. To make a gallon of tea, use 2 family (quart) size tea bags. I run it through the coffee maker ( I have 2 of them...1 for coffee & 1 for tea). I pour it into the pitcher and run water one more time through the coffee maker with the tea bags still in it. I used to add 2 cups of sugar for the gallon, but now use 1 1/2 cups of sugar. If you don't want to use the coffee maker, boil it on the stove twice. I only run it through twice so I don't have to use as many tea bags and it won't be weak tea.

Answer 5

Put 10 bags of your favorite tea in a gallon jar with a lid. Pour cold water over it. Put it outside in the sun for several hours, then put it in the fridge. Serve on ice with lemon.

I love my iced tea.

Answer 6

"Sun Tea"

Drop 8 tea bags into gallon jar, and fill jar with water. Cover; set jar out in the sun until you like its color. Sweeten to taste; serve with ice and lemon slices. Refrigerate leftovers.

Answer 7

Be sure to use bottled water. I also use a tea maker and Constant Comment orange spiced tea bags.

Answer 8

make sure to add lots of lemon. and some sweet and low
and ice.