drink · Drink

How to Make Iced Tea from Scratch

Name: How to Make Iced Tea from Scratch
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 4 cups water; 8 bags or 4 tbsp black tea; 1/4 cup sugar or honey; 4 cups cold water

Real iced tea starts with brewing hot tea at the right strength, then cooling it properly so it stays clear and flavorful. Use twice as much tea as you would for hot tea since ice will dilute it, steep for the right time for your tea type, then cool completely before refrigerating.

Total time: 2 hr 40 min
Hands-on: 10 min
Serves: 8
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

4 cups water
8 bags or 4 tbsp black tea
1/4 cup sugar or honey
4 cups cold water

Step by step

Boil water in a medium saucepan. Use 4 cups of water for a half-gallon pitcher. Bring to a rolling boil, then remove from heat.
Add tea and steep. For black tea, use 8 tea bags or 4 tablespoons loose tea. Steep 3-5 minutes. Green tea needs 6 bags or 3 tablespoons, steeped 2-3 minutes. White tea uses 8 bags, steeped 4-6 minutes.
Remove tea and add sweetener while hot. Pull out bags or strain loose tea. If sweetening, add sugar or honey now while the tea is still hot so it dissolves completely. Start with 1/4 cup sugar and adjust to taste.
Add cold water. Pour in 4 cups of cold water to bring the total to 8 cups. This immediately starts cooling the tea and prevents cloudiness.
Cool completely before refrigerating. Let the tea reach room temperature, about 30 minutes. Putting hot tea directly in the fridge makes it cloudy and can warm other foods.
Chill and serve over ice. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve over ice in tall glasses. The tea keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Tips & troubleshooting

Never squeeze tea bags when removing them - this releases bitter tannins
If your tea turns cloudy, it cooled too fast or steeped too long - still safe to drink
Use filtered water if your tap water is heavily chlorinated - it affects the flavor
Make simple syrup separately if you want to sweeten individual glasses later

Variations

Sweet Tea. Add 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar while the tea is hot. This Southern-style tea should be quite sweet.
Arnold Palmer. Mix equal parts finished iced tea with fresh lemonade. Add the lemonade just before serving.
Flavored Iced Tea. Add fresh herbs like mint, fruit slices, or spices during the steeping process. Remove before cooling.
Cold Brew Method. Use room temperature water with double the tea. Steep in the refrigerator for 6-12 hours, then strain.

Questions

Why does my iced tea turn cloudy?: Tea gets cloudy when it cools too quickly or when hot tea hits ice directly. Always let it reach room temperature first, then refrigerate.
How long does homemade iced tea last?: Plain iced tea keeps 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Sweet tea or tea with added flavors should be used within 3 days.
Can I make iced tea without hot water?: Yes, use the cold brew method. Double the amount of tea and steep in cold water in the fridge for 6-12 hours.
What tea works best for iced tea?: Black teas like Orange Pekoe or English Breakfast hold up well to ice and dilution. Green tea works too but use less steeping time.