Real Iced Tea

Mmm...cold brew tea is gaining momentum around the UK... Whitard makes a cold tea infuser now, for example.  

Just thought I'd add in my two cents on making iced tea at home! I used to work at a Seattle's Best Cafe many moons ago, and the method of brewing their fantastic iced tea was pretty simple:

Steep tea bag in water just off the boil as you would for hot tea, but only pour in half the amount of water. Once it's finished steeping (generally 4-5 mins for black tea) remove the bag and top up to full volume with ice cubes or very cold water. It'll both cool down and dilute the concentrated tea you just brewed. Pour over a glass of ice, and bob's your uncle! You can always play with how much ice/cold water you add depending on how strong you prefer your brew.

This works for large batches too, just scale up the number of tea bags proportional to your desired end volume. Added bonus: this method works great for those who like to sweeten their tea! Just add your sugar or honey to the hot tea concentrate before cooling it down. It'll dissolve nicely.

Yep. this is pretty much exactly how I grew up making sweet tea down south nearly every day.

Having a nice glass of iced tea right now thanks to this post  It was very easy to make a small pitcher full of good sweet tea using this method! 

Awesome! =D Happy to have helped!

FutureMrsHandy!!! I was thinking about you the other day!!! Hope everything is good Ok since we're on the subject of Iced Tea, can I make it with PG Tips? Or do i have to find a brand specifically for iced tea since I'm in the North West, I never seem to find it.

That's what DW uses, or Yorkshire Tea. Infact I like my tea (hot) and we'll make a big pot and top up what's in the fridge with the remainder once it's gone cold!
Also used green tea.

Went to Costa the other day and noticed they were selling peach iced tea and lemon iced tea.  So I asked if there was any way I could get the iced tea without the peach or lemon flavouring added.

The 'helpful' assistant told me that 'lemon is the authentic way' and 'no one would drink plain iced tea without the flavouring added, it would just be terrible'.

I tried not to snort in derision too loudly...

But in the end she said no... it was not possible to order it without the fake flavouring, so I guess they must be using some sort of mixture/syrup for it.

The 'helpful' assistant told me that 'lemon is the authentic way' and 'no one would drink plain iced tea without the flavouring added, it would just be terrible'.

I tried not to snort in derision too loudly...

But in the end she said no... it was not possible to order it without the fake flavouring, so I guess they must be using some sort of mixture/syrup for it.

Terrible! Both the "service" and the lack of plain iced tea! I can't stand fake flavourings and syrups. Yuck!

I can't stand fake flavourings and syrups.

Now on a snow cone....

Dunkin Donuts?!  We had one here in the 80's, but it shut down a LONG time ago.  I didn't even think the company was still in business.

I make iced tea at home (but would love to get it when out and about!), using Orange Pekoe tea.  Comes out just like I remember it.

Kathryn, what do you mean by cold-brewing?

Sorry, I see that it's been answered but I was having trouble getting into the forum for a couple weeks there! I have found that I really do prefer the taste this way now, but you have to plan ahead.

Now on a snow cone....

Wow, I haven't had or seen one of those since the early nineties, at least!

I remember when I lived in the USA, friends of mine used to make Sun Tea!! They used to just put tea bags(amount depending on strength preference) in a large gallon-sized glass jar and just leave it outside in the hot sun to infuse for about 24 hours!!