Has anyone made ice tea that tastes good?

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

It's too hot for hot tea, but I am so used to drinking several cups a day I am getting a withdrawal headache. Rather than taking this opportunity to wean myself off and clean up my life, I want to replace the hot tea with ice tea.

But the stuff I made doesn't taste good, and Lidl is sold out of their (oversweet but drinkable) peach iced tea. Any advice?

Yes! Green tea sweetened with elderflower cordial and a squeeze of lime is delicious

Long Island Iced Tea all the way 😜

Green tea with mint is lovely

Mixing it with cordial is the best. Or fruit tea eg peach tea.
It needs sugar. And a bit of citric acid - lemon juice etc.
In the states, people drink plain black tea cold, but not many people here would do it, i don't think.

I’ve never made iced tea that tasted bad to be honest. How are you making it? I find one tea bag to a pitcher is sufficient. Add sugar when hot unless you don’t sweeten it. Lots of ice and a lemon when you are ready to drink it.

Just jumping in to see if anyone comes up with a recipe for home made iced tea, sorry OP!

I think some people use Lift Lemon tea, possibly???

My nan used to make the most delicious iced tea on hot days. I wish she'd left her recipe

I’m American so iced tea is in my blood.

the best iced tea is just going to be a fairly strong brewed black tea poured over ice. How strong you need to brew it depends on how long you have to wait between brewing and drinking. If you are doing well in advance, just make a tad stronger than normal and chill in the fridge until cool. Then pour over ice. If making and drinking, make it double-strong.

I prefer mine without sugar or with very little sugar. If you want sugar it is best to add before chilling. White or turbinado both work nicely.

there really is no need to get fancier than that. I sometimes do blends of tea or fruit, but day after day I always go back to the plain black tea. It just can’t be beat.

Lol no we don't! Ice tea in the US is super sweet and usually lemony or peachy.

That's the trick really, about 10 times more sugar than seems reasonable.

I agree that elderflower cordial is a game changer but I do it with black tea.

I drink cold (or hot) black tea.

Sometimes I add a slice of lemon.

Ok well I stand corrected, there is one American who doesn't sweeten their ice tea : )

Honestly never seen it personally, maybe it's a regional thing

My mother used to put a teabag in a jug of water and leave it in the sun till it was the right colour. Take out the teabag, add sugar syrup or honey to taste, ice cubes and slices of lemon. It was quick, simple and delicious.

I've just been drinking my normal cuppa but cold 🤣

Lift lemon tea powder, dissolve it in a bit of boiling water then top up with cold, you can add sugar if you want but I think it's quite sweet . The ready made Lipton is way to sweet for me so I water it down.

Ok well I stand corrected, there is one American who doesn't sweeten their ice tea : )

Honestly never seen it personally, maybe it's a regional thing

There are a lot of Americans who drink it unsweetened hence the whole debate over sweet tea vs unsweetened. Sweet tea is the norm in the South.

This is exactly right!

Ok I take back what I said about Americans : ) I'm originally from New York though so maybe I just know a lot of sugar addicts.

Had elderflower iced tea in a cafe a few weeks ago, delicious 😋

Southern US = sweet tea. Northern and west = unsweetened. Midwest =up for grabs.

The best is darjeeling brewed for 20 minutes then stuck in the fridge until cool and poured over a glass full of ice!

How are you making it? I find one tea bag to a pitcher is sufficient

I think I'm putting too many teabags - I was putting about one per cup/glass, but I see I need less. I've probably been over-sweetening it too, maybe less is more.

I like the sound of the green tea ones - I'm normally not a fan of green tea but with elderflower and lime sounds good.

I've just been drinking my normal cuppa but cold 🤣

I've tried that but I find it inexplicably repulsive!

The Monin Peach Tea syrup is lovely.

I like a good bunch of basil leaves, tulsi if available, boiling water over, leave to steep for 20 mins, strain, add honey and then cool in fridge and drink over ice one of the best.

I lived in Missouri and it definitely leaned towards the Southern way of doing ice tea - I was genuinely horrified the first time I saw how many little packets of sugar someone emptied into their ice tea.

I got a peach iced tea from sainsburys cafe about 10 years ago that I still think about