The iced tea recipe
for your table
Steep 2 black tea bags in 25 cl of boiling water for three to four minutes, then remove them. Steeping for longer makes the tea bitter, because mainly tannins are released. Feel free to make it slightly stronger than you would drink it hot, because ice will be added later.
Let the tea cool on the counter first, then refrigerate it for at least two hours. If you pour warm tea over ice cubes, the ice will melt away in a few seconds, leaving you with lukewarm, diluted tea.
Fill the glass three-quarters full with large ice cubes and add the mint leaves and lemon slices. Gently squeeze the mint between your fingers before adding it to the glass to release its oils and aroma.
Pour the chilled tea over the ice and stir briefly with a bar spoon so the lemon and mint are evenly distributed. Taste, and only then sweeten with sugar syrup; loose sugar barely dissolves in cold tea.
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The story
The tea you choose determines the character of your iced tea. Black tea is the classic base: robust, slightly bitter and strong enough to stand up to ice, lemon and sugar. Green tea produces a lighter, grassier iced tea, but is more sensitive to water that is too hot and steeping for too long; brew it at around eighty degrees and keep it to two minutes. Herbal tea and rooibos contain no tannins, so they never become bitter, no matter how long you leave them to steep. They do lack the body of black tea, though, so a splash of lemon or a slice of peach is a welcome addition.
The right glass
You drink iced tea from a tall glass filled with plenty of ice, and forty centilitres is a comfortable size: there is plenty of room for ice without needing a refill after just three sips. The cut facet pattern provides a good grip as soon as the outside becomes covered in condensation, which happens quickly with a cold glass. If you are making iced tea for a whole table, pour it from the matching 1.2-litre pitcher and you will not have to keep walking around with the bottle. Find more sizes and models in the water pitchers collection.
RCR Adagio Long Drink Glass 40 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Adagio Water Pitcher 1.2 L
Glass and pitcher together € 70,90.
The right tools
For a glass of iced tea, in addition to the glass, you need large ice cubes from an ice cube tray, a citrus juicer for fresh lemon juice and a bar spoon for a quick stir. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 79,80.
What do you use to make iced tea for adults?
Iced tea is alcohol-free by nature. If you want to turn it into an adult drink, stir a splash of gin or rum into the glass. Well-known bottles include Tanqueray and Havana Club. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Peach is the classic flavoring: purée half a ripe peach or add a splash of peach juice to the cold tea. With green tea, fresh ginger, and a little honey, you get a lighter iced tea, and with rooibos, a caffeine-free version for children. For cold brewing, leave four tea bags in a liter of cold water in the refrigerator for eight to twelve hours; it will be smooth and cannot turn bitter. For adults, stir four centiliters of gin or white rum into the glass. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Put the glass and pitcher in the refrigerator half an hour before serving, so the iced tea stays cold longer. Fill the glass three-quarters full with large cubes instead of a handful of small ones, because large cubes melt more slowly and dilute the drink less. Garnish it with a lemon slice on the rim and a sprig of mint, and serve the sugar syrup separately so everyone can sweeten their own drink.
Good to know
Why does my iced tea turn bitter?
Because the tea has steeped for too long. After about four minutes, tannins are released in particular, giving the tea a dry, bitter edge that stands out even more in cold tea than in hot tea. So remove the tea bags after three to four minutes and do not squeeze them. With green tea, the margin is even smaller: two minutes, using water at approximately eighty degrees.
Why cool it first and add ice only afterward?
Hot tea melts ice cubes in a few seconds. The meltwater dilutes the tea, leaving you with a lukewarm glass that no longer tastes of anything. So let the tea cool on the counter first, then refrigerate it for at least two hours. In a hurry? Make it twice as strong and pour it over extra ice.
How long does iced tea keep?
Covered in the refrigerator, iced tea keeps for two to three days. After that, its flavor becomes flat. Remove the lemon and mint if you keep it for longer than a day, because they continue infusing and make the tea bitter. Store it without ice and pour it over ice only when you are about to drink it.
Black, green or herbal tea?
Black tea is the robust classic and handles ice, lemon and sugar best. Green tea makes a lighter iced tea but quickly turns bitter if the water is too hot or it is steeped for too long. Herbal tea and rooibos contain no tannins and never turn bitter; they are also caffeine-free, making them useful for children and later in the evening.
Why does my iced tea become cloudy?
Cloudy iced tea occurs when hot tea cools too quickly: tannins and caffeine then bind together into small particles that make the liquid look hazy. It is harmless and you cannot taste it. To keep it clear, let the tea first come to room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator, or chill it immediately with cold water.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make iced tea yourself?
Steep two black tea bags for three to four minutes in 25 cl of boiling water, remove the bags and let the tea cool in the refrigerator. Then fill a tall glass three-quarters full with large ice cubes, add mint leaves and two lemon slices, and pour the cold tea over them. Sweeten with sugar syrup if desired.
How long should tea steep for iced tea?
Three to four minutes for black tea, and about two minutes for green tea in water at eighty degrees. Steeping it longer mainly releases tannins, resulting in a bitter taste that is more noticeable in cold tea than in hot tea. Herbal tea and rooibos can be steeped longer, as they contain no tannins.
Can you cold-brew iced tea?
Yes. Put four tea bags in a litre of cold water and leave them in the refrigerator for eight to twelve hours. Cold-brewed tea is smoother and sweeter and cannot turn bitter because the tannins barely dissolve at low temperatures. You do have to wait overnight, so prepare it the evening before.
Which glass do you use for iced tea?
A tall highball glass of about forty centilitres, so it can hold plenty of ice without you having to top it up again after a few sips. If you're making a whole jug for the table, pour it from a carafe or water jug holding over a litre and place it in the middle of the table.
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