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[Gentlefish]

Would you kindly?

MUST RESIST Yes sir.Anything you want sir.

[wierd]

This may have to do with region.  The cooling effect of good iced tea is what makes it a good choice in the deep south of the US, where it is frequently both hot and muggy at the same time in the summer. 

There is a large degree of variation in the quality of iced tea, and in the manner of preparation.  Much like with hot teas, if you start with dreck, you will brew a big pot of brown colored filth.  This is also true of cold brewed iced teas. The same basic rules apply; you want leaves, not stems-- you want quality leaves, and not pressed factory dust in packets.

Sadly, most off-shelf teas in the US are not good quality. Sad, but true. If you are willing to fork out the dough, you CAN get good tea here though.

Much like with hot tea, you dont want to directly heat the water containing the tea leaves with the leaves in it-- and for exactly the same reasons. It releases bitter tannins. Blech.  This is a common problem with improperly brewed sun-tea in the summer. The pitcher is not kept sufficiently cold, and it brews incorrectly, and comes out nasty, when in reality sun-tea is supposed to be crisp and refreshing with almost no bitterness. It has been my experience that the further into the southern states you go (Only been so far as arkansas myself, but have traveled over Ok, Mo, and Ak-- and have cousins living in Alabama) the better they are about brewing their iced tea. Here in Kansas, people routinely put tepid water into the sun-tea jar, and then set it in the sun. Bad bad juju. It heats up, gets bitter, and is just not right. You are supposed to use icy cold water with ice in it, and keep an eye on it so it does not over-brew. "refrigerator tea" is also common, but the use of glass pitchers seems to have lost popularity here in my state, and the quality of the tea has suffered for it. Plastic pitchers are textured, and harbor tannin accumulation. People never seem to clean them properly, and blech.

Dont even get me started on mass-produced, pre-brewed iced-tea. It is undrinkable.

[KingofstarrySkies]

I adore Iced Tea.

i may or may not have an addiction to brisk

[the1337doofus]

Suddenly I want a tea thread, just so I can learn what all I've been doing wrong with making my morning tea...

[wierd]

I adore Iced Tea.

i may or may not have an addiction to brisk

*Is also partial to iced tea

*Does not really care for brisk, or liptons, when it comes to iced tea from a tri-fold teabag. Luzianne makes a smoother, less bitter tea. It isn't ideal itself-- but better than the others in that category.

*Would prefer that actual leaves from a sealed tin are used with a glass or ceramic tea-ball A tea infuser is best!) in a glass pitcher full of ice.

*Does not care for lemon.

[Neonivek]

Iced tea though is interesting because it is a large diverse drink (it is just iced tea... there is no one tea to rule them all) but everyone typically drinks the same type or similar.

I would be curious to know more atypical iced tea drinks.

[wierd]

There are 3 major methods of producing "iced tea."

1) Steep extra strong in hot water, pour over ice.

2) Sun Tea, where you take a large gallon size mason jar (or stylized sun tea jar), put the tea infuser (or bags) inside, top up with icy cold water, then set in the sun.

3) Ice-brewed ice tea/refrigerator tea, where you place the infuser directly into ice water, cover, and keep cold until it steeps out.



Method 1 activates the flavinols found in tea in the same manner that normal hot teas do. However, it also released the tannins, which then have a tendency to oxidize after being chilled, making a nasty bitter taste, (and if allowed to sit, will manifest as an oily looking sheen on the top of the tea. Blech) This method ONLY works with tea that is brewed right on the spot, poured over ice, stirred up vigorously, and then IMMEDIATELY served.

Method 2, as pointed out previously-- is often incorrectly done.  Done properly, it produces a dark colored but very mild tasting tea.

Method 3 likewise produces a very mild tasting tea, and is harder to screw up. However, there are some pitfalls, as pointed out previously. The use of plastic pitchers is very common these days, and it affects the quality of the tea by harboring tannin deposition via capillary action. It makes dirty looking pitchers very quickly that are hard to clean, because oxidized tannins become insoluble. (that's why they make an oily sheen on old tea). People also often forget to cover the tea pitcher, and refrigerator flavor can get into the tea. (blech)

Try to avoid metal tea infusers. They are very prevalent, but they do react with the tea a little, and can throw off the flavor. Glass is best.

Iced tea is intended to be a large tumbler full / tall glass type drink for hot days. As such, it is usually served basically universally in that fashion; big pitcher of tea, tall glasses, sugar and lemon on the side.

This is contrast to the multitudinous ways that hot tea is served, especially in the UK-- where tea is mostly a hot drink for chilly days (which is basically always.)

In the deep south, this is offset with other kinds of tea, that arent made of black tea leaves. (Heresy in the UK.) Things like mint tea, chamomile tea, and the like are commonplace.

[flabort]

4) Dissolving mass-produced some-what-tea-like-flavored sugar crystals into cold water.

 

[wierd]

4) Dissolving mass-produced some-what-tea-like-flavored sugar crystals into cold water.

 

That is not "tea" any more than folgers' crystals is "coffee".

That's like calling the instant syrup concentrate "tea".

[flabort]

  I know. It's a "Tea-based beverage product".
Which is to say, not tea at all.
But it's what I think of when I hear "Iced Tea".

For me, tea that is actually iced (I've tried methods 1 and 2) isn't all that great. Kind of... well, weak, even if I brew it REALLY strong when hot for method 1. Like the cold breaks down the flavor and chases away the strength. As for sun tea, I was served some citrus sun tea at a friend's neighbor's house, and I wasn't really a fan at all; again, weak, and unsweetened.

As for Hot Tea, I like Peppermint with lots of sugar or honey, or blue agave syrup (healthier than sugar or honey) (Tim Hortons: Large Peppermint Tea, 4 sugar, one bag in one on the side); I like Chamomile Tea with a little honey (Tim's: I don't like Tim's Chamomile); I like White Hot Chocolate with a Pumpkin Tea Bag added (ONLY at Tim's); and I like Stash Brand Licorice with or without anything sweet. Obviously I'm not a caffeine guy

[wierd]

In the past, I have made iced spearmint tea, and iced catmint (catnip) tea, using fresh mint leaves. (catnip is a mint.) 

Straight catnip tea is an acquired taste though. It tends toward being a bit weak-kneed, and is actually a calmative/sedative type tea. Not a stimulant at all, so UK style tea drinkers will be put off by it. It does have more flavor when warm, I will give it that-- but it lends itself well to blending with other cool tasting herbs as a blend in an iced tea. (A bit insipid by itself.)

I would have preferred peppermint, but it does not take the heat here like the spearmint does. That was a long time ago though when I was a kid and living with my folks. Mom had a small herb garden in the back yard. I don't have the time to raise herbs.   (I miss fresh mint leaves, and fresh picked basil and the like.)

I am not a fan of chamomile.  I did make herbal teas out of other things though (when I was younger), such as from fragrant edible tree flowers (cold brew! Things like apple blossoms and the like) when mom would thin down the blooms in the spring.

[wierd]

Oh yes!  One I doubt anyone here but me has had!

"Indian Lemonade"

http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2012/08/sumac-lemonade-recipe-sweet-and-sour.html

It is made by steeping the ripe berries of the red sumac bush in warm water. Curious thing, sumac berries. when they are ripening, they secrete citric acid, which literally forms a white encrustation on them if there are long dry spells, and it does not get rained off.


Red sumac is indigenous to my area.

[Orange Wizard]

Tea is hot. Iced tea is a vile abomination.

[wierd]

I dont understand the ire so many have for iced tea.

I like hot tea in the winter-- but iced tea in the summer is awesome too. I have earl grey in the cabinet right now. Good stuff.

The only abomination with tea is improperly prepared tea.

[Orange Wizard]

The ire is that it's new and therefore causes cancer.

Also, how do people not know how to prepare tea? Teabag goes in cup, hot water goes in cup, remove teabag, add a touch of milk, and viola! Proper tea. All we need now are biscuits.