Making your own iced tea: basic recipe, variations, less sugar
Making your own iced tea is easier than many people think – and you decide how sweet it is. Shop-bought iced tea often contains plenty of sugar, while homemade gets by with a fraction of it or none at all. All you need is tea, water, a little time to cool and a few ingredients for flavour. In this article you will find a basic recipe with black tea, variations with fruit tea and green tea, tips for less sugar and advice on how to take it along cool.
Contents7
Basic recipe: iced tea with black tea
The classic is lemon iced tea made with black tea. For about one litre you need:
- 4 tea bags or 4 heaped teaspoons of loose black tea
- 1 litre of water
- 1 untreated lemon
- 1–3 tablespoons of sugar or honey, to taste (or none at all)
- Ice cubes and a few sprigs of mint if you like
Preparation
- Brew the tea: Bring the water to the boil and pour it over the tea.
- Let it steep: 3 to 5 minutes, then remove the bags or leaves. Steeping longer makes the tea harsh and bitter.
- Sweeten: Stir sugar or honey into the still hot tea – that way it dissolves completely.
- Let it cool: First at room temperature, then in the fridge for at least two hours.
- Refine: Stir in the juice of half a lemon and add the other half in slices. Serve with ice cubes and mint.
Quick version with ice cubes
If you are in a hurry, brew the tea twice as strong with only half a litre of water and then pour it over a glass full of ice cubes. The ice cools the tea down immediately and dilutes it to normal strength at the same time.
Variations: fruit tea, green tea and more
Black tea is just the beginning. With other kinds of tea, your drink gets a character all of its own.
| Variation | Base | To refine |
|---|---|---|
| Peach | Black tea | 1–2 ripe peaches in wedges, a little lemon juice |
| Berry | Fruit tea with berries | Fresh raspberries or redcurrants, mint |
| Green tea and lime | Green tea | Lime slices, a few cucumber slices |
| Hibiscus and orange | Hibiscus or mallow tea | Orange slices, a cinnamon stick |
| For children | Caffeine-free fruit tea | Apple juice as a spritzer element instead of sugar |
Iced tea from fruit tea
Fruit tea is wonderful for iced tea, especially for children, because it contains no caffeine. Important: always pour fruit and herbal teas with bubbling boiling water and let them steep for at least five minutes. The dried plant parts can contain germs that are only killed by the hot water. The German consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale), among others, points this out. Only then let the tea cool.
Iced tea from green tea
Green tea is usually brewed not with boiling water but with water at about 70 to 80 °C, and steeped for only 2 to 3 minutes. Otherwise it quickly turns bitter. Chilled, it tastes particularly fresh with lime or mint.
By the way: iced tea is brewed hot and then chilled. Tea that is made with cold water from the start and steeps for many hours is a method of its own, known as cold brewing – with a different taste and its own rules.
Iced tea with less sugar
The biggest advantage of homemade iced tea is control over the sugar. A few ideas for getting by with little:
- Reduce gradually: Start with the amount you like and use a little less next time. Your palate gets used to it.
- Fruit instead of sugar: Ripe peaches, berries or a dash of apple juice bring natural sweetness.
- Choose aromatic teas: Fruit teas with apple or hibiscus taste fruity on their own and often need no sugar at all.
- Use herbs: Mint, lemon balm or basil add freshness that does not need to be balanced with sweetness.
- Steep briefly: A less bitter tea needs less sugar to balance it.
Tea ice cubes against a watery taste
Normal ice cubes melt and dilute your drink over time. A simple trick: pour some of the cooled tea into an ice cube tray and freeze it. These tea ice cubes cool just as well but melt into tea instead of water. It looks especially pretty if you put a mint leaf or a berry in each compartment.
For guests in a carafe
For a garden get-together or a barbecue evening, it is best to prepare a large carafe in the morning. That gives the tea enough time to chill properly in the fridge. Add lemon slices, fruit and herbs just before serving, and put sugar or syrup out separately – then everyone can decide how sweet they want it.
Shelf life and storage
Homemade iced tea contains no preservatives. So keep it tightly closed in the fridge and drink it within one to two days. If you add fruit or herbs, take them out after a few hours so they do not go mushy.
Why does my iced tea go cloudy?
Black tea sometimes turns cloudy as it cools. This is due to substances in the tea that dissolve less well in cold water, and it is harmless. If the cloudiness bothers you, let the tea cool at room temperature first and then put it in the fridge, instead of chilling it straight from hot.
Iced tea on the go: cold in the bottle
Iced tea only tastes good when it is really cold. For outings, a beach day or the office, an insulated bottle is therefore the best companion. According to the manufacturer, our IZY bottles keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours. The product description of the Van Gogh bottle explicitly names iced tea as a suitable drink.
- IZY x Pip Studio “La Dolce Vita” thermos bottle – 500 ml: double-walled, rust-free stainless steel, leak-proof screw cap, dry on the outside.
- IZY Bottles Van Gogh Flowers thermos bottle – 500 ml: floral design inspired by Vincent van Gogh, taste-neutral, BPA-free.
Fill the iced tea well chilled, ideally straight from the fridge. If they fit through the opening, you can add a few ice cubes. For on the go, it is better to leave out pieces of fruit and herbs or strain them beforehand – that makes cleaning easier. Since, according to the manufacturer, the double-walled bottle does not form condensation, the towel and book in your beach bag stay dry.
After finishing, rinse the bottle soon, because sweetened tea leaves residue. In the evening, clean it by hand with warm water, mild washing-up liquid and a bottle brush. According to the manufacturer, the IZY bottles do not go in the dishwasher. You will find more tips for hot days in Water bottle in summer, and all bottles in our IZY collection.
Related reading: Cold brew tea: types, steeping time and what to watch out for · Infused water recipes: 8 combinations for water with flavour · Water bottle for a picnic: cold, hot and leak-proof through the afternoon
Conclusion
Making your own iced tea works with just a few ingredients: brew the tea hot, steep briefly, sweeten to taste, let it cool and refine with lemon, fruit or herbs. Always pour fruit and herbal tea with boiling water. With fruit, herbs and a short steeping time you can get by with little or no sugar. Your iced tea keeps for one to two days in the fridge, and on the go it stays cold for a long time in an insulated bottle.
Frequently asked questions
Which tea is best for iced tea?
The classic is black tea. Fruit tea is a caffeine-free alternative and well suited for children, while green tea tastes particularly fresh.
How long does homemade iced tea keep?
Tightly closed in the fridge, about one to two days. Take fruit and herbs out after a few hours.
Can I make iced tea without sugar?
Yes. Fruity teas, ripe fruit, herbs and a short steeping time provide flavour without added sweetness.
Why does iced tea turn bitter?
Usually the tea has steeped too long or the water was too hot for green tea. Steep black tea for 3 to 5 minutes, green tea for 2 to 3 minutes.
Can I take iced tea in a thermos bottle?
Yes, an insulated bottle keeps it cold for a long time – according to the manufacturer, our IZY bottles do so for up to 24 hours.
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.