Artisan Iced Tea Blends

For black tea blends, steep the leaves in hot water (around 200°F) for 3 to 5 minutes before removing the leaves and chilling the resulting concentrate. Green tea blends require a shorter steep of 2 to 3 minutes at a slightly lower temperature, around 175°F, to avoid bitterness and astringency in the final iced product.

Cold brewing iced tea involves steeping loose-leaf tea in cold or room-temperature water in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, which extracts flavor slowly and produces a naturally sweeter, less bitter result than hot brewing. Use roughly 1.5 times the amount of tea you would use for hot brewing, since cold extraction is far less efficient.

Homemade iced tea made from loose-leaf blends will generally keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days when stored in a sealed container without added sugar or fruit. If you add sweetener or fresh fruit, consume it within 2 to 3 days to avoid fermentation or bacterial growth.

Most high-quality loose-leaf blends can be steeped a second time, though the resulting iced tea will have a noticeably lighter flavor profile. This works particularly well with oolong and green tea blends, which are known for yielding multiple infusions, while black tea leaves may lose significant body and depth on a second steep.