A How to Guide on Brewing the Perfect Batch of Iced Tea
There is truly nothing better than a cold, flavorful and refreshing glass of Iced Tea during the dog days of the summer. At 50Cups, we believe a perfectly brewed glass of Iced Tea is positively powerful: it has the agency to make an already great day better. However, we also believe that a poorly brewed glass of iced tea has this innate ability to ruin an impeccable day. Dramatic, we know.
Fear not: 50Cups has put together an all-inclusive guide for how to brew the perfect batch of Iced Tea, so you never have to let a bad glass of iced tea wreak havoc on your day ever again. We have got two different ways to ensure success.
-Cold Brew Iced Tea:
Cold brew tea is probably the simplest and mistake-proof way of making Iced Tea that involves simply steeping tea leaves in room temperature water. Brewing tea using the cold brew method creates a smoother and lighter tasting tea that is also less caffeinated than tea brewed with hot water. When tea is infused with water that is too hot, the larger molecular compounds in tea can be released too quickly, which results in a bitter and astringent brew. However, cold water slows down this infusion process, leaving the finished brew tasting a bit smoother than its hot-brewed counterpart.
HOW TO MAKE A COLD BREW TEA (Makes 2 quarts of Iced Tea, serves 8)
1. Put 4-5 tablespoons of 50Cups loose-leaf tea or 3-4 50Cups tea sachets into a glass container with a 2 quart capacity
2. Fill glass container with 8 cups of room temperature water and cover
3. Let brew for 6-12 hours. More time brewing will allow for a stronger tea!
4. Strain tea when you are ready to serve and pour over ice. It will stay in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
-Tea Concentrate:
A tea concentrate is great for making large batches of Iced Tea, as you can prepare it ahead of time and store it for future use. A tea concentrate simply involves doubling the strength of the brew, and adding water once you are ready to serve! Also, since it is a concentrate, its volume is smaller, and it won’t take up so much space in your refrigerator!
HOW TO MAKE A TEA CONCENTRATE
Put 4-5 tablespoons of 50Cups loose leaf tea or 3-4 50Cups tea sachets into a glass container with a 1 quart capacity.
Fill glass container with 4 cups of boiling water (you may need to adjust the temperature based upon the tea, refer to our 50Cups brewing guide!)
Allow it to brew for 3-6 minutes (check out our brewing guide to be sure of how long it need to brew for)
Strain your tea into a separate glass container with a 1 quart capacity, cover, and let cool.
When you are ready to serve mix ½ cup of tea concentrate with a ½ cup of water over ice. It will stay in the refrigerator for up to 4 days!
Make sure to try out both of these methods and let us know which one you like best!
