Iced Tea

Almost any tea can be served cold, but some shine brighter over ice. Fruit and hibiscus blends become juicy and thirst-quenching, black tea turns crisp and classic, green and white teas go soft and sweet, and mint blends are naturally cooling. Loose leaf iced tea is a fresher, lower-sugar alternative to bottled iced tea, and you control exactly how strong and how sweet it is.

Cold mutes some flavours and sharpens others. Sweet fruit notes and citrus come forward, while bitterness and astringency are less noticeable when tea is cold brewed. Herbal blends with hibiscus taste tart and berry-bright; peach or mango black teas taste like summer on a patio; and lightly floral greens become delicate and refreshing. Browse our selection above for blends made to be poured over ice.

Cold brew is the easiest and smoothest method. Add 2–3 g of tea per 250 ml of cold, filtered water to a jug or jar, cover it and refrigerate for 6–10 hours (herbal and fruit blends can go up to 12). Strain and serve over ice. Cold water extracts fewer tannins, so the result is naturally sweeter and very hard to over-brew.

When you want iced tea right away, use the flash-chill method: brew double strength, about 5 g per 250 ml, with hot water at the usual temperature for that tea (100°C for herbals and black, about 80°C for green), steep for 3–5 minutes, then pour it straight over a full glass of ice. The ice melts and dilutes the tea to the right strength.

Sweeten while the tea is still warm, or use simple syrup for cold brew, since sugar dissolves poorly in cold liquid. Fresh lemon, mint, sliced fruit or a splash of sparkling water all make great additions.

Caffeine depends entirely on the base. Herbal, fruit and rooibos iced teas are caffeine-free, making them easy picks for kids and late afternoons. Black and green iced teas contain caffeine; cold brewing tends to extract a little less of it than hot brewing.