There are three methods of making iced tea. You can use either bagged tea or loose tea. Loose is what I prefer. I use Muslin bags, they are normally purchased for adding bouquet garni to soups (a bundling of herbs to flavor soup to be removed upon completion, french for garnished bouquet). Now aren't we fancy shmancy! I feel like saying grey poupon,...come on say it with me,..pardon me, can you pass the grey poupon?!
I like to use bell canning jars because, well I am obsessed with them and use them in any possible way I can. For a personal tea, which you could make a nice cup or two for yourself, you can use a quart sized jar. For me it doesn't always work out because everyone wants what I have, so I just make enough to not have to be harboring it in the back of the fridge from lazy eyes. I use the 1/2 gallon bell jar. There is a cold brew method of making iced tea, a hot brew method as well as a sun tea method which is self explanatory. In a pinch the hot method gives instant gratification.
The hot method of making iced and the cold method vary greatly. When tea is extracted during the hot method the caffeine and basic compounds of the tea are more completely extracted and as well alter in the process. A hot method iced tea is stronger containing more caffeine, higher notes, acid and bitterness due to the addition of heat which creates a chemical reaction along with extraction. The cold method of extracting the tea produces a less acidic tea, containing lower levels of caffeine and taste notes. It is more simple in it's extraction and holds the original tea flavoring more cleanly and unaltered. The sun tea sits somewhere in the middle of the two as it uses the sun to warm up the water and extract the tea. There is currently a lot of controversy over the safeness of sun tea warning us that it can make one sick because of bacterial growth. I say, personally I used to drink water from the hose as a child. I walked bare foot, and ate soup that sat out in a pot all day melding. Next thing you know it is going to be unsafe to kiss your children. Just sayin...
Today I am using the hot tea method and frankly I am looking for a nice strong concoction. I will however share all three methods.
Oolong & Rooibos Hot Brewed Method Iced Tea
1/2 gallon glass container ( I use the bell canning jar)
Muslin or sealable tea bags
12 teaspoons of oolong loose tea
2 teaspoons of Rooibos loose tea
Sugar or alternative to taste (optional)
Lemons or Lime (optional)
Heat the water in tea pot to boiling enough to fill the jat leaving an inch for expansion **
Fill muslin bags with your loose tea and cinch. Alternatively you could use 12 premade tea bags of your choice.
Let the water sit for two minutes after coming to a boil before pouring into your jar.
Fill the jar with water leaving an inch from the top.
If you plans to sweeten you would use what you would typically put in a cup of tea x 6. For instance I like two mini spoons of stevia to sweeten a cup of hot tea so I would add 12 mini stevia spoons of sweetener. If you use two tbs of sugar multiply that by 6.
Add sweetener and dissolve now add in your bagged tea.
For oolong tea you should steep between 4-7 minutes ***depending on the strength you are looking for.
If you keep the bag of tea in longer the tea will begin to bitter.
For a personal brew use a quart glass jar, 4 teaspoons of oolong tea 1/2 to 1 tsp rooibos with or without sweetener.
If you want to be obsessive heat water to :
black teas 212 F
Oolong 195 F
green tea 185 F
Herbal 212 F
white teas 185 F
eyeball heating guideline for those not kitchen gadget crazy
180 Bubbles forming on the bottom of the pot
195 F Bubbles begin to rise up
212 full rolling boil
Steeping freak's guidelines
Black tea 3-5 minutes
oolong 4-7 minutes
Green 2-3 minutes
white 2-3 minutes
herbal 5-7 minutes
Now do you want it now or later? If you want it now pour it over a glass filled with ice, add a lemon or lime and wala. If not let cool and then pop in the fridge, hot tea placed straight into the fridge clouds, it won't alter the taste but will alter the appearance. If your harboring a personal size quart jar from the envious gluttons in your life, place it in the back of the fridge!
Oolong & Rooibos Cold Brew Method Iced Tea
1 or 2 - 1/2 gallon glass container ( I use the bell canning jar)
Muslin or sealable tea bags
12 teaspoons of oolong loose tea
2 teaspoons of Rooibos loose tea
Sugar or alternative to taste (optional)
Lemons or Lime (optional)
Place your cinched bag of tea in the glass container. Pour room temperature water over the tea filling an inch from the top. Place jar in the refrigerator for roughly 8 hours. Perfect to make a pot before bed and ready for the next day.
When ready pour over ice (optional) add sweetener and lemon or lime
Oolong & Rooibos Sun Tea
1 or 2 - 1/2 gallon glass container ( I use the bell canning jar)
Muslin or sealable tea bags
12 teaspoons of oolong loose tea
2 teaspoons of Rooibos loose tea
Sugar or alternative to taste (optional)
Lemons or Lime (optional)
Place tea in glass container, fill the container with water an inch from the top. Place in the sun for 8-10 hours wala. Fill glass with ice and (optional) sweetener, lemon or lime and enjoy. Pop the leftover into the refrigerator so you don't die! And don't forget to enjoy it you rebel you!
Now you can tinker with this recipe for whatever sorts of teas you have in mind. I basically like 2tsp of tea for per 8 oz of water. with a few multiples of 8 I like to add a tsp for the pot. If you like your tea strong add more tea, weaker add less tea, it isn't science it is common sense ;-}
It's hot out there people,..stay cool you chicken lovers and have yourself a Cape Cod Day!
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