Today, I wanna talk about making iced tea, specifically with black tea. It’s not rocket science, but I’ve picked up a few tricks over the years.

First off, getting the right tea. I used to just grab whatever black tea bags were on sale, but then I realized that the type of tea really does matter. For iced tea, you want something robust. I’ve been using these English Breakfast tea bags lately, and they’re pretty good. But hey, experiment a bit! You might find something you like even better.

Brewing the Tea

Next, brewing. This is where things can go south if you’re not careful. I boil about a quart of water, and once it’s boiling, I take it off the heat. No need to keep it on a rolling boil.

• Boil water
• Take off heat
• Add tea bags

Then, I toss in about 6-8 tea bags. Yeah, it sounds like a lot, but remember, we’re making a concentrate here. This gets steeped for about 5 minutes. Any longer, and you risk it getting bitter. Ain’t nobody got time for bitter tea.

Cool it Down

After that, I fish out the tea bags and let the tea cool down a bit. I used to pour it straight over ice, but that just waters it down too fast. So now, I let it sit on the counter for a while. Patience is key, folks.

Once it’s not piping hot, I pour the tea into a pitcher and top it off with cold water. I usually go for a 1:1 ratio, but you do you. If you like it stronger, add less water. If you like it weaker, add more.

Sweetening it Up

Now, for the sweetener. I’m a simple syrup kind of guy. It’s just sugar and water, heated up until the sugar dissolves. Easy peasy. I make a batch and keep it in the fridge. When I’m ready to sweeten my tea, I just add a splash of syrup to the pitcher. How much? That’s up to you. I like mine just a tad sweet, so I don’t go overboard.

• Make simple syrup
• Add to tea
• Adjust to taste

The Final Touches

Finally, I like to add a slice of lemon. It just gives it that extra zing, you know? Sometimes, I’ll throw in some mint leaves too, especially if I’m feeling fancy. Then, it’s just a matter of pouring it over ice and enjoying the fruits of my labor.

So yeah, that’s how I make black iced tea. It’s a bit of a process, but it’s totally worth it. Plus, it’s way cheaper than buying it from the store, and you can customize it however you want. Give it a try sometime!