Iced tea is a seriously refreshing and satisfying drink, especially when you're brewing your own. Apart from being a great way to beat the summer heat, it's also an easy drink to serve your guests and offers a quick energy boost if it's the caffeinated kind. Whether you like your iced tea plain, with a sweetener, or in a boozy strawberry cocktail , one factor should remain the same — your brewing method.
If you're wondering about the ideal brewing temperature for iced tea, Jordan G.L. Hardin , Director of Food & Beverage for Alfred , shared his expert advice with Daily Meal.
"In general, when brewing any tea, I always recommend using water that isn't at a full boil. Let it cool just a bit and you'll have a smoother-tasting tea," Hardin says. He explains that the best option for brewing iced tea with a tea bag, specifically, is to allow the water to cool first (the only exception is if the bag is sold specifically for brewing iced tea).
Cold-steeping is also a smart idea when using loose leaf tea, and you'll have more flexibility when making your favorite iced tea recipe . Tea bags, loose leaf tea, and water temperature Hardin walks us through some key differences between tea bags and loose leaf tea, which largely stem from to their leaf size. Hardin mentions that tea bags are produced to contain a uniform blend of tea.
"This typically means taking the 'fines' of the tea — essentially, the smallest, dusty particles left over after the whole-leaf tea has been processed and .