How to Brew the Best Iced Tea

A thirst-quenching glass of iced tea is a lovely antidote to the summer heat, instantly providing a much-needed pick-me-up. There's nothing complicated about how to make iced tea either—all you need to do is combine two ingredients—tea and water—using one of our easy-to-brew methods. From there, you can enjoy your iced tea with plenty of ice and maybe a slice of lemon or tailor each glass by adding a sweetener, fresh herbs, and fruits. Follow our essential guide to brewing iced tea so you can enjoy this icy, vibrant, and refreshing sip all season long.

Start With Top-Notch Tea

The first step in making iced tea is choosing a high-quality tea. After all, tea is the flavor that anchors iced tea. Choose the same types you'd gravitate towards when brewing a hot cup. Here's what to keep top of mind:

Bags or loose: Both tea bags and loose-leaf teas are suitable for making iced tea—just make sure to remove the bags or strain the tea before serving.

Caffeinated or not: Any flavor works, and while black iced tea is the drink you likely know best, green, herbal, or fruity teas are all equally delicious when chilled.

Flavor medley: Unleash your creativity and combine different teas, such as Red Zinger and English breakfast.

Water Quality

It's important that the water you use also tastes great. If you love your tap water, use it. However, to avoid off-putting flavors in water that can come through in tea, we suggest using filtered or spring water.

3 Ways to Make Iced Tea

There are three basic methods to brew iced tea: hot, cold, and sun. No matter which technique you select, remember that iced tea is diluted by melting ice—and the cool temperature numbs the flavor on the palate. Because of this, iced tea should be brewed stronger than hot tea.

How Much Tea to Use: To brew iced tea without a recipe, start with these standard ratios: Use two tea bags per cup of water for hot brew and one tea bag per cup of water for the cold and sun tea methods.

The Hot Brew Method

Choose this process if you want to drink iced tea fast.

1. Start like you would if you were making hot tea. The difference is that your hot brew should be twice as strong—so you'd use two tea bags per cup of water rather than the usual one.
2. Steep the loose tea or bags in boiling (or almost boiling) water for three to five minutes, depending on box recommendations.
3. Strain the tea or remove the tea bags.
4. Add an equal amount of cold water to the hot tea concentrate to cool it down. Serve the iced tea over ice immediately or chill it in the refrigerator until it's ready to drink.

The Cold Brew Method

Cold brewing extracts flavors from tea gently, releasing less tannins than the hot brew technique. The result is a smooth, refreshing glass of iced tea that goes down easy—but making it does require advanced planning.

1. Combine the tea and water in a pitcher and refrigerate it, covered, for at least eight hours (but no more than 12 hours).
2. Strain or remove the tea bags and serve the cold-brew iced tea over ice. Or, keep it refrigerated until you want to drink it.

The Sun Tea Method

On a sunny day, brew your tea using the power of the world's largest natural energy source: the sun.

1. Combine tea and water in a covered pitcher or jar and place outside or in a window with direct sun for at least six hours. As the rays warm the water, the tea slowly releases its flavor.
2. Strain or remove the tea bags and serve over ice. Or, keep it refrigerated until you want to drink it.

Sweetening Iced Tea

Some tea drinkers prefer their brew unsweetened, but others need a touch of sugar. When sweetening your tea, keep these tips in mind:

Hot stuff: Sugar and honey do not dissolve in cold liquids. If you're using these sweeteners, stir them in while the tea mixture is still hot.

Liquid rules: Alternatively, make a simple syrup. Here's how:

1. Simmer 1 part of sugar or honey with 1 part water in a saucepan until dissolved.
2. Cool the syrup.
3. Stir it directly into already chilled iced tea.

Other options: You can also use sweeteners like maple syrup, agave syrup, and superfine sugar that will dissolve right into the cold beverage.

Customizing With Fruit, Herbs, or Other Ingredients

Once you get in the groove, you can customize your iced tea any way you like. Here are some summer-perfect suggestions to get you started:

Add juice: Skip the sweetener and combine iced tea with sweet, tart fruit juices, like lemonade, to make a classic drink called the Arnold Palmer. Or, try pomegranate juice, which adds a bright pop of color and a fruity flavor.

Add herbs: Stir fresh sprigs of herbs, such as mint, basil, thyme, or rosemary, into the tea and steep it in the refrigerator—or add the sprigs to each glass as a beautiful enhancement.

Add fruit: Fresh fruit can also be steeped in the tea (just like sangria!). Stir the fruit into individual glasses or use it as a colorful garnish. Strawberries, cherries, peaches, watermelon, pineapple, or citrus wedges are all fantastic additions.