How would you go about making this tea?

11 years ago

I bought 3 cans of Harney & Sons Iced Tea using a buy two get one free coupon at Barnes & Noble the other day. I was so enthused with my purchase, I didn't even take the time to give so much as a cursory glance at the directions. Now I've read them. Here's what you're supposed to do:

1. Boil 2 cups of water and pour over a tea bag, into a GALLON container.

2. Steep for 15 minutes, then fill w/6 cups cold water.

3. Remove teabag & gently squeeze it.

Here's the problem. I can't find a gallon sized pitcher. I can only find 2.5 or 2.6 quart pitchers. Even if I could find a gallon sized pitcher, once it's full of liquid, I won't be able to lift & pour it. (Back problem!)

Even smaller pitchers are difficult for me to lift, but I can manage them. I drink a pitcher of "ZERO" water every day (has the filter built in.) The first couple of glasses are hard for me to pour, and I usually spill a lot.

If I use a 2.6 quart pitcher, will the tea be way too strong? WWYD? This is supposed to be really good tea. I hate to mess it up. There are those jugs with the spout, but I wonder if one would spring a leak in my fridge. What a mess that would be!

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Comments (12)

palimpsest
11 years ago
I would make it in a two quart container at double strength and pour half into another two quart container and dilute them each.
les917
11 years ago
I would use a large enough jar to hold the tea bag and the two cups of water. Let steep as directed. Then measure out one cup of the steeped tea, and put it into a larger closed container that will hold the one cup of mix and three cups of cold water.

Keep the other one cup of mix in the jar until you need more tea, and do the same thing again in the larger container.
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stinky-gardener
Original Author
11 years ago
Pal, that's so smart! Thank you. I love that idea.

Les, that's also a great idea. Thanks!

I will try both suggestions. I don't need to worry about handling a gallon container, but can still keep the proportions of water/tea as directed!
tinam61
11 years ago
It seems strange that one tea bag will make a gallon of tea. I use a family size tea bag for a pitcher (it's a good size pitcher). Let us know how it tastes, I've never heard of that brand.

tina
stinky-gardener
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, I thought the same thing, Tina, about the one teabag per gallon of water! The teas from this company are supposed to be excellent. I read some great reviews of both the iced teas and the regular teas, at Amazon & B&N.

Also had fun checking out Harney & Sons website. They have adorable shops in NY, one in SoHo. They serve food in their tearooms, as well as offer quite an array of tea varieties and beautiful tea pots and cups.

Read that in honor of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, H&S has created a new tea!

I will let you know how mine turns out using Pal & Les's smart suggestions. Btw, I bought two kinds: Raspberry Herbal Iced Tea & Organic Green Iced Tea.

Here is a link that might be useful: H&S
mama goose_gw zn6OH
11 years ago
Y'all are makin' this way too hard. There are 8 cups in: a half-gallon/2 quarts/64oz. Make your tea in a 2qt pitcher. :)

If you can't lift a 2qt pitcher, I like les917's idea.
natal
11 years ago
Stinky, the site you linked says the bags are for 2 quarts not a gallon.
stinky-gardener
Original Author
11 years ago
Oh dear, Mama Goose and Natal! You two certainly pointed out things that should have been rather obvious to me, lol!

I DO see that the front of the tin reads, "6- 2 quart bags!" Why they directed use of a gallon container is confusing to me!

Well, I sure do appreciate the help from Pal and Les so much, and was tickled with how smart their ideas were! Mamagoose and Natal...y'all obviously had your thinking caps on also! Thanks so much for sharing your keen observations. It evidently takes a village to help me make a container of tea!
mama goose_gw zn6OH
11 years ago
stinky-gardener, you are welcome. The reason that I noticed the volume measurement is that I always make my tea in pint or quart canning jars, heating the water in the microwave. I don't like strong tea, so I use a single-serving tea bag in a pint of water, or two bags in a quart. If one does home canning, those measurements are used often.

I checked the website to see if the company is based in China (my grandmother used to say, "I wouldn't do that for all the tea in China!"), because I thought the instructions recommending a gallon container might have been a translation failure. The company is in New York, so maybe just a mistake in packaging.

BTW, I like my tea SWEET. ;)
Olychick
11 years ago
If I had trouble lifting and pouring, I'd just make it double or quadruple strength (using 1/4 to 1/2 as much hot water) then refrigerate and add the cold water when serving. Kind of like coffee toddy.
dedtired
11 years ago
Maybe make it in one of those jars that has a spigot at the bottom, so you don't have to life to pour. However, you may have to lift it when filling the jar, so I guess this won't work.

This one opens at the top and has a spigot.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jar with spigot
stinky-gardener
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for stopping by again, Mama Goose! Yes, "Wouldn't do that for all the tea in China" surely makes a statement!

Olychik, another very good idea! Thanks!

Dedtired, I wondered about those too, but also wonder if they ever spring a leak in the fridge. Also, you are right, they'd be too heavy for me to put IN the fridge. They are so pretty though. Especially the ones you found with the decorative stands. They'd be nice for entertaining. Thanks for the suggestion and for posting the link!