I am very finicky about my teas, but preferences are very personal. I like a lot of Harney and Sons and Mariage Freres but I also like Mango Ceylon by Republic of Tea and Decaf Redrose!

To me, over steeped tea becomes bitter; that is my number one complaint. I also only make it with springwater. I use a tiny bit of raw sugar sometimes, and never anything else.

To make iced tea, I put teabags in room temp spring water and refrigerate it 4-6 hours. Done.

I have English Breakfast tea by RoT. I like the lightness of it and I agree with over steeped tea and bitterness. We had a Scottish friend who called it wexish when it became bitter.

My DM just had a touch of magic with tea. She usually made a loose tea placed in a teaball and for some reason it was always so mellow. Maybe I am so sentimental about it that I am exaggerating the wonderful taste but I don't think so.

I will try the cold steeped method. Maybe that will help.

Could you be more specific, number of tea bags to how much water?

Poland Spring comes in a 3-liter clear jug. It is best to use it at room temp (which is how it is sold anyway). We put in 9 decaf Redrose tea bags. Pour out just a little bit of water so they fit. Gently insert them into the water, leaving the strings outside. Replace the screw cap, thereby holding the bags suspended. Put it in the fridge. In about 4-6 hours, take it out and gently remove the teabags and discard. My family lives on this in all but the coldest months of the year. We don't add anything to it, but serve it to guests with simple syrup and lemon slices.

You can do the same thing with a pitcher and similar amount of tea bags, or I also like the giant iced tea bags from Republic of Tea (like their hibiscus); you only need one of those.

Couldn't be easier, it's never cloudy and not bitter. Do not ever squeeze the teabags when you remove them... that can make it bitter IME. And do not use tapwater.

This is the way I like to make iced tea.

Adeline's Iced Tea

Bring to boil 2 cups spring water and 2 cups tap water. Off heat. Add 2 small bags of Lipton (or 2 bags Darjeeling) and 2 small bags Earl Grey; steep for no longer than 4 minutes.* Add about 2 quarts ice cubes (which is equivalent to about 1 quart of water). Slowly pour tea over ice cubes. Cold tea instantly & it never turns cloudy.

Iced tea really won't keep for more than half a day or a day - just learn to make it more often. I also think it helps to chill it quickly which is why I use ice, It's the price you pay for quality!

For those who want stronger tea, do not be tempted to steep longer. Add more tea bags (or loose tea) keep the steeping under 4 minutes or so. I've read where some teas are best at 2 1/2 minutes ! But very few will be good over 4 to 5 minutes. And try pouring the brewed tea portion over ice immediately, or at least into cold water.

*If you want to add sweetener, do it now. Also any other any flavorings such as mint or lemon. flavored syrups.

Double this to make 1 gallon.

Walnut, I like the idea of combining the two flavors! But I would only use ice made with spring water.

As far as the steeping, when I drink hot tea, I steep it probably less than a minute. I go crazy if a restaurant puts my teabag in the water before they bring it out! Quel horreur!

ETA --- I wonder why they would want you to mix tap water with spring water???

I like my water boiled rather than the cold water method. I make a pitcher of iced tea daily. I prefer Luzianne decaf tea - use one family size (large) bag and use a large green tea bag. Let water boil 2-3 minutes then add your sweetner - I use the splenda mix (spenda/sugar). Stir, let cool a bit and then pour that in pitcher and add water to fill. Hmmm, not sure how many cups my pitcher is. I don't add any flavorings, but I do like lemon slices or mint leaves. I agree with WalnutCreek about how long it lasts. I like my iced tea fresh. I make a pitcher almost every morning. Hubby drinks from it for lunch and we finish it off in the evenings. If it is just me, I will do all splenda, but the mix is as far as I can get him to go LOL.

If there is a Teatopia or similar store in your area you might find help there. I am not very discerning over tea but one of children (adult) is and there are very serious "rules" as to how to brew each type of tea. When I have had what he makes, hot or iced, I can taste the difference.

I've been making my tea all wrong... I drink it for the caffeine in the afternoon and I assumed the longer it steeped, the more caffeine (this might be true) but I do end up with very bitter tea.

Less than 1 minute, Mtn? I wouldn't think that would be enough to extract the flavor. Or my much-needed caffeine. But I do need to try for far less than the 10 minutes I usually steep. (Sorry if that makes you all gag!)

I am going to try the Mtn Iced Tea Method! But I am curious -- why only spring water, versus (filtered) tap water?

I just buy Honest Teas organic iced tea. Seems a lot easier than all this :) Although I do enjoy brewing hot tea.

I've lately been squeezing my own lemonade though, w/ organic lemons, and mixing it half lemonade and half peach iced tea. Sweeten a touch w/ natural stevia (I use the real organic extract, not the Truvia stuff w/ fillers) and it is delicious! it is modeled after a drink in a restaurant I like in Tampa.

SueB,

Full disclosure, Mr. MTN is our iced tea sommelier in the house and he usually makes one right after dinner when it runs out. The 3-liter clear Poland spring bottle is just convenient to make, store and serve it in, but I suppose it is not very green.

Filtered I would imagine is fine. But we don't filter our water. We have well water and it is very hard and there is a veritable laboratory in our basement so I have no idea what they do to it and I do not drink it. So we buy spring water for drinking. I would say just make sure you start with a water that tastes good.

LisaD, I am not a caffeine user ... the less the better in my book. Just never got into the habit ... never drank coffee, and tho I drink iced tea all day, it is decaf. And I never got into hot tea in the morning to wake up ... I like a cup of hot tea after dinner.

I can remember my mother juicing lemons for ice tea with a juicer from the 40's....I think my brother still has it. She would boil water then let the tea bags sit in it....not sure how long or how many bags. Besides the fresh lemon juice I know she added a boat load of sugar......it was the 60's.....and no one seemed concerned about sugar back then but it sure tasted good on a hot summer day!

Right now I am using the Lipton cold brew bags with filtered water from the fridge with a few packets of Stevia in a gallon jug. I let a few bags sit in 4 cups of water for a bit then fill the jug. I usually fill a glass with ice and 3/4 filtered water then just add a splash of ice tea for some flavor.

Wow, you guys are fancy.

boil water, pour into a pitcher about half way up, add a few tea bags, let seep (don't ever keep track how long), remove tea bags, add plain water to fill pitcher. Serve over ice, go out back and pick a lemon, squeeze some into glass.

No sugar and never give me 'sweet tea' at a restaurant when I order ice tea.

I make iced tea every other day. I like republic of tea blackberry sage and Ginger peach. Also steep tea in a small amount of water -- loosely 4 min -- then add ice and water to fill pitcher.

I don't drink iced tea much anymore but when I do make it for the family, I use Luzianne tea bags and steep in hot water for a few minutes, then chill. It's how I have always done it and it comes out fine. I don't use sugar so I serve simple syrup, sugar & Stevia for those who need sweet tea. When we have a big crowd I will occasionally make a big batch of sweet tea also.

If I am drinking hot tea, I use different tea entirely. Green tea or some other flavors by Smith tea makers.

DH loves iced tea. I grew up on the powder mixes and drank it all the time.

Thanks, my DH loves unsweetened ice tea. What I've made wasn't so great. I will try your way.

Well here in the deep south, people like their sweet tea. Mine is tame compared to many (including my late grandmother's). She would make the cooked sugar syrup and add to her tea. Talk about sweet! For guests, I will make both sweet and unsweet.

Mt., I am the same way about caffeine. I never even drank coffee until iced coffee became so popular! Now I will do that, but decaf. Some of that is so filled with sugar though that I prefer to make my own.

Maddielee ...

"go out back and pick a lemon"

Now that's fancy in my book! I could maybe go out back and get a nice sprig o' poison ivy for my tea.

We always used to drink sweet tea-made sugar syrup to go with it. Now, its mostly half sweet and unsweet, although, I still make the sugar syrup way on holidays for everyone. Nice to have once and awhile. I always make a big pitcher of unsweetened too. Lipton or Luzianne-and don't let it steep too long or it can get bitter.

Maybe your Mom used loose tea leaves? That's how my mother made hers, and then poured it through a strainer. She always used Lipton. Back in the day, there weren't so many choices. Her water probably tasted different also.

Olliesmom, would you share your sugar syrup recipe? That way I can make the tea unsweetened and add just the right touch of sweetness. I imagine that a syrup would keep for quite some time in the fridge.

Arkansas, yes when DM made a pot of tea she used loose leaf tea in a tea ball. I know she always used spring water as the tap water was always treated with a slew of chemicals. For some reason her tea always had a wonderful aroma and was mellow rather than bitter.

I meant to add, our water is great (thank you TVA and a clean water system in our area), and we also have a whole house filter so no need to use bottled spring water here.

For you sweet tea drinkers, my son swears by Milo's, which was started in Birmingham, and is sold in a lot of grocery stores in the south. My DD prefers Publix brand which she says is a little less sweet. It's sold in quart or gallon plastic jugs.

Yeah Mtn, I hear you on the poison ivy. I don't dare try to grow mint even in a container. I don't know which spreads faster, PI or mint around here.

Olliesmom, I'm glad someone else knew/uses the sugar syrup!

I'm noting some of these recipes!

My parents always made strong, bitter tea akin to rocket fuel - steeped for five minutes! Then my dad started complaining about being able to sleep at night and finally switched to decaf tea after supper after a few years of me nagging.

No mint tea lovers? Peppermint, spearmint, it makes no difference. I would give it to my kids when they would get an upset stomach or have the flu, and now do the same with my grands, who have also learned to love it's taste. I add just the slightest bit of honey, but no lemon. I'm not a brand snob since i'm not a connoisseur of tea. If however there is one you would recommend, I would gladly give ita try.

I really like to make it fresh each time and I use the Keurig! the horrors. I find the twinings pure black ice tea to be the best. I fill the Keurig with spring water. Get a 32 ounce mason jar. put some ice in it ( we have crazy filtration set up on our house) run the keurig twice for the one kcup - first the large setting ( I think 12 ounce) then the small setting ( I think 4 ounce) then add a bit of lemon juice. If I am in the mood - a bit of sugar. Drink with a straw,. YUM. :)

mtnrd, I used your tea method to make my own Starbucks iced green tea which is from the Tazo Zen tea. It turned out great and much less complicated than my usual method.

DH drinks iced tea all day, all year long. I used to but the caffeine in tea is so much stronger than the caffeine in my coffee, which is always on the strong side. Go figure.

We have mint growing near the back door. Eh, it's okay. Tell me this. All those little boxes of tea I see in the store can be used for iced tea?

Sweet tea is the best! But we don't sweeten it too often for obvious reasons. Simple syrup is easy to make, now I'm craving a glass!

Also, DH grows a lot of cucumbers and he makes cucumber water in the summer and loves it.

I think the spring water method seems like a good idea. I may do that!

Oh good, D, I am glad!

Did anyone answer up the simple syrup? It's just sugar dissolved in water, usually on the stove and then cooled. But you could probably just do it at room temp if you are patient, and then no pan to clean!

Only one slight negative with simple syrup; it looks best with white sugar, whereas when we do use sugar in our house it is now apt to be raw.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20216/simple-syrup/

Serve in a small pitcher, like you might cream or even smaller (they make little glass ones), and keep in the fridge. Do not let people under 18 serve themselves! LOL

I love it best as Sun Tea -- I use a large pitcher and use mostly Irish and English Breakfast tea bags from a quality source -- with one or two Earl Grey thrown in for an added bergamot hit. Cover the top, and set it outside on a sunny day while I am at work. Pour over ice when ready to drink. (I do use tap water, but I'm on a well. I don't recommend chlorinated water.)

I DO NOT EVER ADD SUGAR OR ANY SWEETENER. Gag. Even back in the day, I hated that taste! Yes, I know, I won't fit in down South or in the Middle East. I was born in Kentucky, too. So be it.

Boo.. we have a Keurig at work, but I find that since coffee runs through the thing, the tea is off-kilter, taste wise. (I'm not impressed with the coffee, either. Rather watery.)

The absolutely most revolting tea I ever had was when I stopped off at a small Mississippi town to sleep in, on my way down to New Orleans. There were two restaurants -- a Bugger King and a Chinese place. I went to the Chinese place. I asked for tea. It came -- sweet. ICK. I asked for a new cup, not sweetened. The waitress told me it was only available... sweet. Chinese tea?? You had to be kidding me! I had her replace it with water, fortunately not sugared up. (After that, I ordered the most innocuous item on the menu -- if they can't get tea right, forget anything interesting!)

Artemis ... you don't have to put it in the sun. Do exactly what you do now, but put it in the fridge (just make sure you start with room temp water). When it is done, it will also be cold already. 4-6 hours

Artemis --- I agree about Keurigs contamination. But even when I run plain water through, it also steeps it too much. Bitter

Mtn, thanks for the simple syrup info. I googled it yesterday. They gave a recipe for three the only diff was the water to sugar ratio. I have white sugar in the house but I also use raw sugar, or like DSIL calls it naked sugar. My DM called it Demerara sugar. I think I would use the raw if using it for myself.

It might actually look fine as simple syrup, maybe sort of golden. Or maybe not so fine, IDK!

I use raw sugar when, in a rare mood, I want my iced coffee sweet. I actually prefer it loose.. a little crunch here and there of that earthy sweet bite. I don't like my iced tea sweet. Occasionally I will add a very small amount of stevia -- but most often it's unsweetened.

A trendy vegan grill opened and sells fresh squeezed lemonade with stevia or organic unbleached sugar. The stevia lemonade is pretty good. I make mine with sugar at home and try to use raw sugar now to avoid the bleaching agents. I agree that some teas require a certain temperature or they can be bitter. In so CA lemons are easy to grow and there is fruit all year hanging on the tree so we usually have lemonade. I love tea but unless it's decaf, it makes me unable to sleep at the normal time.