Is making iced tea as expensive as it seems?

One of my favorite iced teas now is to make some hot puerh and drink it. Then the leaves go in my big pitcher with some water and I leave it in the fridge anywhere from ten to 48 hours! It is so refreshing and pure, you can hardly believe it.

For black tea iced, I make it regular strength and let it cool. I put it in the fridge to chill and when I drink it, I don’t add ice because it is already cold. Since it isn’t getting watered down by the ice, there is no need to make it double strength.

Frank’s iced tea blends resteep really well, and I make the resteep right away and combine it in a large pitcher with the first.

Some of Harney and Sons tea blends are less than $25 a pound. I find those are great for fairly economical, yet tasty, iced tea. If you are using the “good stuff”, I think loose leaf is way cheaper than buying something in a giant sachet, but cheap tea bags can make a thirst slaking nectar, too.

I came across bulk loose-leaf tea at a new Hy-Vee that opened up a few blocks away. I didn’t have high hopes since it was like a buck fifty an ounce. I got some Moroccan Mint and Gunpowder Green and cold brewed them in Mason jars. They were actually pretty tasty!! I went to their website and found they make a lot more varieties than the ones in the bins. Unfortunately it looks like you can only buy in bulk on their website, but if you drink a LOT of iced tea in the summer or make it for parties, then 2lbs for around $30 can’t really be beat! Here’s the website:

http://www.cameronscoffee.com/category/Camerons-Tea-50.cfm

Next time I go to Hy-Vee I’m going to try some others. I know they had their jasmine one available. I might try that to see if it’s comparable to my pearls, and save my pearls for hot tea.

When I make iced tea, I always steep it hot and wait for it to cool down. That way I can use the same amount of leaf for both hot and iced. If I’m feeling particularly impatient, I will make the tea double strength and then immediately pour it over ice (but only if I know the ice doesn’t taste like freezer burn).

I generally make pitchers from my cheaper teas or from H&S iced tea pouches. The latter will make me 64 oz. of tea for $1-$1.50, which is cheaper than drinking pre-made tea or juice from the grocery store.

If I want to drink a fancier iced tea, I’ll combine the first 2-3 steeps in a water bottle and pop it in the fridge. Butiki’s Watermelon Xylophone is particularly tasty when prepared this way!