According to our friend and regular contributor, tea merchant Bill Waddington of The Teasource, there are three ways to make real iced tea, and sun tea is not one of them. While that jar of tea steeping in the sun may look “summery,” you may not feel very “summery” if bad bacteria brews. Best to try one of these three methods instead, and use that jar to store some fresh lemonade.
1. Make a regular hot tea brew but increase the amount of tea by 10 to 15 percent. For example, in a 6-cup teapot use 7 teaspoons of tea instead of 6. Strain and chill the brew in the refrigerator then serve over ice.
2. When you need iced tea for a crowd, make an iced-tea concentrate. Use 1 cup of tea for 8 cups of water. Brew for the appropriate amount of time, strain, and discard the tea leaves. To serve, dilute 1 part tea concentrate with 2 parts water.
3. For instant tea, prepare regular hot tea, increasing the amount of tea by 50 percent. For a 2-cup pot, use 2 teaspoons of tea. Pour the hot tea into a container filled to the rim with ice. Some of the ice melts and dilutes the tea while the rest cools it down.
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