What's your favorite (iced) tea?

I have several varieties that I drink hot in the winter, but I'm not sure how well they'd transition from hot to cold if that makes sense. Obviously, there are the widely available Green and Black teas, but I'm more thinking along the lines of herbal teas that are delicious cold and unsweetened. Any recommendations?

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,092 Member
    I make iced tea with all the teas/tisanes/herbal blends that I use to make hot tea, plus a few that are marketed as specially made for iced tea, often in quart-sized portions.

    Most of the time I drink teas/herbal tea unsweetened, whether hot or cold, because that's they way I prefer it. If you're looking for something with a natural sweetness, blends that contain cinnamon, mint, licorice, ginger, and/or orange might fit the bill. Celestial Seasoning's tension tamer flavor contains most of those. Good Earth makes an herbal blend with some of those flavors -- or it used to. It's been a long time since I've seen Good Earth in the grocery store, but I used to buy it online, until I found the Celestial Seasoning's tension tamer flavor, which is available in the grocery stores around me.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    My favorite iced herbal teas are all Celestial Seasonings. I like most, but not all, of their teas. A few varieties have monkfruit (listed as "luo han guo" on the package), which make them sweet without adding sweeteners, but you may not enjoy the monkfruit aftertaste. Specific varieties I enjoy:
    • Citrus Sunrise/Tangerine Orange Zinger (similar, but the "Zinger" flavors have more hibiscus)
    • Sangria Zinger
    • Wild Berry Zinger + Red Zinger (blended half and half--I learned this from a restaurant I went to every week in college)
    • Vermont Maple Ginger (this is one of the monkfruit varieties)

    I also brew a lot of decaf iced black tea since I stop drinking caffeine after noon. Right now I'm using Harney and Sons decaf Ceylon. My husband is a huge fan of Harney and Sons hot cinnamon spice, which comes in caffeinated and decaf varieties, but I find it too sweet. The sweetness in this one seems to come from cloves. I recommend basically anything Harney and Sons makes, though. Their Earl Grey Supreme and especially Paris are lovely iced as well as hot.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    I love spearmint tea in all forms.
  • adotbaby
    adotbaby Posts: 199 Member
    My faves are Celestial Seasonings Peach Passion, Red Rose Blueberry Muffin and Lemon Chiffon.
  • AutumLeaf
    AutumLeaf Posts: 126 Member
    Mango :)
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I make my own blend of loose leaf hibiscus tea, rose hips, dried cranberries and a slice of fresh ginger.

    Put it in a glass pitcher and store in the fridge. It tastes great and no sweeteners needed.

    I make others as well, but that's my fav.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    Lipton citrus green tea.
    I also like Celestial Seasons Cinnamon Apple Spice. I make it in quart canning jars in the refrigerator. I found out about this process last summer.
  • dechowj
    dechowj Posts: 148 Member
    For iced tea I really like regular black tea. It is great unsweetened when it is cold and then when I want a summer cocktail I add a little peach schnapps to it and it is light and refreshing without being too sweet.
  • Copper_Boom
    Copper_Boom Posts: 85 Member
    Stash Tea Moroccan Mint is wonderful hot or cold.
  • fitnesskr
    fitnesskr Posts: 6 Member
    Celestial Seasonings Blueberry is lovely iced. Doesn't taste like blueberry exactly, but sort of fruity? No sweetener needed, imo.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
    edited May 2019
    Homemade is THE BEST and super easy too--here's a recipe I found on line that VERY close to mine--I use lipton or trader joe's black tea:

    Recipe: How to Make Perfect Southern Sweet Iced Tea
    ©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
    Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 10 min | Yield: About 8 servings

    Also NOTE: Why put a pinch of baking soda in your Ice tea?????
    A pinch of baking soda makes a world of difference in a pitcher of freshly brewed sweet tea. It neutralizes the tannins in black tea, giving it a smoother taste. (This same trick works to take the bitterness out of other teas as well; you can add a teeny pinch to a mug of hot tea while steeping.)

    Ingredients:

    5 to 7 individual tea bags, (Luzianne brand preferred)
    1 quart of cool filtered or bottled water
    Pinch of baking soda, optional
    1 (4-cup) glass Pyrex measuring cup for steeping
    2 quart glass pitcher filled with ice
    1/2 to to 1 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
    Fresh lemon, sliced or wedges, and some mint sprigs, optional

    Instructions:

    Boil one quart of cool filtered or bottled water, bringing to a full, rolling boil then turn off heat. Steep tea bags in the hot water for 9 minutes. Gently squeeze bags of excess water and remove. Whisk in sugar (and baking soda if using) until dissolved and set aside. Fill pitcher with ice, and carefully pour the hot tea concentrate over the ice. Stir well and pour over ice filled glasses, garnishing with a sprig of mint leaves and a nice juicy slice of lemon. Savor. Makes 2 quarts.

    Cook's Notes: For a milder tea, use 5 bags; for a more robust tea, go with 7. Increase sugar as needed to your sweetness level. Never pour hot tea directly into a glass pitcher without ice in it! To conserve your ice and use the tea per glass, fill the 1/2 gallon pitcher with 1-1/2 quarts of water instead of ice, and top with the steeped tea.

    Source: http://deepsouthdish.com
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Constant Comment.
    I don't even like iced tea very well (prefer hot) but oh, it's so good!! Sweet or unsweet!
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    While I normally just do a basic decaf black tea for iced tea, I sometimes use herbal teas for something different. My go to is a basic peppermint, however I also love to use ones that have a fruity taste to them. I have a mango strawberry and a mango peach that are so good iced.
  • MidwestAndHappy
    MidwestAndHappy Posts: 28 Member
    Luizianne tea, nothing says summer without it.
  • StargazerB
    StargazerB Posts: 425 Member
    I love the passion fruit tea from Starbucks, I drink it unsweetened. I'm going to try and make my own to save money, so far I have not been able to find any at the grocery store that I like as much as the Starbucks.