Summer is coming, and it is hot outside. Everybody is now wearing flip-flops and shirts to enjoy their time in the beaches or backyard swimming pool. And if you are a tea lover, perhaps it’s time to exchange hot tea for iced and refreshing one to help you cool down.
During the season, our at-home tea routines will be a little more complicated due to the additional task of chilling required. But it is worth doing this as it quenches your thirst to help you enjoy the rest of the day with comfort.
Also, having a cold blended raspberry mint green tea in hand while appreciating the outdoor festivity can be a great experience. With that in mind, here are 6 useful tips for drinking tea in hot weather.
1. Start with brewing hot tea
If you are going to pour the tea over ices, it is suggested to double the steeping time as it will result in a more robust flavor which might account for the process of diluting when the ice gets melted. Many people often rush and add ices immediately after brewing instead of letting it cool down. To enhance the flavor, you should wait for a few minutes so your hot tea comes down to the temperature in the room before placing it in the fridge.
2. Consider cold brew
Just like coffee, you would choose to cold brew your tea to save your time. Although this method isn’t popular as hot brew due to some disadvantages, it allows you to have a different profile of flavor such compared to steeping it in heated water. It is recommended to steep cold-brewed tea in the fridge for at least 12 hours and consume it within 1 or 2 days to avoid possible growth of bacteria. Don’t cold brew herbal teas or tisanes as their high moisture content would harbour bacteria when you leave them to sit for an extended period of time.
3. Try other sweeteners
When it comes to sweetener, most people often use organic cane sugar for making their drinks. However, the top secret to creating a refreshing and tasty cup of iced tea is agave syrup, sugar syrup, or honey. These ingredients work well for home use because they won’t leave sugar grains in your cup and combine with iced tea much better. In case you only have granulated sugar, it is better to add it while the tea is still hot so that it would dissolve quickly.
4. Sweeten with restraint
People often oversteep the tea leaves to extract as much as they would. In some cases, this might result in a bitter drink, and they choose to cover it up with sugar. Make sure to do this with constraint as you should need a small amount to enhance the flavour. An excessive consumption of sweeteners might lead to some health issues, especially obesity.
Ideally, you should start with less and gradually add more until your tea taste well. Do not go overboard!
5. Do not oversteep
When tea is served cold, the flavour often get dulls. If you want to drink a stronger drink, it is better to use more tea bags or a quality tea infuser mug or tea infuser bottle instead of extending the steeping time, which can bring out the bitter tannins in your tea. Ideally, you should use two bags for every three cups of water to get the best result.
In case you overstep and get too bitter coffee, consider adding a pinch of salt. This would sound strange, but this is typically a flavour enhancer that makes the taste of your coffee less bitter by bringing out other flavors.
6. Feel free to be creative
Many people agree that black teas, including Assam, Darjeeling, and Ceylon, are one of the most popular options to make the best iced teas. But that is just the beginning. Be creative and mix and match to create a unique cup of tea. You don’t have to worry about ruining anything as the stake is low and the possible reward is high.
For example, you can try a Japanese Sencha or Moroccan mint tea, which result in a vibrant and bright green brew. Also, it is recommended to add white varieties like the silver needle. If you have a garden, it is a good idea to include some muddled herbs such as spices or berries to maximise the taste.
