I've been using PG Tips to make ice tea (I use something different for hot tea). PG Tips is nice but I'm feeling it's actually too smooth and mild for ice tea. I've been using more and more tea bags per batch to draw out taste.

I might try something with more punch. Not sure about orange pekoe or loose leaf yet. Something cheap and robustly flavored. Maybe I'll try lipton bags first. Using loose leaf sencha or oolong seems wasteful.

Recently I’ve become partial to Red Diamond tea. Three family size bags steeped in hot water then stir in 1/2 cup of sugar and top off with water in the pitcher. I used to be all about the sweet tea growing up in TX, but more recently I’ve backed way off. I still make simple syrup to keep in the fridge for the times I want it a little sweeter.

Oh yeah, homemade tea And homemade lemonade makes for a great Arnold Palmer…

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Maybe I'll try lipton bags first.

Skip that and go direct for Luzianne large tea bags. Do some online research and you'll find they are universally rated the best of their kind.

Here's amazon reviews as an example

https://www.amazon.com/Luziann...-Pack/dp/B071YV6PTQ/

As a child I remember my mother (a beautiful brunette) as I remember her. She is 86 now. Still beautiful would always have a glass of instant Lipton tea unsweetened with ice. I remember always asking her for a drink when outside in the summer. Fond memories.

If drinking it I just use a spoon full with about 20oz of water and ice. Works well for me.

+1 on the Luzianne as anything else in my cajun family is an abomination.

Boil 1 gallon of cold water, 2 Luzianne large tea bags, steep between 22-30 minutes depending on your shade of choice...while still hot pour in 1-1/2 cup sugar and stir vigorously. Serve over ice or with a shot of Jack (if you are so inclined).

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Maybe I'll try lipton bags first.

Skip that and go direct for Luzianne large tea bags. Do some online research and you'll find they are universally rated the best of their kind.

Here's amazon reviews as an example

https://www.amazon.com/Luziann...-Pack/dp/B071YV6PTQ/

yup

Sun Tea with Luzianne is good, growing up we had a Mr Coffee Ice Tea maker, fill up the container with Ice, pop in the large Tea bags up top and let it steep hot water through the bags over the Ice.

Link

I may have to order one...

Right now, Pick up two to three gallons of Publix Ice tea, unsweet in the deli, lasts all week, nice cold and ready to drink.

Still have one of those Mr Coffee deals. No longer use it. Simply pop a big Luzianne tea bag in a pitcher filled with water and let it sit on the counter until it is "dark enough." Then refrigerate. Bingo!

No sugar water aka sweet tea for me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bald1,

8 bags of Lipton tea
1 1/2 cups of sugar

Bring quart of water to boil and turn off heat, put 8 bags of tea in and let it steep for 10-15 minutes. Pour the hot tea into a 1 gallon pitcher and stir in the sugar. Add room temperature water and then cool in the fridge.

How people drink unsweet tea is beyond me.

I drink sweet tea with meals and also while smoking a cigar.

Considering the amount of sugar in some of these recipes and how much of the product is drunk, I’m going to stop fretting if someone says my Snickers bar will give me diabetes.

quote:

Originally posted by wreckdiver:
We too like SunTea, but we usually use 6 Lipton bags in a gallon jar for an afternoon in the sun.

Sun Teas is the answer.

it's just 2 ingredients - tea and water
mix to taste

I got my first boxes of Luzianne. Unfortunately, it seems that they are obfuscating whether ore not they are sourcing from PRC - a practice I abhor. I respect a company more if they just explicitly declare they are buying from PRC; I will likely not buy their product but I would respect the company for being transparent. Like Lipton - they are explicit and transparent. I'm disappointed that Luzianne seems to be obfuscating.

I'll try these boxes. Sunk cost. But unless it's spectacular beyond what I might use otherwise, these will be the last boxes I will buy.

Their teas are sourced from tea-producing countries in Asia, Indonesia, Africa and South America. They're very protective of their recipe.

https://www.nola.com/entertain...2d-2449f439513e.html

If Asia = Japan or Korea or Taiwan or even India, okay.

If Asia = prc like for Lipton, then no bueno.

Some relatives who were sort-of missionaries in China brought me a large fancy container of green tea some years ago. When I brewed the first batch, an oily slick caused by something formed on the surface. I was grateful for the thoughts and gesture, but that batch went down the drain and the rest into the trash. There may be reasons to avoid processed food products from that country besides its politics and other practices.

Yes. Caveat emptor especially for food stuffs.

I'll use up the Luzianne but probably stick to PG Tips for now. Unless more info comes to light and/or another alternative is found.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: konata88,

I have always heard the wonders of sun tea. However my personal experience is that it tastes exactly like boiling water with tea bags in it. The boiling water part is easier. I think the magic is finding the right amount of sugar or sweetener to float your boat. My mom made the best iced tea and the secret unfortunately was a metric shit ton of sugar. Ugh.

Ok I'll be THAT guy...
Just the facts, please don't bash me sun tea fans!

Wife was in the dietary field for over 30 years. She said, and a quick google will back it up that Sun Tea is a health risk. It can not legally be made or served to the public according to her training. Sun tea creates the perfect conditions/temp to bread bacteria and doesn't get hot enough to kill it.

I tried it years ago and saw no benefit, no better taste, maybe a very tiny energy savings and the feel good idea of it... The down side of taking hours and being a potential health risk. My venture into the Sun tea business didn't last very long.

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:
Ok I'll be THAT guy...
Sun Tea is a health risk.

Interesting. Cold brew it is then!
https://foodhero.com/blogs/how-to-make-sun-tea