How to Brew the Best Iced Tea All Summer Long

A thirst-quenching glass of iced tea is a lovely antidote to the summer heat and surprisingly easy to make. All you need to do is combine two ingredients—tea and water—using one of our easy-to-brew methods. From there, you can enjoy your iced tea with plenty of ice and maybe a slice of lemon or tailor each glass by adding a sweetener, seasonal herbs, and fruits. Follow our guide for how to make iced tea so you can enjoy an icy, vibrant, and refreshing sip all season long.

Start With the Best Tea

Unquestionably, tea is the flavor that anchors iced tea. High-quality teas work best, so choose the same types you'd gravitate towards when brewing a hot cup. Both tea bags and loose leaf teas are suitable for making iced tea—just make sure to remove the bags or strain the tea before serving.

Any flavor works, and while black iced tea is the drink you likely know best, green, herbal, or fruity teas are all equally delicious when chilled. Another option? A combination of teas, seen here in this recipe; it's one of Martha's favorites and melds red zinger with English breakfast.

The Water

It's important that the water you use also tastes great. If you love your tap water, use it. However, to avoid off-putting flavors in water that can come through in tea, we suggest using filtered or spring water.

Select a Brew Method

There are three basic ways to brew iced tea: hot, cold, and sun. No matter which method you select, remember that iced tea is diluted by melting ice—and the cool temperature numbs the flavor on the palate. Because of this, iced tea should be brewed stronger than hot tea.

To brew iced tea without a recipe, start with these standard ratios: Use two tea bags per cup of water for hot brew and one tea bag per cup of water for the cold and sun tea methods.

The Hot Brew Method

This is the method to use if you want to drink iced tea fast.

1. Start like you would if you were making hot tea. The difference is that your hot brew should be twice as strong—so you'd use two tea bags per cup of water rather than the usual one.
2. Steep the tea or bags in boiling (or almost boiling) water for three to five minutes, depending on box recommendations.
3. Strain the tea or remove the tea bags.
4. Add an equal amount of cold water to the hot tea concentrate to cool it down. Serve the iced tea over ice immediately or chill it in the refrigerator until it's ready to drink.

The Cold Brew Method

Cold brewing extracts flavors from tea gently, releasing less tannins than the hot brew technique. The result is a smooth, refreshing glass of iced tea that is easy to drink—but making it does requires advanced planning.

1. Combine the tea and water in a pitcher and refrigerate it, covered, for at least eight hours (but no more than 12 hours).
2. Strain or remove the tea bags and serve the cold-brew ice tea over ice. Or, keep it refrigerated until you want to drink it.

How to Make Sun Tea

On a sunny day, brew your tea using the power of the world's largest natural energy source: the sun.

1. Combine tea and water in a covered pitcher or jar and place outside or in a window with direct sun for at least six hours. As the sun warms the water, the tea slowly releases its flavor.
2. Strain or remove the tea bags and serve over ice. Or, keep it refrigerated until you want to drink it.

How to Sweeten Iced Tea

Unsweetened tea is a favorite for some, but others need a touch of sugar in their iced tea. If you want to sweeten your tea, know that sugar and honey do not dissolve in cold liquids. Stir them in while the tea mixture is still hot, or make a simple syrup. To do so, simmer 1 part of either with 1 part water in a saucepan until dissolved; then, cool the syrup and stir it directly into already chilled iced tea.

Alternatively, use sweeteners like maple syrup, agave syrup, and superfine sugar that will dissolve right into the cold beverage.

Add Fruit, Herbs, or Other Flavors

Don't just stop at the brewed tea. You can customize your iced tea and make it extra refreshing by stirring in fresh summer flavors.

• Add juice: Skip the sweetener and combine iced tea with sweet, tart fruit juices, like lemonade, to make a classic drink called the Arnold Palmer. Or, try pomegranate juice, which adds a bright pop of color and a fruity flavor.
• Add herbs: Stir fresh sprigs of herbs, such as mint, basil, thyme, or rosemary, into the tea and steep it in the refrigerator—or add the sprigs to each glass as a beautiful garnish.
• Add fruit: Fresh fruit can also be steeped in the tea (just like sangria!). Fruit can also be stirred into individual glasses or added as a colorful garnish. Strawberries, cherries, peaches, watermelon, pineapple, or citrus wedges are all fantastic additions to iced tea.