How to Make Summer Iced Tea

What you need

• Tall serving glasses
• A vessel for steeping tea
• Hot water source
• Tea bags
• A spoon for stirring
• A fine sieve (optional)

Method

1. Steep one tea bag in hot water, brewing it just once.

   The creator chose Assam, strawberry-raspberry, and lychee-chamomile after testing many teas against this lemon-ginger base.

   Expert tipFor a cafe you can steep a large batch at once so each drink comes together quickly.

2. Pull black teas such as Assam quickly once steeped, but let herbal teas like chamomile and hibiscus steep longer.

   Over-steeping black tea draws out bitter, astringent flavors.

   Expert tipFor herbal blends you can leave the tea bag in the finished drink for a prettier, more authentic look.

3. Add the lemon-ginger base to each serving glass.

   On its own the base poured into water already makes a simple iced tea; the steeped tea bag is the upgrade.

4. For a tarter, fresher cup, stir about 5 g of lemon juice into the base.

   This is optional and can be skipped for a simpler version.

5. Fill the serving glasses with ice.

6. Add ice to the freshly steeped tea to flash-chill it.

   Expert tipIn a busy cafe, brew the tea in bulk and chill it down with ice so it is ready to pour.

7. Pour the chilled tea over the base and ice, then stir well to combine.

   Swapping only the tea bag gives each version a completely different character.

Why this works

Ginger pairs naturally with citrus fruits like lemon, grapefruit, and orange, so a lemon-ginger base sits well with tea. Building the drink from a sweet-tart base plus a freshly steeped tea bag gives more depth and a more premium taste than a powder-only iced tea. Because steamed, dried ginger has a milder, smoother heat, the spice rounds out the cup instead of dominating it, and flash-chilling with ice delivers a cold drink fast without long waiting.

Where beginners go wrong

1. 1

   Black tea turns bitter and astringent

   Remove black teas like Assam quickly after steeping; reserve longer steeps for herbal blends such as chamomile and hibiscus.

2. 2

   Tea is warm or watery in the glass

   Flash-chill the brewed tea with ice before pouring it over the base so it stays cold and keeps its flavor.

3. 3

   Drink tastes flat or too plain

   Use a steeped tea bag instead of only base in water; the tea adds the depth that makes it taste carefully made.

What you should taste

A balanced cup where the tea's gentle bitterness, the brightness of lemon, and a soft, warming ginger kick come together. The steamed-and-dried ginger keeps the spice restrained and smooth, so it adds depth and a faintly warming finish rather than overpowering the drink.

FAQ