You’re thirsty, and you reach for a refreshing glass of iced tea and it’s perfectly brewed. How satisfying is that! There is an art to brewing the most delicious iced tea, and it’s as simple as brew, chill, serve and store with our Flash Chill Iced Tea Makers. Keep reading for our top tips, and our 101 step-by-step iced tea brew guide.
First tip, you need the right tools. Our Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker is equipped with a fine mesh tea infuser that is ideal for loose leaf tea (or tea bags), allowing the tea room to properly steep and release full flavors. Airtight is essential, not only to ensure that you have a leakproof seal when shaking the hot tea with ice to chill, but also to lock in the fresh aromas and flavors when you store it. And we can’t forget about the infuser holder that’s not just for keeping the brewing process mess-free. Did you know that you can resteep your tea leaves? We share more about that next!
Second tip, you need to use good tea! Ok, so what does that mean? Seek out whole leaf tea (and whole herbs), because they retain their fresh flavors and aromas more than finely cut teas (quick example – the smaller the cut the faster the teas/herbs lose their flavor). Handled with care, premium whole leaves and herbs are so fresh and fragrant that they can be re-steeped to extend the iced tea experience well after the first sip. Save the brewed tea leaves and herbs by placing the Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker’s infuser in the infuser holder. When you’re ready for a second steep, just add an extra minute to the original steep time (since you’ll need a bit more time to extract flavors).
Third on the list, how much tea should I use? While we recommend 5 teaspoons of whole leaf tea for our 1 QT and 8 teaspoons of whole leaf tea for our 2 Quart, consider this a recommended place to start. Taste is personal, so test the quantity to find a flavor that works for you and your tea/herbal blend. As you explore premium tea and herbs, you will see the size of tea leaves and herbs vary greatly so you may need to adjust the quantity that you steep in the Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker (for example: if you are using whole chamomile flowers – instead of 5 teaspoons try 5 tablespoons for our 1 QT Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker since the flowers are large). A key takeaway to always remember, is that if you’re seeking a stronger flavor you will want to increase the quantity of whole leaf tea (rather than steeping it longer which may over-extract the tea and lead to a bitter flavor).
Iced Tea 101: Step By Step Guide
1 QUART FLASH CHILL ICED TEA MAKER
ADD TEA: Add 5 tea bags/5 tablespoons of loose tea into tea infuser with extender attached. Twist infuser into lid.
BREW: Heat 2.5 cups of water to the desired hot temperature (depending on the tea type), then pour into Iced Tea Maker (filling it halfway). Lower the tea infuser into the water (allowing steam to vent) and brew for recommended time. Lift tea infuser from the brewed tea, place into infuser holder, and twist to detach infuser from lid. Stir in sweetener if desired.
FLASH CHILL: Fill entire pitcher with ice, seal lid airtight, and shake for 30 seconds to flash chill. When ready to serve, twist the lid aligning the arrow on the handle with the pour spout for a steady pour.
2 QUART FLASH CHILL ICED TEA MAKER
ADD TEA: Add 8 tea bags/8 tablespoons of loose tea into tea infuser with extender attached. Twist infuser into lid.
BREW: Heat 4 cups of water to the desired hot temperature (depending on the tea type), then pour into Iced Tea Maker (filling it halfway). Lower the tea infuser into the water (allowing steam to vent) and brew for recommended time. Lift tea infuser from the brewed tea, place into infuser holder, and twist to detach infuser from lid. Stir in sweetener if desired.
FLASH CHILL: Fill entire pitcher with ice, seal lid airtight, and shake for 30 seconds to flash chill. When ready to serve, twist the lid aligning the arrow on the handle with the pour spout for a steady pour.
Ready to advance to level 2? Learn how to cold brew your tea!
