The #1 tip to making the very best iced tea with our Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker: make sure that you’re using good tea and herbal blends. Yes, it’s that simple. 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). And while we’re on the topic of the infuser, size matters here too. Whole leaves need space to expand, unfurl and steep to release their full flavors which is why our infuser was designed to provide ample room for water flow and extraction.

So, you’ve found your favorite whole leaves and herbal blends. Now, it’s essential to keep these aromatic leaves fresh. Buy tea in small quantities and store in airtight containers away from heat, light and strong flavors (coffee and spices are not ideal pantry neighbors).  Speaking of freshness, our Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker was designed to have an airtight seal to lock in the fresh aromas and flavors of the premium tea that you steep. 

Ready to steep? 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). For more tea tips, visit our Instagram feed.

For step by step directions on how to use our Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker to make the delicious iced tea, visit this page.