Fresh Brewed Iced Green Tea Recipe
Make Fresh Brewed Iced Green Tea Recipe in just 1h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Tea Base
Dilution & Serving
Optional Additions
Method
Tea Base
Heat water
Bring 1.25 liters of filtered water to a temperature of about 75–80°C (167–176°F). If you don't have a thermometer, bring water to a boil and let it sit 3–5 minutes to cool slightly.
Measure tea
Weigh 8 g of loose-leaf green tea (roughly 4 teaspoons, depending on leaf size). This yields a bright but not bitter brew appropriate for iced tea.
Steep
Place the loose tea in a teapot or heatproof pitcher. Pour 750 ml of the heated (75–80°C) water over the leaves. Steep for 2.5 to 3 minutes for a light, fresh flavor. For a slightly stronger brew for ice, steep up to 3.5 minutes but avoid going past 4 minutes to prevent bitterness.
Strain and cool
Immediately strain the tea leaves out into a clean pitcher to stop extraction. Set the brewed tea aside to cool at room temperature for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. (If you prefer faster cooling, place the pitcher in an ice bath.)
Dilution & Serving
Prepare serving pitcher
When the brewed tea is chilled, add 4 cups of ice to a large serving pitcher or individual glasses.
Dilute and sweeten
Pour the chilled brewed tea over the ice, filling about two-thirds of the pitcher. Add up to 500 ml cold filtered water to taste to account for dilution from ice and to reach desired strength. If you want sweetened iced tea, stir in simple syrup or honey (about 60 ml of simple syrup for lightly sweetened 1.25–1.75 L total batch); adjust quantity to taste. Stir thoroughly until evenly combined.
Alternative cold-brew method
If using cold-brewed concentrate instead of the hot-brew method: combine 8 g loose-leaf green tea with 500 ml cold water in a covered pitcher, refrigerate and steep 6–8 hours (or overnight). Strain, then dilute with an additional 500 ml cold water and serve over ice, sweetening if desired.
Optional Additions
Adjust flavor with additions: Add lemon slices directly to the pitcher for a citrus note (avoid leaving too long to prevent bitterness). Lightly bruise mint sprigs with your fingers before adding to release aroma. If using honey, dissolve it in a small amount of warm water before mixing into the chilled tea to ensure it blends evenly.
Storage: Store leftover iced tea in a sealed pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the tea becomes cloudy from refrigeration, give it a quick stir before serving. Do not keep sweetened tea longer than 48 hours for best flavor.