The 9 Best Iced Teas: Enjoy Tea Cold
On a hot day, there's nothing better than relaxing in the shade with a refreshing homemade iced tea. Making iced tea is quick and easy, but what are the best teas to prepare and drink cold?
In this article, we explore the best types of tea you can use to make iced tea. Read on to learn about the ideal flavors for your iced teas.
Making iced tea at home
Making iced tea is quite simple. You just need some tea bags or loose tea and a sweetener, although we recommend using other ingredients that provide sweetness naturally and with almost no calories, such as fruit or mint.
At Replantea, you can read several guides to learn how to prepare iced tea or cold brew tea like a pro. However, as a general rule, you should know that in the case of iced teas, it's better to prepare the tea with a higher proportion of tea leaves, since the cold makes us not notice the flavor and the ice we add also dilutes it.
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The best iced or cold teas
1. Black tea
If you're looking for a classic version of iced tea, black tea is the ideal choice. Black tea can also be used as a base tea for iced teas with various fruits, such as strawberry, kiwi, orange, or lime slices.
You can use high-quality, pure black teas, such as Ceylon or Darjeeling. British black teas, especially English Breakfast and Earl Grey, are also popular.
Like coffee, iced black tea is also commonly prepared with milk. For example, Thai tea, one of the most popular iced teas in the world, is prepared with black tea and milk as a base.
2. Oolong tea
Oolong tea is grown almost exclusively in China and Taiwan. Oolong teas can vary dramatically in flavor due to different oxidation times. Lighter oolongs offer a delicate, sweet flavor, more similar to green tea, while darker oolongs are more robust and earthy, similar to black tea. Oolong teas are often sold in balls and rolled pearls that unfurl during steeping, making the simple act of brewing them an experience in itself.
You can choose a pure oolong tea as a base for your iced tea, just as you would with black tea, or you can opt for flavored oolong tea blends specially made for cold drinking, such as Replantea's 100% Organic Peach and Orange Oolong Tea .
3. Teas or infusions with hibiscus
Iced hibiscus tea, also known as agua de Jamaica, is made from hibiscus flowers. It has a refreshing, sweet, and slightly tart flavor, similar to cranberries, and is a true delight on hot summer days.
Hibiscus is also used to add its flavor and properties to other tea and infusion blends, such as our Organic Red Fruit Infusion and Blackberry and Mandarin White Tea, both ideal options for preparing iced tea.
Go to hibiscus teas and infusions >>
4. Teas or infusions with mint or spearmint
Peppermint infusions are delicious both hot and cold. Peppermint is especially well-suited to making iced teas thanks to its refreshing flavor and tingling aftertaste. The menthol in peppermint tea leaves dances across your taste buds, leaving a cleansing sensation in your mouth and helping to refresh you.
Mint also naturally adds sweetness to tea, making it a great choice for preparing iced teas without adding sugar. At Replantea, you'll find two sugar-free mint teas that are delicious when prepared cold: the Marrakech Mint Green Tea and the Fat Burning Infusion , which, in addition to mint, contains green tea, matcha, mate, and lemon.
Go to mint teas and infusions >>
5. White tea
People who enjoy a subtle yet nuanced flavor will love iced white tea. White tea has a delicate flavor profile with floral notes and sweet undertones. The best white teas for iced tea are high-quality tea blends, such as Silver Needle and Pai Mu Tan .
Because white tea is delicate, it should be brewed at lower temperatures to preserve its flavor. Brew white tea with water between 70 and 80 degrees Celsius.
White tea is also a great base for other iced tea recipes. It pairs well with citrus fruits like lemons and oranges or with milder-flavored fruits like apples and peaches.
6. Rooibos tea
Speaking of iced tea, rooibos is like black tea without the caffeine. That's the best way to sum up the unique, rounded, full-bodied, and spicy flavor of rooibos tea. There are many herbal infusions, but rooibos is one of the best options if you don't want to consume caffeine but still love the taste of iced black tea. Like black tea, rooibos is great with lemon and/or honey.
7. Teas or infusions with raspberry
Raspberry iced tea is a summer classic. This delicious beverage has a sweet and fruity flavor that will satisfy any sweet tooth. It's also one of the healthiest beverages. This tasty tea is gluten-free and calorie-free. It's also low in total carbohydrates and packed with antioxidants that are beneficial for our health.
In the Red Fruit Infusion , with raspberry, strawberry, cherry and elderberry, you will find the ideal base for preparing caffeine-free iced teas for the whole family.
8. Teas or infusions with peach or apricot
Peach iced tea is one of the most consumed beverages in America, so much so that numerous industrially produced theine-infused drinks with peach flavor have reached us.
You've probably tried some of these pre-made iced teas, but I assure you they're nothing like the flavor of a loose leaf tea made with real peach or apricot.
At Replantea you will find the Peach and Orange Oolong Tea that I mentioned before and a delicious caffeine-free option, the Tropical Moringa Infusion with Apricot and Mango .
9. Matcha tea
Iced matcha is a great option when you want to refresh yourself and also get a good energy boost thanks to its high theine content. Plus, as you'll see, matcha tea has an almost addictive flavor and is the tea with the highest concentration of antioxidants and L-theanine.
You can prepare iced matcha tea using a traditional bamboo whisk or a regular electric hand whisk. Whichever method you choose, there's just one thing you need to be very careful about: avoiding lumps. Because matcha is a very fine powder, mixing it with water can cause lumps. Lumps have a bitter taste. That's why I recommend sifting it through a strainer when adding it to the water.
Iced matcha tea is delicious with or without milk, and you can also use it as a base for making healthy fruit-infused iced teas and smoothies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of tea is used to make iced tea?
Black tea is the most commonly used tea for iced tea, but you can make any tea you like and add ice to create iced tea.
Which teas are best for cold drinking?
Black and oolong teas taste great cold, but they also taste great hot. The choice of the best flavor depends on personal preference. In general, fruit teas and fruit-flavored tea blends work especially well as iced tea.
What teas does Replantea use in its tea blends?
At Replantea, we use 100% organic loose tea leaves from the finest plantations in China, Japan, India, and Sri Lanka.
Is it healthy to drink iced tea?
Yes, iced tea (without additives or sugars) is actually good for your health because it contains only natural ingredients. The problem lies in industrially produced iced teas, which are high in sugar and additives, and contain only a minimal amount of tea, mostly water and artificial flavorings. For this reason, the best way to drink 100% healthy iced tea is to make it yourself at home with ingredients of your choice.
Is it better to drink iced tea than iced coffee?
Both tea and coffee have unique health benefits and will energize you with the theine or caffeine they contain. We prefer tea to coffee because it's a source of L-theanine and many antioxidants, which are excellent for concentration and productivity, as well as for your health.
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