The Simple Trick To Prevent Watered Down Iced Tea Every Time

On a warm, sunshiney day, perhaps no drink is more refreshing than iced tea. Aside from the relief it provides from the heat, the crisp, slightly tart flavor is refreshing and it's a drink that can be doctored in all kinds of ways to one's personal preference. What no one likes on a warm day is a watered-down drink and water-down ice tea can be prevented with one simple trick.

The key to avoiding less-than-stellar iced tea is to make the flavor of the iced tea strong so that it doesn't fade when the tea is poured over ice. This can be done by making a double-strength infusion by steeping tea using half of the water used for a normal batch of hot tea (two to three 3 minutes for white and green tea, five to seven minutes for herbal tea). This creates a kind of concentrated tea where the flavor is stronger and more prominent when poured into a glass and sipped. After infusing the tea, tea makers can sweeten it with sugar or honey before chilling it.

Keeping the flavor in a summertime drink like iced tea can be tricky, especially where ice is required. But with tea that has twice the flavor of a normal batch, iced tea enthusiasts can sip all day without worrying much about melted ice cubes ruining the flavor of their drink.

Iced tea may be a Southern comfort staple — made at home or enjoyed on the go — but it rose to prominence in the public consciousness at the World's Fair in 1904 in St. Louis. It was here that British tea maker Richard Blechynden served samples of the drink to fairgoers and it was an instant hit. Legend says Blechynden planned to serve hot tea, but the heat of the summer birthed the idea of blending the tea with ice cubes.

Even with a double-infused tea, those planning to have guests over can get perfectly chilled drinks by sticking glasses in the freezer before pouring. Sticking a glass in the freezer for even 30 minutes can give it enough of a chill where ice may not have to be added. Still, a few cubes are recommended because having less ice in a glass can actually raise the temperature of the drink.

For those who enjoy having iced tea that's extra cold, having crushed ice on hand rather than standard ice cubes can give guests the feeling of drinking a sort of tea slushie (especially if the tea is briefly chilled in the freezer beforehand) as they sit outside and enjoy the weather and good company. That gives them the option of enjoying the flavor of the tea and crunching on some ice while they do.