3 Easy Ways To Salvage Oversteeped Iced Tea

Iced tea is supposed to be delicate and light. However, accidentally oversteep it, and you'll be left with a cold beverage that's unpleasantly strong and bitter. Luckily, there are three easy ways to salvage oversteeped iced tea — diluting it with water, adding a dash of milk, or sweetening it with sugar. Just like a cup of hot tea, iced tea can taste astringent if you've left the teabag in for too long. This is because tea leaves contain bitter-tasting compounds called tannins, which pervade the hot water. The longer you leave the tea in the liquid, the more tannins are released, resulting in a drink that has an odd mouth-puckering or dry quality.

Diluting your iced tea with more water will instantly mellow out its oversteeped flavor, but you can also dampen down that astringency with regular milk, creamer, or plant-based alternatives, such as soy, oat, or coconut milk. The milk will soften the harsh edge of an oversteeped tea and lend it a smoother, richer flavor. There's just one problem with adding more liquid — you'll end up with more tea than you bargained for! In that case, consider adding a dash of sweetener to your beverage to balance out its bitter taste. While a spoonful of sugar won't eliminate all the astringency, it can help to offset some of it. You could also opt for honey, agave, or even maple syrup.

Bear in mind that different varieties of sweetener will imbue your iced tea with their own unique personality. For example, honey will lend a floral earthiness while maple syrup will give it an almost vanilla-like toffee quality. Brown sugar will create a caramelly infusion whereas stevia will contribute a mild licorice note to bring it back from the brink. There are heaps of other fun and interesting ways to elevate a classic iced tea, such as switching the liquid for coconut water, adding slices of citrus, or perking it up with refreshing, aromatic herbs.

The scientific advice on how long to steep tea is two minutes if using hot water. At this point you should remove the leaves and allow the tea to sit for six minutes before taking your first sip. However, if you're cold-brewing your iced tea, leave the tea bags in for a minimum of four hours (fewer tannins are released in cold water, which means you can safely allow your tea to brew for a couple of days in the fridge without it tasting harsh). If you've made a timing mistake with your iced tea and it's simply too bitter to remedy with dilution, consider using it as a soaking liquid for dates. For example, dates are often soaked in tea before they're added to sticky toffee pudding to plump them up and soften their texture. You can also boil potatoes in tea to give them a savory, fragrant flavor.