How to make
an iced tea

Brew the perfect
ice-cold refreshment
in just four simple
steps.

Master the art of DIY iced tea

Hydrating, thirst-quenching and refreshing – it's hard to deny the allure of a perfectly-chilled glass of iced tea. While making your own at home can seem like a big undertaking, we’re here to assure you that it’s actually super quick and easy to whip up. So quick, in fact, you’ll wind up back in the kitchen to brew a few more cups throughout the day. What’s more, every tea can be enjoyed iced – from crisp senchas and floral whites to spicy rich chais and juicy herbals.

How do you achieve the best-tasting iced tea ever? It all comes down to three factors:

  • • The amount of tea you use
  • • The temperature of the water
  • • The time you let your tea steep

Make the perfect iced tea at home, every time, thanks our simple step-by-step guide.

What you’ll
need

Step 1

Measure your tea

Measure your favourite iced tea tea like a pro by using the DavidsTea Perfect Spoon – a stainless steel spoon designed to help measure your loose leaf tea correctly. Just scoop 1-2 Perfect Spoons (approx. 5 teaspoons) of your loose leaf tea into the DavidsTea 16 oz Steeper with the lid open. We generally recommend to use double the amount of loose leaf you use for hot tea, since you'll be diluting it with ice.

When it comes to making iced tea, getting a flavourful cup is everything.
  • • Brew it extra-strong = full-flavoured & aromatic iced tea
  • • Brew it too weak = watery & bland-tasting iced tea

Step 2

Pour in hot water

With your loose leaf ready to go, it’s now time to fill your Steeper with 10 oz of hot water from a kettle. Water temperature is one of the most important variables in steeping a consistently delicious cup of tea. Steep it too hot, and you risk burning the leaves. Steep it too cold, and you’ll be left with a mild tasting cup. So how hot should your water be? To make sure you get the best results, follow this simple steeping guide.

Step 3

Let it steep

This is where the magic happens.
Here’s where you want to set a timer to give your tea the time it needs to release all of its wonderful flavours and aromas.

Hot tip: Fruit infusions are the most forgiving teas to use since they can’t be oversteeped.
Most fruit & herbal teas can infuse all day long without turning bitter or astringent since they don't contain Camellia sinensis leaves, which, when oversteeped, can sometimes leave you with that dry and puckery feeling in your mouth.

Don’t forget to give it a little stir.
Make sure all of the leaves in your Steeper are either submerged or at least wet (we don’t want any dry floating tea leaves on the top). This will ensure that each tea leaf has enough heat to help extract it’s amazing flavours, so you get a great tasting cup, every time.

Step 4

Dispense tea over ice

Fill your favourite 16 oz mug with ice, rest the Steeper right on top and watch as your infused tea pours out like magic through the easy-release valve. The filter will strain your tea directly into your ice-filled cup while keeping the tea leaves in the infuser. And when you’re done, the valve closes automatically.

Steeping guide

White tea

watch
video

The purest, least processed tea, with a delicate and smooth flavour.

Steep Temp:
90°C/195°F

Steep Time:
3-5 min.

Green tea

watch
video

Bright, invigorating and delicate – green tea leaves are either steamed or pan-fired.

Steep Temp:
Japanese green tea:
80°C/175°F
Chinese green tea:
85°C/185°F

Steep Time:
2-4 min.

Oolong tea

watch
video

Partly oxidized tea that’s deep, complex, and fragrant – a step along the way to black.

Steep Temp:
90°C/195°F

Steep Time:
4-5 min.

Black tea

watch
video

Fully oxidized during processing, it needs a lot of heat to help extract its dark, rich flavours.

Steep Temp:
95°C/200°F

Steep Time:
3-5 min.

Pu’erh tea

watch
video

An aged tea that’s naturally fermented for a sweet, mellow and distinctively earthy brew.

Steep Temp:
95°C/200°F

Steep Time:
4-5 min.

Maté

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video

Get the perfect balance of toasty and earthy sweetness from this smooth South American herb.

Steep Temp:
95°C/200°F

Steep Time:
3-5 min.

Rooibos

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video

A naturally sweet, hydrating and caffeine-free herb that comes from the South African rooibos bush.

Steep Temp:
95°C/200°F

Steep Time:
4-5 min.

Herbal & Fruit Infusions

watch
video

Not actually tea at all, but fresh or dried herbs, spices, fruit pieces, flowers and grains.

Steep Temp:
95°C/200°F

Steep Time:
5+ min.

Don’t have a thermometer?
Use the boil-and-wait method.

95°C - 90°C:
Once your kettle has boiled, let sit for about 1-3 min with the lid open.

80°C - 85°C:
Once your kettle has boiled, let sit for about 7-8 min with the lid open.

75°C:
Once your kettle has boiled, let sit for about 10 min with the lid open.

More How-Tos

Iced tea recipes

Refreshing drink ideas that bring the flavour while keeping you hydrated and quenched.

White Sangria

Freshen up your happy hour in this delightfully crisp & juicy sangria recipe featuring Just Peachy tea and a splash of white wine.