I’m grateful that unsweetened iced tea is available at many restaurants now, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t flinch a little when asked to fork over $3 and change for a single, tall glass of plain black iced tea. It’s so easy to make a high-quality iced tea concentrate at home and shake up a glass with ice and a splash of water whenever thirst strikes. Concentrate saves refrigerator space compared to a giant jug and lets you customize each glass—read on for simple directions and flavor ideas.
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I love an ice-cold glass of iced tea on hot days. My mom used to make sun tea so strong it could stain the jar: eight to ten Lipton tea bags in a quart jar, filled with water and left in the sun until it turned very dark. She poured it over ice and drank it straight; I usually watered mine down because I prefer a milder brew. That old method inspired my easier, faster version: a refrigerator concentrate you can shake into a perfect glass at a moment’s notice.
On a recent trip I noticed “Shaken Iced Tea” on a coffee shop menu and, intrigued, ordered one. I paid more than three dollars and watched the barista pour concentrate over ice, top with water, and barely stir. It tasted fine—cold and refreshing—but it reminded me how simple and inexpensive this drink is to make at home. So I set out to recreate the experience properly: tea concentrate plus vigorous shaking for the best possible iced tea.
To make concentrate, I used quart canning jars and added eight tea bags per jar—one jar with plain black tea and another with a black tea blended with mint. I draped the strings and tags over the jar rim and lightly screwed on the ring to hold them in place, then filled the jars with boiling water and let them cool to room temperature. After removing and discarding the bags, I sealed the jars and refrigerated the concentrate until chilled.
Now for the shaking. Fill a clean canning jar a couple inches with ice, add concentrate until the jar is about one-quarter full, then pour in cold water to within an inch of the rim. Secure the two-piece lid firmly and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. You’ll get an incredibly cold, slightly frothy iced tea—the froth is a small, delightful crema that shows the drink is perfectly aerated and chilled.
Cook’s Notes:
- If you enjoy mint-flavored black tea but want to save money, steep inexpensive black tea (orange pekoe or similar) and add 3–6 drops of food-grade peppermint essential oil directly to the concentrate. It’s less costly and yields a clean, bright peppermint note. The same approach works for lemon: add 3–4 drops of food-grade lemon essential oil for a fresh lemon iced tea.
- Making concentrate in quart jars is compact and convenient. Each jar stores in the fridge for up to a week and you can mix each glass to taste—strong for you, weaker for others—without committing to a large container.
- To make sweet tea, add simple syrup to the glass before shaking so it dissolves evenly.
- For an Arnold Palmer, mix the tea concentrate with your favorite lemonade and shake. Easy and refreshing.
Shaken Iced Tea + Iced Tea Concentrate
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
Per Quart of Iced Tea Concentrate:
- 1 quart jar with a two-piece lid
-
8 black tea bags
use your preferred brand; orange pekoe works well - boiling water
- Optional: 3–6 drops food‑grade peppermint essential oil
Instructions
To Make the Iced Tea Concentrate:
-
Place the tea bags in the quart jar, draping the strings and tags over the side. Screw on the ring to hold the strings. If using peppermint oil, add the drops onto the tea bags. Pour boiling water nearly to the rim and let the jar cool to room temperature. Remove the ring and discard the tea bags, then seal the jar and refrigerate until chilled. Store up to one week.
To Make Shaken Iced Tea:
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Fill a canning jar with ice, add iced tea concentrate until the jar is about one-quarter full, then add cold water to within 1 inch of the top. Secure the two-piece lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Remove the lid and enjoy.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use if needed.