Shop-bought iced tea is often a sugar bomb – homemade iced tea tastes fresher, costs less and you decide for yourself how sweet it gets. Here are the basic technique, 5 easy recipes and the most common mistakes (keyword: bitter tea).
The basic technique: how to stop iced tea turning bitter
The most important trick: brew the tea twice as strong as usual, but do not steep it any longer – then pour it straight over plenty of ice cubes („flash chill“). That keeps the aroma intense without any bitter notes developing. It is even easier with TEABALLS: the pressed tea tablets dissolve in cold water too – iced tea with no boiling, no bags, in 2 minutes.
Recipe 1: Classic peach iced tea
Brew 1 litre of black tea strong, pour it over ice, then mix with pureed peach (or peach TEABALLS) and a squeeze of lemon. Sweeten to taste – or not.
Recipe 2: Lemon iced tea without sugar
Infuse green tea cold (cold brew: 4 to 6 hours in the fridge), then add lemon slices and fresh mint. Cold brewing makes the tea naturally mild and slightly sweet – with no sugar at all.
Recipe 3: Fruit iced tea with popping boba (the summer hit)
Cold brew a fruit tea, put ice cubes in the glass and add 2 to 3 tbsp of popping boba fruit pearls (mango or lychee) – the bursting pearls turn a simple iced tea into a bubble iced tea just like the ones from the shop. Serve with an XXL straw from the accessories.
Recipe 4: Matcha iced tea
Stir 1 tsp of matcha powder smooth with a little water, top up with cold water or oat milk and add ice – refreshing and with a gentle caffeine kick. More on this in our matcha guide.
Recipe 5: Iced tea for lazy days
No time? Chill a BobaJoy Ready-to-Drink, open the bottle, done – bubble tea iced tea with pearls, ready to drink.
Frequently asked questions about making iced tea
How long does homemade iced tea keep?
2 to 3 days in the fridge – it is best stored without fruit, which you then add fresh.
Which tea works best?
Black tea for the classic, green tea and fruit tea for lighter versions. Cold brew makes every tea milder.
How do I sweeten it without sugar?
Cold brew is naturally milder; otherwise fresh fruit or a small dash of fruit juice will help – and popping boba bring fruity sweetness straight into the glass.
