5 Easy Summer Tea Recipes

Sometimes, the simplest recipes make the best iced teas. Summer is the perfect season to experiment with herbs and fruits, and blend them with simple pure real teas to get an energy boosting refreshing drink. Here are our top five choices.

Best teas for summer

White, green and light oolongs are perfect hot summer day thirst quenchers. They are fresh, sometimes grassy, light and slightly sweet. Lighter black teas mixed with lemon are great too.

Excessive sugar intake should be avoided in summer, especially because dehydration may lead to a rise in blood sugars[1] too. So, even though a glass of iced sweet tea is always tempting, simple fresh unsugared drinks may hydrate you much better. To get the sweetest flavor, adding fresh fruits is the best way to go.

Summer tea drinks

Fresh fruits, herbs and real tea base make for a delicious summer tea drink that you can sip while reading a good book or serve at a garden tea party. They can be cold brewed or steeped in hot water, diluted with cold water and served over ice.

For each of the following recipes you have two options – add all ingredients into a larger jug or a pitcher, top up with water and cold brew in the fridge overnight. Cold brewing is extracting much less bitterness from tea leaves, so you can avoid adding sweeteners too. The second option is to steep the ingredients in about 1 cup of water for about 5 minutes, dilute with more water and serve over ice.

Each of this iced tea recipes will give 1- 1 ½ liters of iced tea. One spoon of tea equals about 5-7 grams of tea, so always aim to use around 10-15 grams of tea leaves when making more than a liter of iced tea.

Oolong Lemon & Basil iced tea

Medium to dark roast oolong tea with light honey notes, fresh, zesty lemon and basil taste very refreshing iced.

You will need:

• 1-1/2 cup of boiling water
• About 10-15 fresh basil leaves
• 1 whole lemon and 1 more for serving
• 1-2 spoon of honey (optional)
• 1-2 spoons of black tea

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil. Let it cool down to 194°F.
2. Wash basil leaves and lemon. Gently rub basil leaves between fingers. Cut lemon into slices.
3. Put all ingredients into a teapot or a mug and add 1 cup of water.
4. Steep for 5-10 minutes.
5. Strain and add 1 litre of water.
6. Add sweetener, ice, and serve.
7. Store in the fridge and serve over ice.

White Lavender & Rosemary iced tea

White tea with a light hay note blended with intense lavender floral scent and only a dash of rosemary is a true delight for any hot summer afternoon. Because of the stronger, sweeter and lightly floral flavor, Pai Mu Tan is the best white tea for making iced teas.

You will need:

• 1 ½ cup of boiling water
• About ½ spoon of lavender flowers
• 1 branch of fresh rosemary
• 1-2 spoon of honey (optional)
• 1-2 spoons of white tea

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil. Let it cool down to 203°F.
2. Wash the rosemary branch.
3. Put all ingredients into a teapot or a mug and add 1 to ½ cup of water.
4. Steep for 5-10 minutes.
5. Strain and add 1 litre of water.
6. Store in the fridge and serve over ice.

Green Watermelon & Lime iced tea

Watermelon iced tea? Yes, please. Fresh grassy green tea, juicy watermelon and zesty lime just scream summer. If you haven’t tried it before, summer is the perfect season. With three thirst quenching ingredients, this iced green tea will be one of your new all-time favorite drinks for summer.

You will need:

• 2 cups of boiling water
• About one cup of watermelon, cut into small pieces.
• 1-2 limes
• 1-2 spoon of simple syrup
• (optional)
• 1-2 spoons of  pan fired green tea or sencha

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil. Let it cool down to 176°F.
2. Cut watermelon into small pieces and gently squash them.
3. Wash and slice the lime.
4. Put all ingredients into a teapot or a mug and add 2 cups of water.
5. Steep for 5 minutes.
6. Strain and add 1 litre of water.
7. Store in the fridge and serve over ice.

Black Peach & Lemon Iced Tea

The ultimate classic, black tea, peach and lemon taste even better if you make them using fresh fruits.

You will need:

• 2 cups of boiling water
• About one cup of peaches, cut into small pieces and gently squashed.
• 1 lemon and one more for decorating
• 1-2 spoon of agave syrup (optional)
• 1-2 spoons of  Keemun black tea

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil. Let it cool down to 205°F.
2. Wash, peel and de-seed peaches and cut them into small pieces.
3. Wash and slice the lemon.
4. Put all ingredients into a teapot or a mug and add 2 cups of water.
5. Steep for 5-10 minutes.
6. Strain and add 1 litre of water.
7. Store in the fridge and serve over ice.

Pineapple Lime & Mint Iced Tea

Fresh juicy pineapple, mint and lime combined give a fruity herbal iced tea that has zero caffeine and all the best summer flavors.

You will need:

• 2 cups of boiling water
• About one cup of pineapple, cut into small pieces and gently squashed
• 2-3 spoons of dry mint leaves or 2 handfuls of fresh mint
• 1 lime and one more for decorating
• 1-2 spoon of honey (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil. Let it cool down to 200°F.
2. Wash and peel the pineapple and cut it into small pieces.
3. If you are using fresh mint, wash it and gently rub the leaves between fingers.
4. Wash and juice the lime.
5. Add fresh mint leaves and pineapple into a teapot or a mug and add 2 cups of water.
6. Steep for 10-15 minutes.
7. Strain and add 1 litre of water.
8. Add lime juice.
9. Store in the fridge and serve over ice.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It’s not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Every person is different and may react to different herbs and teas differently. Never use teas or herbs to treat serious medical conditions on your own. Always seek professional medical advice before choosing home remedies.

References:

[1] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-manage-your-diabetes-in-extreme-summer-heat/