Summer Tea Blends: 5 Easy, Refreshing DIY Recipes

Is there anything better than enjoying an ice-cold colorful sweet tea on hot summer days? Probably not. The best thing about homemade iced tea is that you can create your own blends from a scratch, even if you never blended tea before. Iced tea is far more forgiving than a cup of hot tea, and it’s easy to control the strength and tea flavor by adding different ingredients, reducing the amount of water, or adding more tea leaves.

If iced tea is your favorite drink, check out the ideas below. Each of these recipes will give about 1 litre of tea.

What are the best tea types for making your own blends?

Although many real teas can be used for making tea blends, some are better than the others. Stronger green teas are better than light teas because they gave enough strength not to be overpowered by other ingredients. You can use tea bags too, but loose leaf tea will in most cases give a fuller and more superior flavor. If you prefer a more delicate tea flavor and want to avoid sugar, cold brew is the answer.

Best green teas for making fruity and sweet blends: Chunmee green tea,  Makaibari green tea or Pinhead Gunpowder

Best green teas for making fresh and minty blends: Pinhead Gunpowder, Chinese Sencha

Best black teas for fruity blends: Grand Keemun, Organic Assam, Golden Mangalam

Best black teas for sweet blends: Organic 1st grade Yunnan, Organic Assam

Best white tea for fresh and fruity blends: Pai Mu Tan

Best herbal tea for blends: chamomile and hibiscus tea

Summer Tea Recipes

Strawberries black iced tea recipe

Fresh strawberries can add an abundance of natural flavor to pure black tea. Use only fresh, washed, preferably organic strawberries and pure loose leaf black tea. This drink is delicious hot too.

You will need:

• 1 cup of strawberries
• 1-2 tablespoons of black tea
• 1 ½ cup of hot water
• 3-4 cups of cold water
• 2-3 tablespoons of simple syrup
• Ice

Instructions:

• Wash and chop strawberries into small pieces.
• Put strawberries into a glass teapot or a mug and gently squash them
• Add tea leaves.
• Bring water to a boil.
• Steep strawberries and black tea in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes.
• Strain and pour into a jug or a pitcher.
• Add simple syrup and stir.
• Add cold water and place in the fridge for a couple of hours, or serve immediately over ice.

Pinacolada iced tea recipe

Pinacolada is without any doubts one of the most popular drinks in the world. Although the original contains alcohol, there are many alcohol-free alternatives available too. Iced tea is one of them. Although this recipe doesn’t contain any cream, the flavors are unmistakable. Vanilla bean is an optional ingredient, but recommended for add a touch of creaminess into the blend.

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut
• 1 cup of pineapple, peeled, washed and chopped
• 1-2 tablespoons of white tea
• ¼ – ½ vanilla bean
• Ice
• 1 ½ cup of hot water
• 4-5 cups of cold water
• Sugar (optional)

Instructions:

• Wash, peel and cut pineapple into small pieces.
• Scrape out the seeds from vanilla pod.
• Put pineapple, shredded coconut,  vanilla bean into a teapot.
• Bring water to a boil.
• Steep the fruits in hot water for about 3-5 minutes, then add tea leaves and let it steep for another 5 minutes.
• Strain the tea into a pitcher or a jug.
• Add cold water.
• Add sugar and stir.
• Cool in the fridge for a couple of hours or serve immediately over ice.

Mint and lime iced tea recipe

Upgrade your regular mint tea to something even more refreshing and delicious – an iced tea mojito. This super easy recipe is very easy to make, and especially delicious if you have a fresh mint. The best tea for this drink is Chinese sencha. The real mojito usually contains quite a lot of sugar. IF you want to keep this drink really healthy, use another sweetener such as stevia. To make it even more daring, use sparkling water instead of cold water.

You will need:

• 2 limes
• A handful of fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons of green tea
• 1 ½ cup of hot water
• 3-4 cups of cold water
• Sugar (optional)
• Ice

Instructions:

• Wash and slice limes.
• Wash the mint.
• Put the limes into a teapot.
• Add fresh mint and green tea.
• Bring water to a boil and let it cool down for about 5 minutes is you are using a regular kettle.
• Steep the ingredients for 5-10 minutes.
• Strain and pour into a pitcher or a jug.
• Add cold water and sweetener and stir.
• Cool in the fridge for a couple of hours or serve immediately over ice.

Rose and lemon iced tea recipe

Rose goes well with almost any type of tea – from white to green, oolong, black and even pu’erh. It also goes well with lemon too. You may use fresh petals too, but pay attention to the strength.

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon, washed and sliced or lemon juice
• 1-2 teaspoons of dry rose petals
• 1-2 tablespoon of green tea
• 1 ½ cup of hot water
• 3-4 cups of cold water
• Ice
• Sugar (optional)

Instructions:

• Wash and slice the lemon.
• Put the sliced lemon, green tea and rose petals into a teapot or a bigger mug. If you are using lemon juice instead of lemon slices, add it later when adding cold water.
• Bring water to a boil and let it cool down for about 5 minutes.
• Steep the ingredients for about 5-10 minutes.
• Strain into a jug or a pitcher and add cold water.
• Add sugar and stir.
• Cool in the fridge for a couple of hours or serve immediately over ice.

Fruit salad iced tea recipe

Imagine the most delicious fruit salad in the world blended with full-bodied and smooth black tea? Fruit Salad iced tea is the most fruity, delicious and flavorful iced tea you can make at home. All you need is fresh fruits, washed and chopped, 1+ table spoons of black tea and water.

You will need:

• 1 bigger peach
• ½  mango
• 1 smaller orange or blood orange
• 2 tablespoons of black tea
• 2 cups of hot water
• 3-4 cups of cold water
• Ice
• Sugar (optional)

Instructions:

• Wash all ingredients.
• Peel the mango and chop it into smaller pieces.
• Chop the peach and slice the orange.
• Add all ingredients including black tea into a teapot.
• Bring water to a boil.
• Steep the tea for 5-10 minutes.
• Strain and add cold water.
• Add sugar and stir.
• Cool the tea in the fridge for a couple of hours or serve immediately over ice.

 

Dislaimer: 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.