Ice Tea for 6 Cents a Glass, Low-Carbon Too

Did you know the cost of tea in a bottle of ice tea amounts to a few pennies  -- even while the bottle can run above $2 retail? The biggest cost of the product is the bottle itself.

Manufacturing the bottle also consumes more energy than shipping, and if you think about it, you're shipping around flavored water. Take away the bottle, make the tea at home, avoid boiled water and this is what you have: low-carbon ice tea that costs pennies even if you use the highest quality tea.

So what's the recipe?

• 3 tablespoons of loose tea
• 2-quarts tap water (I filter it) at room temperature.
• sprig of mint (optional) 
• syrup (here's a good recipe) or honey (optional) 

1. Put the tea in the container. The exact amount depends upon the kind of tea you use and can vary a lot so experiment, but I've found about 1-1/2 tablespoons per quart is a good starting point. Don't worry if it gets too dark, since it can be thinned out later with more water.

2. Fill the jug with tap water and stir.

3. Let the tea sit 6-8 hours on your kitchen counter.

4. Strain out the tea and put the tea jug in the refrigerator. Add mint if you like.

5. Sweeten with syrup or honey when you pour the tea into a glass with ice. I find it easier to sweeten by the glass, since preferences vary. 

I buy high quality loose teas from Silver Tips Tea, which has a wholesale operation called Eco-Prima that supplies many brands you already know. (They had nothing to do with this post). I've had success with Assam (Organic/Fair Trade)  Makaibari green and Darjeeling tea (O/FT) , Ceylon Kenilworth black tea,  Guranse Estate Nepal (O), which has a nice smokey flavor, and a classic, Moroccan mint. Japanese hojicha, a roasted green tea which I get from relatives in Tokyo, is also delicious. You can find it in Asian markets. It is very smooth and drinks well without any sweetener.

Why not use boiled water? I've found room temperature water makes a less acidic tea, though I've also seen recipes where the tea is steeped overnight in the refrigerator. One note on green teas -- they can be astringent so choose a mellow one like the Makaibari green. Also go easy on the sweeteners. A little goes a long way.

I buy tea in half-pound quantities. For an Assam-Ceylon blend, I use about 1/4 ounce (3 tablespoons) in about 80 ounces of water, which costs about 31 cents. For a 16-ounce glass, it comes out to about 6 cents per glass. The sweetener probably adds a penny. With prices that low, I see no reason to resort to mass market tea bags. Use the good stuff. 

- Samuel Fromartz

Comments

[Labid Hinenfold]

Mmmm refreshing! Thanks Snooty Sam!

[McAuliflower]

low carbon? If you're going to be talking about shipping cost and eco-saviness, don't neglect the shipping and production of the tea itself.

Low carbon iced tea would be tea made from herbs or tea found in your yard or local community.

[Sam Fromartz]

I knew someone would bring that up -- but, as others have said, I wouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

[Lorrie @ReadIt&Eat]

Iced Tea, one of the true visages of summer! I've been making sun tea for weeks, infusing both mint and rosemary in the brew (not at the same time). It's a cheap date, too. While our son is napping, my husband and I sit on the back deck and sip our tea, catching up on the events of the day.

[Marija]

Thanks for the idea. Saves waste and carbon emissions, and homemade tea is better than store-bought anyways.

[Christine]

Most people don't realize how costly it can be to distribute products such as Ice Tea. This is a great post, that's for sharing and hopefully many more people consider making Ice Tea of their own for now on.

[Bill Medifast]

I love ice tea but hate the price. There are many great recipes, it's just finding one you like.

[Rachael]

Great article. Hopefully this can help diminish the number of people buying packaged ice tea and get them to make it on their own more often.

[Gay Timmons]

This is long past the posting but I always think of it when I think about tea. My (92 year old) uncle was a chemist who specialized in water. He was also a tea drinker. He once told me that if you make hot tea, you should bring the water to a boil and then let it sit for a minute. The temperature of the boiling water will release tannins that are bitter but if you let the temp drop, just that little bit, it makes a mellower tea. Chemistry is dependent on precise measurements, so it was nice to learn this little tip.

[Carrie]

Love your blog and Thanks for the share.It gives me idea on how to make my own ice tea with low carbon .I think it would be cheaper than buying at the store.