Your First Tea

[Alistair]

I remember that we drank sweet tea out of baby bottles when pre-schoolers, kinda as play.

Yeah, I'm that Southern.

I just learned the proper way of making southern sweet tea. It really does make a difference.

 

[NotHardUp1]

It makes a HUGE difference. Sometime, when you make a fresh gallon, try adding two lemons of juice, plus one lime. Amazing.

When I was in Alaska, the lazy bastards at restaurants would make it from a liquid concentrate. I think it was made by Kiwi or one of the other shoe polish companies.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

When I was in Alaska, the lazy bastards at restaurants would make it from a liquid concentrate. I think it was made by Kiwi or one of the other shoe polish companies.

Ew!

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

I just learned the proper way of making southern sweet tea. It really does make a difference.

What exactly is that way?
(My parents were from Philadelphia and didn't really know.)

 

[Alistair]

What exactly is that way?
(My parents were from Philadelphia and didn't really know.)

You add the sugar to the water before the tea. Also after steeping add a pinch of baking soda keeps the tea from turning bitter and keeps it clear. They say that if you add the sugar after steeping you’re drinking sweetened tea, not sweet tea.

But Jason can answer if I’m doing it right

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

You add the sugar to the water before the tea. Also after steeping add a pinch of baking soda keeps the tea from turning bitter and keeps it clear. They say that if you add the sugar after steeping you’re drinking sweetened tea, not sweet tea.

I had no idea about the baking soda. Great idea!

 

[NotHardUp1]

The important thing is to add the sugar when the tea is hot. That's what keeps it from clouding.

The sugar itself counters the bitter. The most important aspect is not making the tea the strength stated on the package. It will be certainly bitter if you do. Two family sized bags for a gallon are by far enough, brewed maybe 10-15 minutes if the water is hot, not boiling necessarily. And the brand of tea matters. Lots of hot teas just won't make a good iced tea. It is to taste, of course, but bitterness is the main enemy.

You can literally look at a glass of iced tea (in a restaurant or home) and tell if it's bad. The reverse is not always true. You can look at a beautiful glass of iced tea and it will be flavorless if made too weak. But if it's made too strong, you will be able to see it.

Perhaps ironically, Chinese restaurants often serve horrible iced tea, because it is foreign to their palate and they simply don't know how to make it that way. Also, lots of Chinese restaurants in the U.S. are run by Chinese who do not necessarily know food well, and don't really care about American palates.

The best tea is served fresh, hot over ice. It's fine to keep it, but it will never be as good again.

Great iced tea looks like amber. It tastes mellow, not overly sweet. It has no metallic taste. Bad tea does.

Never leave the tea bags in after the brewing is done. The tannins will bring that metallic taste if you do.

 

[purina]

I recall being asked whether I wanted milk or lemon and asking for both only to be told I could only have one or the other.

 

[Alistair]

^ I think lemon would sour milk.

 

[Kahaih]

^ I think lemon would sour milk.

Curdles it.

A tiny cheese curd float.

 

[pigface]

I had no idea about the baking soda. Great idea!

I small knife-tip of sodium bicarbonate improves many teas if you find them too bitter.
If you like sugar in the tea, less sugar is then required.

 

[Alistair]

Curdles it.

A tiny cheese curd float.

Yeah that’s what I meant.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Curdles it.

A tiny cheese curd float.

The time I tried it as a teenager, it made sheets of curdle, and looked more than a little like egg drop soup.

 

[Thula]

Tea was always there, an essential, like breathing. From early on (possibly pre-teens) I liked my black tea hot, strong, with a spot of milk, no sugar. I average 6 cups a day.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Honestly, I'm not sure which I would give up last, but tea would be right there in the final things.

It's incredible to think how deeply embedded it is in psyche, and I don't mean just iced tea.

 

[PrinceCory]

Growing up at home we had instant tea powder. But i don't remember us having ice tea that often.

I have never been a hot tea drinker. But I drink iced tea every evening at home. I drink about a quart a day. I make it using a Mr. Coffee Ice Tea Pot and Luzianne Ice Tea Bags in the family size (quart). I use 2 quarts of ice and a quart of water. When it is finished brewing it is reasonably chilled. I don't use lemon or sugar. I like sweet tea, but don't drink it due to the calories.

 

[LoveMyPeppermill]

I like sweet tea, but don't drink it due to the calories.

Splenda.

 

[BillyT]

I grew up on drinking southerner sweet tea. As I got older I have become a diabetic and now I order tea from a company called Southern Breeze where they mix an artificial sweetener with the tea in the tea bag. They have an assortment of flavors.

Southern Breeze Sweet Tea | Southern Sweet Tea with Zero Calories

Southern Breeze Sweet Tea, the traditional taste of southern sweet tea with zero calories. All of the flavor, none of the guilt and a consistent brew every time with sweetness in the bag.

southernbreezesweettea.com

 

[rareboy]

For some time, I only drink mint tea through the day during the week and then will have some Lapsang Souchong on weekends.

Horrors though...David's Tea was the best source for it, and they don't carry it right now and when we ordered from another company....we are finding that the tea mixed in China that distributors are selling cheap is full of garbage and has no real smoky taste.

I finally found an organic Lapsang Souchong that seems to be as expensive as it should be...so we'll see.