Steve Schwartz, founder of the Californian company Art of the Tea, told S. Irene Virbila of the Los Angeles Times what steps to take when preparing a good iced tea. His classic black tea recently won an award for best iced tea at the World Tea Expo. Schwartz produces a dozen blends suitable for home preparation, including summer peach, green pomegranate and jasmine passion fruit.

How to prepare iced tea

What does the expert recommend? According to Schwartz, the best preparation method is cold brewing, which involves using tea and water in the same ratio you would use for a hot brew — that is, 1 teaspoon of loose-leaf tea per cup, but replacing the hot water with cold water. Pour the mixture into a jug, cover it and leave it to steep overnight, for 8 to 10 hours. Then strain. This technique produces a drink that is low in caffeine (theine) and tannins (substances that are extracted more easily in hot water), making it more stable and less prone to changes in its original flavour even three or four days after preparation.

Another useful tip is to prepare iced tea ice cubes to chill the drink when it is poured into glasses. This way the tea is not diluted with plain ice and therefore does not taste watered down. To make the cubes, this time pour your teaspoon of tea into hot water for 3–5 minutes. Then strain and pour the infusion into an ice cube tray and freeze.