Homebrew: Iced Green Tea

I have a liking for iced tea that goes beyond your normal Lipton iced tea or iced Nestea (which is too sugary for my palate now).  I've turned to a more wholesome alternative of seeping hot tea, adding local honey as sweetener, and cooling it in the fridge.  It's really nice to be able to reach in the fridge and have a glass of iced green tea, already slightly sweetener and better than the store bought concoctions.  Last summer I also began experimenting with making my own iced teas as well as combining different teas.  Here are a couple of variations I enjoy:

rose-chai (Wissotzky)

green tea (Numi organic)

orange tea (Tazo)

passion tea (Tazo)

green tea + passion tea

green tea + orange tea

orange tea + passion tea

Simply heat a tea kettle on the stove with water and boil.  Place 2-3 tea bags (depending on how strong you would like your tea/combination) over side of pitcher.  Pour water in pitcher over tea bags and steep for 10-15 minutes.  About 5-10 minutes in, I add about 5-6 tablespoons of honey and stir until dissolved.  Taste test along the way so you get the right amount of sweetness in your tea.  It also helps to mix the honey in while the tea is still hot, so that it all dissolves smoothly.  Discard tea bags and either pour into desired container/pitcher or place in fridge to cool.  

The glass container I use for home brewed iced tea/iced coffee is from Pier 1 imports, but has sadly been discontinued.  You can also find some neat glass containers on Amazon, like this adorable one here or here (or just for inspiration).   

-Caroline