Make herbal iced tea with fresh garden herbs. I love growing fresh herbs to make light and refreshing herbal iced tea. I often brew tea from fresh herbs when I’ve done some pruning and have a handful of clippings.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Course: beverage, tea
Keyword: family friendly drinks, herbs, patio drinks
Servings: 2
Calories: 6kcal
Author: Getty Stewart
Ingredients
2cupswaterboiled to 100℃/212℉
1bagblack, green or oolong teaoptional
½cupfresh herbs
Instructions
Place herbs in heat safe jar/teapot. Muddle (gently rub, bruise or crush) fresh herbs to release their essential oils.
Add tea bags, if using.
Pour 2 cups boiling water over herbs.
Cover and let steep for 20* minutes. Brew extra strong so flavour will be vibrant when adding ice.
Remove herbs/strain and sweeten** with honey, sugar or other sweeteners.
Cool for 2 hours on counter then refrigerate to keep cool. Store in fridge for 5-7 days.
Pour over ice to serve.
Video
Notes
*Most garden herbs can be steeped for a long time, but some herbs release a bitter flavour if steeped too long. Only steep chamomile, lavender, rosemary, rose, orange/lemon peel for 3 minutes or alternatively steep in cold water overnight (cold water will not cause bitterness).**Use simple syrup to sweeten if tea is cold....Tips for brewing homemade herbal tea
When muddling fresh herbs, don’t crush too hard otherwise you’ll release the green chlorophyll which can leave a bitter taste.
Choose one type of herb for your tea or combine several different ones. You could even add dried fruit, flower petals or spices like cinnamon or ginger to your tea.
Consider adding black, green or oolong tea to the mix. There are no set rules – base your combination on your personal preferences for flavor, colour, caffeine, medicinal benefits, etc.
Don’t expect bright vibrant colours like you get with commercial herbal teas.
If you want bright colours, consider adding hibiscus, calendula or blue butterfly pea blossoms to your herbal tea mix.
Lemon balm is best used fresh, it loses its flavour when dried.