Making Iced Tea With Your Billi Tap

Now that Summer has arrived it’s a great time to expand your beverage skills and learn the art of making iced tea. 

As the ultimate summer cool down drink, it reminds us of hot holidays abroad and carefree days spent playing in the sunshine. 

While iced tea is traditionally an American beverage that became hugely popular during the 1870s, you cannot visit a seaside town or an exotic destination without it being on the menu. 

With its sweet taste and refreshing ice cold sensation, iced tea can be loved by everyone in the family. 

Making iced tea is actually quite simple, and once you get to grips with the basic recipe, it’s a brilliant drink to add your own unique twist. 

So whether you’re just looking to jazz up your summer drinks, or put on a summer party with style, here’s all you need to know about the popular summer beverage.  

Is making your own iced tea healthier? 

As with many food and drinks that you make at home, making your own iced tea is often healthier as you are in control of the ingredients. 

Branded iced teas that you purchase from a shop or cafe, often have high amounts of sugars and syrups, which can make the tea extremely calorific. 

However, when mixing your own tea at home, you can control how much sweetener you add to the tea and the type of sweetener. 

For example, many people are now opting to choose a healthier sugar alternative such as stevia, or honey. 

A simple iced tea recipe

Whether you want to enjoy the ice cold drink at home in the garden or share it with friends, here’s a simple recipe to get you started. It only takes 15 minutes. 

Step 1. Brew 1.2 litres of water with 8 bags of traditional English black tea. 

Step 2. Add in 2 tablespoons of caster sugar or your sugar alternative such as honey.

Step 3. Infuse the tea with flavour by adding your favourite fruits. For example, lemons, oranges, or mint. 

Step 4. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. 

Step 5. Pour into a large jug with plenty of ice and any fruit slices you would like to add for extra flavour. 

Serve with plenty of ice and a reusable straw, and wow your summer party guests. 

How do iced teas compare? 

Creating your own blend of cold tea at home may seem like a lot of effort to get your sweet tea fix, but purchasing it from a store or cafe is not only more costly but also less healthy. 

Lipton Iced Tea: Black tea, water, sugar, peach juice from concentrate. 150 calories. 32g Sugar. 

Starbucks Iced Black Tea: Black tea, water, lemon juice, liquid sugar cane. 90 calories. 22g Sugar. 

Costa Peach Iced Tea: English breakfast tea, water, peach juice sauce. 97 calories. 20g Sugar. 

In the world, tea is the second most consumed drink after water, which means it’s no surprise that iced tea is a popular choice when the hot days appear. 

However, if you are looking to lead a healthy lifestyle, you should limit the number of iced teas you drink. 

The average adult should only consume a minimum of 30 grams of sugar per day, but the average iced tea contains 20 grams of sugar. 

With this in mind, it is recommended that you either switch to a healthy alternative of sweetener or simply limit the number of glasses you enjoy. 

If you’re looking to sip on a cold tea without limitations, follow our recipe to make your own at home. That way you’re in control of the sugar.