Iced tea is easy to make by the glass or by the pitcher, and there are almost endless flavor combinations to try.

The easiest way to make iced tea is to brew a strong iced tea concentrate, which you then pour over ice cubes and add additional water as needed.

Basic Recipe for Quick Brew Iced Tea Concentrate (use 50/50 with ice or cold water)

4 cups water (32 oz), heated according to the type of tea you are brewing

3 full tablespoons loose leaf tea (any kind is fine)

1 quart mason jar or other airtight container

Sweetener, optional

Directions:

1. Bring water to the appropriate temperature in kettle or on stove-top. For black tea and herbal you can use boiling water. For green teas, oolongs or whites use just below boiling)
   

2. Pour hot water over loose tea and allow it to steep for at least 3-4 minutes. The longer it steeps the more concentrated it will be but should steep no longer than 4-5 minutes for green and whites and no longer than 5-7 minutes for blacks and herbals. You may also use a large tea bag, basket infuser in which to steep the tea leaves.
   

3. Strain off tea leaves and discard and allow concentrate to cool in an airtight container and refrigerate. Refrigerated concentrate will keep for about a week.
   

4. To make tea, use 1 parts tea to 1 parts water or ice, for a stronger tea, add more concentrate and less water. Add sweetener or fruit to taste, mix and enjoy!
   

5. Alternatively, you can use the tea concentrate immediately by filling a pitcher with at least twice the capacity of the concentrate with ice cubes and then pour the hot concentrate over the ice. Doing this will simultaneously cool the tea and dilute the concentrate.

For a fun twist try adding chopped berries, stone fruits, herbs or spices to the tea while it’s steeping for fun flavor combinations.

If southern style sweet tea is your preference add ½ - 1 cup sugar to the hot concentrate after the leaves have been strained and stir until dissolved. Squeeze the juice from two lemons and add to the concentrated tea if desired.  

If you want to make a stronger concentrate just add more tea to less water. The basic recipe is one heaping teaspoon per 1 cup of water. The recipe above doubles that amount for a concentrate you can dilute 50% with ice or water.

To make a half gallon jar of concentrate that will make a gallon of tea use 1/4 cup of tea to

8 cups of water.

A Sunshine Sipper Hot Summer Days!

Sunshine Sipper is our hibiscus mint herbal blend which is fantastic for hot days. Hibiscus is naturally hydrating and helps lower blood pressure. Mint is cooling for the body. Combined they are the best drink to enjoy when the weather gets hot. Much better for you than energy drinks with added sugar and flavorings- and more economical too. This tea is great as is but with added coconut water it becomes a super hydration cocktail that tastes lightly sweet and tropical.

Try it and let me know what you think in the comments below!

• Brew a concentrate of Sunshine Sipper communitea herbal blend (see instructions above).

• Fill a 16 oz glass half full with ice and pour in half of the Sunshine Sipper concentrate.

• Then fill the rest with coconut water (or green tea iced tea is nice if you want caffeine)

• Add a squeeze of lime (or other citrus like orange or lemon)

• A handful of fresh berries such as raspberry or blueberry (optional but delicious)