Organic Texas Iced Tea Blend

Description

They say everything is bigger in Texas. The hats are bigger, the boots are bigger, the wide-open plains and star-filled night skies are bigger, the barbecue pits are bigger and the tall tales of the West are bigger. What's also bigger, as any visitor to Texas will discover the first time they stop for something cool to drink, is that the flavor of Texas style iced tea is bigger and more robust than anything they've tasted anywhere else. Really, one can surmise that it has to be. As mentioned, one of the biggest things in Texas is the barbecue pit, long a Texas mainstay and source of some of the smokiest, spiciest barbecue anywhere on the planet. Barbecue like that need something sweet and cold to wash down, it's a simple fact. If you need empirical proof, take a voyage down the famous Barbecue Trail from the town of Round Rock, just north of Austin, to Luling or pay a visit to the International Barbecue Cook-Off. Both experiences guarantee numerous excuses to quench your thirst with tall glasses of sweet tasting Texas tea.

So, just what do they do in Texas that makes their iced tea so spectacular? To find out, we went straight to the source - or rather, our Master Blender went straight to the source: Brownsville, the southernmost city in the State. Down in Brownsville he met with an elderly woman who claimed to posses the best iced tea recipe in all of Texas. Who was he to argue? He went with her to her home, settled into a porch swing and took out a pad of paper and pencil: "To make one and a half quarts of tea", she began, "put one quart (4 cups) of fresh cold water in a kettle and put it over heat. When the water comes to a boil, infuse 5 grams of black tea in a teapot." (We recommend measuring the tea with the Metropolitan Perfect Tea Measure.) "Now," she continued, "Here comes the tricky part. Don't pour the hot water gently, really let the water splash down and agitate that tea - get it mad y'all! Then, set the tea aside and let it steep for at least an hour. Once it's done, strain it out into a pitcher, add ¾ cups of sugar and stir that tea until it's dissolved. Finally, add a couple of cups of cool water and set it in the fridge until it's nice and cold. When you're ready to serve it, garnish with a big ol' slice of lemon.big enough that y'all can squeeze the juice right out of it! And that's that!"
To complement that fantastic recipe, we've developed what we think is the world's greatest tea blend for brewing world famous Texas iced tea. Brew a pot for you and yours today. Enjoy y'all!

Steeping Instructions

PRODUCT TYPE: Loose - Black Tea

IDEAL BREWING TEMPERATURE: 100ºC/212ºF

ANTIOXIDANT BENEFIT: For a greater antioxidant benefit brew longer and use more tea.

FOOD SAFETY ADVISORY: We strongly recommend using filtered or freshly drawn cold water brought to a rolling boil when brewing all types of tea. Today's water has been known to carry viruses, parasites and bacteria. Boiling the water will kill these elements and reduce the potential incidence of water-borne illnesses.

Epic Iced Tea Instructions

Tea isn't just served hot!  Iced tea is one of the most refreshing and natural thirst quenchers around the world.  Here is our suggested method of brewing the best iced tea.

ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart):

1. Place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the tea.
3. Steep for 5 minutes.
4. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
5. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the bags.
6. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
7. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase
8. the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.

Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about.

ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Individual Serving):

1. Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the tea.
3. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes.
4. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
5. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving.
6. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted.

Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about.

HERB & FRUIT ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart):

1. Place 12 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 6 tea bags into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the herb & fruit blend.
3. Steep for 5-10 minutes.
4. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water.
5. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the tea bags.
6. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
7. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced herb & fruit tea is to increase the strength of hot brew since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.

HERB & FRUIT ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Individual Serving):

1. Place 2 slightly heaping teaspoons of herb & fruit blend or 1 tea bag into a teapot for each serving required.
2. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the herb & fruit blend.
3. Cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes.
4. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.
5. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving. Garnish and sweeten to taste.
6. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed herb & fruit tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted.