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Brewing Your Own Iced Tea, The Easy Way

Honest Tea has recently unveiled K-Cups designed to help people brew tea over ice (yes, as in iced tea) at home easily. I had the opportunity to give them a try.

Iced Keurig Honest Tea

While this is not a sponsored post, I was provided with Honest Tea K-Cups and a Keurig 2.0 to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.

When it comes to iced tea, I am more than a little picky. Like many children of the 80s, I grew up on the powdered mix — the one that would unleash a cloud of sugary dust when you popped open the canister. But that presweetened mixture is too sweet for me, and lacks the herbal nuances of homemade iced tea.

That’s why if I am going to have it, I make my own homemade iced tea — often by the pitcher. It reminds me of sun tea, a version of iced tea that is brewed by placing it in the sun and then served over ice. A friend’s mom made sun tea when we were kids and I was smitten at first sip. But, homemade iced tea making by any method can be a time-consuming endeavor and I don’t have time for that as often as I’d like.

Fortunately, there’s help for that.

When Honest Tea approached me about trying their new unsweetened brew over ice K-Cups, I jumped at the opportunity. Available in Just Green Tea and Just Black Tea varieties, this iced tea simplifies the idea of making your own. But let’s face it: convenience is only part of the reason you’d want something like this. How does it taste?

Making Iced Honest Tea

Brewing it is simple — simply fill a tumbler with ice (don’t use a glass one!) and brew as you would any K-Cup. Then sweeten and dress the tea however you desire. I love mine with a bit of local honey stirred in, but you can also sweeten with sugar, agave nectar or any other sweetener you love. If lemon in your tea is a favorite, squeeze a wedge in. Or try a lime wedge. And, if you are feeling really fancy, take a cue from the iced tea of my childhood and add some fresh mint (especially in the summertime when it grows prolifically).

I love how customizable homemade tea is. And moreover, I love how you can control how sweet it is, as well.

As for the flavor of the Honest Tea K-Cups, the kids and I enjoyed it. The light flavor of the green tea sweetened with a little honey was perfect and refreshing for sipping at early fall soccer games. I would have liked it brewed a little stronger, but it was still good. And the black tea was just right for dressing with sweetener, lemon and honey.

Will I buy these K-cups from Honest Tea again? Yes, without a doubt. I am hoping they release a few more varieties (an aromatic, floral herbal tea would be fantastic!).

Do you like homemade iced tea? How do you take it?


Disclosure: While I wasn’t compensated for this post, I was provided with samples of the Honest Tea K-Cups and a Keurig 2.0 Brewer. All opinions are my own.

Kate

Friday 31st of October 2014

I make my tea like you do - indoor sun tea.